Residents fear quiet Newport street will turn into 'rat-run'

There are only ten houses in Wednesbury Street, but homeowners believe it will be swamped by a £25 million plan to build 249 homes next door.

If city councillors give the goahead, the Seren Group will transform the old Pirelli Cables site, which covers a large area behind the street, into houses.

Residents of Wednesbury Street are planning to fight any proposals and 12 of them met yesterday to discuss their options.

Ann-Marie Phillips said: “We have no issue with them building there.

“It is the fact they want to open up our street. It is not big enough for two-way traffic and for them to do that it will mean us losing our parking spaces.

They will turn it into a rat run.”

Sheila Forrest, 70, has lived in Wednesbury Street since she married 50 years ago. She said: “No-one leaves as it is a fantastic street to live on, it has very little crime and is a community of our own. If it is extended, it will become part of an estate with lots more people and traffic around.”

The proposals would see Chris Hillman lose his parking space outside his house. He said: “They have said there will be alternative spaces provided, but nobody knows where they could be.”

Councillors have expressed support for the development, but residents in Wednesbury Street are worried their small number means their voices won’t be heard.

The main access to the new site is proposed through nearby Telford Street. At a recent public meeting Seren Group spokesman Neil Barber said that traffic-calming measures would ensure other routes are not used for this.

Following the meeting Cllr Allan Morris said: “This is a very exciting and overdue development that will enhance an industrial eyesore. We want to ensure the best deal possible and minimise the effect on residents by working with them and the developers.”

The company hopes the application will be determined by September to allow work to begin in 2014.