A PETITION has been launched by supporters of Halesowen’s greenbelt land calling on Dudley Council to hold a referendum before committing to joining a giant combined West Midlands Authority.

More than 150 people have signed the petition in just over a week via the Save Halesowen’s Countryside Facebook page, amid fears the town could be used as a “sacrificial lamb”.

It was launched by Ann Williams, who was part of the campaign to save the greenbelt bordered by the A456 Manor Way and the M5 at junction three from being the site of a massive enterprise zone.

She said: “A combined authority may benefit the people of Dudley MBC in the future, but should not be considered at the cost of the ancient footpaths and roadways; the deeply engrained heritage or the destruction of the much cherished, and precious, countryside environments of the area, when there are multiple locations of derelict manufacturing areas available for redevelopment.

“The proposal to build on Halesowen’s greenbelt came about as a result of a combined authority consultation document, where the land was referred to as being Birmingham’s greenbelt.

“If the combined authority is to be truly democratic, how can the council sign up to the agreement without firstly consulting the people that will be affected – that is the electorate?”

Hales Owen Abbey Trust secretary Mick Freer, who spearheaded the campaign which led to Dudley Council’s u-turn when it abandoned a feasibility study into 260 acres of industry on historic greenbelt, urged people to sign the petition.

He said: “The debacle over the greenbelt off Manor Way shows how the authority will operate. Dudley Council was prepared to use it as the sacrificial lamb and the fear is this could happen again.”

Mr Freer warned transport schemes, such as controversial Western Orbital Route and the Kidderminster – Hagley – Blakedown bypass could be revived, resulting in the loss of swathes of countryside.

He said: “I think the petition is a really good idea because as things stand we are not going to have any say in what will be a huge change in the governance of the area.

“There are a lot of questions to be answered and it’s the bigger picture that worries me, not only the enterprise zone issue.

Mr Freer added: “I know they say the combined authority will not undermine the autonomy of the local authorities but Dudley Council was prepared to sacrifice the greenbelt for the combined authority.”

Fellow campaigner John Reynolds also urged people to sign the petition saying: “I don’t think people realise the consequences of the impact of a combined authority on Dudley borough.”