PROPOSED housing developments could see the village of Cradley increase by 30 per cent.
Campaigner and resident Nic Calvert said there were currently 450 homes in the village but if a number of applications were approved more than 136 new properties would be built in the area.
More than 300 people have now signed a petition against the proposals and, Mr Calvert said, despite many residents voicing their views to Herefordshire Council’s planning committee they felt like they were being ignored and outline planning permission had been granted for 60 new homes.
Mr Calvert added the development was to be built on the opposite side of the village to the school on a slope which was a well-known natural soak away for rain water.
He said below the area was a small estate of some 38 properties where there were issues with surface water and boggy gardens.
Mr Calvert added if further applications were approved, 76 more homes would be built in the village, taking the total to 136.
And, he said, there were also some smaller projects under consideration or being built adding another 20 plus properties.
Mr Calvert claimed Cradley had poor road infrastructure and the village’s doctors and school was too small to cope with the developments.
Concerns were also raised over the area’s pumping station which dated back to the 1970s.
Mr Calvert said there were no planned upgrades and it already struggled, sometimes leading to problems with sewage escaping onto a nearby road.
“We feel as a community the number of houses, 60 properties, just on this one site, goes above and beyond what is reasonable for the space,” Mr Calvert said.
“The other proposed housing projects at least are at the right end of the village for easier access to the school but the strain on the local infrastructure is going to bring it to breaking point.”
Mr Calvert claimed he had written to MP Bill Wiggin to highlight the issue but had received no response.
But Mr Wiggin said: “I am always happy to met to discuss these issues although planning is a matter for the county council.
“I look forward to catching up with them before the general election and seeing what I can do to help.
“Thanks to The Observer passing on the message I have now written to Mr Calvert.”
A Herefordshire Council spokesperson said outline planning permission had recently been granted for 60 homes and the application, available online, fully covered the points raised.
“Cradley, like a number of villages in Herefordshire is receiving attention from developers due to the lack of a five year housing land supply.
“Local residents views are taken into account however must be weighed against issues such as the lack of housing land supply.”
