Protest over housing development held at Babbs Mill Park

PROTESTERS are gathered at the entrance to Babbs Mill Park this afternoon, making their feelings known about the plans to declassify part of the Local Nature Reserve (LNR).

Locals armed with banners and placards convened at the roadside, near the turn into Hillside Drive.

Solihull Council is currently consulting over the proposals to strip part of the land of LNR status, which would allow developers to press ahead with a new housing scheme, granted planning permission earlier this year.

Action for Babbs Mill, the campaign group which has organised the protest, said the event gave local people the opportunity to express their "disgust" at the situation.

Speaking at a public meeting earlier in the week, Sarah Evans, who chairs the group, said: "We have always maintained since our founding we will fight any development, whether big or small, which will impact on our park.

"You could argue that Kingshurst is already a densely populated area, with a limited amount of green and open space, let alone access to nature reserves."

Solihull Council has said that the need for housing locally has made the development necessary.