Local County Council candidate for Arrow Valley East, Emma Marshall, has launched a petition to demonstrate to local authorities the need to upgrade the entrance to the Alex Hospital in Redditch.
SIGN THE PETITION TO UPGRADE THE ENTRANCE TO THE ALEX HOSPITAL
The petition comes as SevenHomes has submitted its planning application to Redditch Borough Council after first announcing its intentions to develop housing on part of the site in August 2020.
In response to SevenHomes’ proposed housing development on the area of land between the main Alexandra Hospital building, Woodrow Drive and Nine Days Lane, Rachel Maclean MP said:
“You’ll all remember that last August we were all caught off guard by a press story about the proposed housing development on the area of land between the main Alexandra Hospital building, Woodrow Drive and Nine Days Lane.
“SevenHomes, the developers involved in the housing development, have now submitted their planning application to Redditch Borough Council.
“With this in mind, it’s worth reminding everyone what hospital bosses told me last year.
“Firstly, NONE of the buildings on the land in question are currently in use or occupied – they are a number of former residences that have been mothballed for some time. No staff or services will be displaced by this development if it goes ahead.
Rachel added:
“Secondly, all the land being sold has been identified as surplus to requirements. The Trust have told me the sale and development of the land won’t impact on any of their plans for services at the Alex.
“Third, one of the main concerns staff had was the loss of parking that this development would result in. The Trust already have plans in place to build replacements for this parking – and the new parking will be available for staff to use BEFORE any current parking is lost.
On parking Rachel confirmed:
“Two sites have already been earmarked for this parking – a new site on the opposite side of the main hospital access road to the patient and visitor parking, next to the helipad and an extension to the East car park at the back of the hospital. It has also been agreed that the Trust can use some of the proceeds of the land sale to cover the cost of the replacement staff car parking.
“Fourth, this application does however raise concerns about the proposed access to the development and how this might affect access to the Alex. We all know Woodrow Drive is already heavily congested, and more homes will only add to this issue.
“I will therefore work with my council colleagues to ensure the developers contribute to the cost of the infrastructure improvements that will be needed should this application be approved.
“Lastly, and most importantly, this development does not impact, in anyway, my campaign to return services to the Alex. The proposed development would not prevent the Alex from expanding in the future.
“To end on a positive, securing the money from this land sale will support the long waited major investment in the future of the Alex we have all been promised. I’m sure this is something we can all welcome.”
In response, Emma Marshall, who lives in the Greenlands area of Arrow Valley West where the hospital is located, has launched a petition to demonstrate to County Council officials that local people want and need the entrance to be upgraded.
Emma said:
Whilst we can all perhaps welcome the investment this will lead to at the Alex hospital directly, the extra housing will inevitably lead to an increase in congestion on the already busy Woodrow Drive.
This could lead to people being delayed from getting to appointments and more importantly ambulances being delayed from getting to A&E.
I believe the solution to this problem is to upgrade the road junctions on Woodrow Drive encompassing the junction for Nine Days Lane and the hospital junction roundabout. Thus ensuring easy traffic flow to this vital hospital.
Please sign this petition to help me demonstrate to Worcestershire County Council that local people want and need improvements to the road infrastructure leading to the Alex.
