THE campaign to save the last parcel of untouched meadowland in Amblecote continues, with residents urged to have their say in a consultation on the Dudley Local Plan about why it should be protected from development.

There are just two weeks left for people to take part in the consultation, which opened in October, ahead of an official submission to the government for final sign off next year.

The plan sets out Dudley Council’s plans to meet housing and employment needs in the borough up to 2041 and reiterates a commitment to protecting the green belt and building on brownfield land wherever possible.

But the Save the Corbett Meadow Action Group has urged people to make sure they highlight what makes the Corbett Meadow, off Vicarage Road, special and why it should be preserved for future generations.

Corbett MeadowCorbett Meadow (Image: Bev Holder / Newsquest)

Lance Cartwright, spokesperson for the action group which wants to see the meadow designated as Local Green Space, said: “After this consultation, the plan then goes to central government's planning officers to be approved.

“If approved, the meadow will be safe from any development until the next plan in 2041. CMAG’s campaign will by then have achieved what we set out to do.

“But our supporters need to take part in this last important process if we are to achieve this objective.

“The campaign to Save the Corbett Meadow is not over! Far from it! This consultation will hopefully, if accepted, be the final stage of the process by way of gaining greater protection in perpetuity from the proposed designations.

“If the Dudley Local Plan is not accepted, this could take us back to the beginning, as it could give the Dudley NHS trust the opportunity to offer the meadow up once again for housing development, which will inevitably gain the interest of major developers.”

The meadow is the last remaining green space on land gifted to the people of Stourbridge by benefactor John Corbett in 1893. It is currently used for grazing cattle and has been cared for over the last 40 years by dedicated hobbyist farmers.

People can have their say on the Dudley Local Plan online at www.dudley.gov.uk/localplan or by emailing planning.policy@dudley.gov.uk or online or by going to the Save the Corbett Meadow Action Group page on Facebook.

The consultation runs until 5pm on Friday November 29.

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said: “We would encourage people to take part in this second consultation and have their say.

“We received hundreds of submissions in our first consultation at the end of last year.

“Since then officers have been working hard on processing and reviewing those in detail and considering changes to the plan.

“We still firmly believe we can meet our housing and employment needs without having to build on green belt land treasured by so many in our borough.

“It has been a long process but we are nearing the final stages now, and we are firmly on track to meet our target of officially submitting the plan in spring or summer next year.”