00:00So hi Lance, we're here by Corbett Meadow in Amblecote. Tell us a little bit
00:06about why the land is so important and why you're all here today. Yeah sure thank
00:09you very much for coming down it's good to see you. It is so important this year
00:13and tell by the number of people, neighbours and friends have come here
00:15they actually really value the legacy of John Corbett, it's so so important. The
00:20land here was actually given to the people of Starbridge and the surrounding
00:24areas in 1893 so it goes back a good way and that the the meadow behind you, which
00:30you can you can clearly see I would have thought, was designated for use as a for
00:35a hospital with grounds and a park which be used for the benefit of local people.
00:39The problem we've got is that the Dolly Group of Hospitals has confirmed now
00:45its intentions to pursue housing development on the open land remaining
00:50from John Corbett's legacy at the Corbett Meadow and is also objecting to the
00:55designation of the meadow as a local green space at the current examination of
00:59the Dudley Local Plan. A designation which would have given it a lot more
01:04protection or instead now the Health Trust want to promote its allocation for
01:08residential development. So that's what we're here for really to launch this
01:12petition. The meadow is a special urban green space of acknowledged native
01:17conservation and landscape importance and a crucial part really of the history and
01:22identity of the local area but it's now under serious present threat.
01:27Okay so how can people sign the petition? Well we've tried to make it as easy as
01:31possible for people to give us support and it's been fantastic we sort of put
01:35this on our Facebook page the Corbett Meadow Action Group Facebook page
01:39yesterday and we've already got 550 signatures which is fantastic going. The way
01:45to do it really is it the easiest ways to go onto onto that Facebook page that we
01:49will be putting loads of posters up like this all over the place with a QR code
01:53on the bottom which a lot of people like to use what we have provided a sort of
01:57embedded URL so people can just link into that from computers and we really ask
02:02everyone really to get along take two minutes to actually complete a very very
02:07easy signing of the of the petition share it with their neighbours share it with
02:13their friends pass it round and get as many names as we possibly can to support
02:17this very special place.
02:20Okay so we're here with the current MP for Stowbridge and the former MP for Stowbridge
02:26both have been big supporters of the Safer Corbett Meadow Action Group. Kat what can we do?
02:33What can the people here do to try and save this meadow?
02:37I think we really just have to keep the pressure on and show the council and show
02:41Dudley NHS Trust how important this land is to the local area and the fact is
02:47that once it's gone it's gone so we really need to save it and make sure that
02:51it is allocated in the local plan as a green space so that we can protect it for future generations.
02:56And Suzanne how vital is this for Stowbridge?
03:01Oh it's really vital all our greenbelt actually in Stowbridge is hugely at risk because of what
03:07is happening from the top down housing targets from the government it's putting pressure on
03:11the greenbelt to build the Dudley council have put a plan together that actually protects
03:15the greenbelt it actually protects Corbett Meadow as well so in the current plan going forward
03:20it's got the protections in there so I hope the inspector and the council listen to this
03:25and carry that forward unfortunately the developers are going there and really putting huge pressure
03:30to build the housing so I urge everyone to sign this petition come forward sign the petition so the
03:37inspector and the council fully understand how important this is but huge amounts of the greenbelt now
03:44there's another huge piece over in Pevmore as well because you know everyone come together come
03:49together as a community and do what's right for the community and protect this this green open space
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