I feel sorry for Coombes Wood Sports and Social Club as it is very difficult to believe that St Modwen have any intention of building the new cricket ground. Is a shareholder driven company really going to level half a hill in order to build a facility which will never generate a profit against the initial building costs? I just hope that the club aren't being duped with a red herring designed to a) deflect criticism away from the company which is closing them down and b) provide a smokescreen to draw criticism away from the Olive Hill extension developments.

I feel sorry for Coombes Wood Sports and Social Club as it is very difficult to believe that St Modwen have any intention of building the new cricket ground. Is a shareholder driven company really going to level half a hill in order to build a facility which will never generate a profit against the initial building costs? I just hope that the club aren't being duped with a red herring designed to a) deflect criticism away from the company which is closing them down and b) provide a smokescreen to draw criticism away from the Olive Hill extension developments.

A couple of questions. 1 . why as a large developement company brought so much green wedge (not green belt) land. Well if they do build a cricket field on this land that will then leave it open so the can build houses on the rest of the land. let them build the cricket ground and you will not be able to stop the houses on the rest of the land.. Very crafty if you ask me. Locals may also have noticed the access from Hillwood road and Acorn road was blocked a few years back. if they stop you accessing the land for so many years you loose the right to the public footpaths you used to have.. This devlopment as been on the cards for a few years and don't think it will not happern because a company like them will no buy up useless land, would you?

Q2 Why offer playgrounds ect for olive hill school. if they are only building a cricket pitch why do they need to sweetern the deal?? just ask yourself. PS How many of you got a ticket for the meeting? not many i guess. Can anyone tell me what happened at the meeting.

I didn’t get the two tickets that I applied for and neither did four other people – did anyone get tickets? I was furious when I found out from someone that actually went without a ticket that no tickets were actually required on the door! Obviously the ticket ruse was a blatant piece of manipulation designed to show evidence of a poor turnout i.e. lack of interest in opposing the plans. How many other busy working people like me assumed that no ticket meant that it had been oversubscribed and so didn’t attend?

The person I spoke to that attended the meeting said that it wasn’t a meeting at all – it was two St Modwen’s representatives with plans pinned to a board talking to people individually. There was no presentation and no address to an audience. Apparently it was more like the queue to see Santa Claus than an organised public consultation meeting.

If this “Meeting That Wasn’t” is how St Modwen are beginning their campaign, then it does not bode well. They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with scams like this - a proper meeting should be arranged. I expect the Halesowen News will be receiving a St Modwen’s press release citing lack of interest in the meeting – well I can vouch for the fact that the opposite is true - rather than being apathetic many local people I have spoken to are very upset and very anxious to get more information in order to make an informed decision. Some respect should be shown and the confusion caused by this blatant manipulation should be addressed properly and publically.

Even if this sham of a meeting was caused by lack of organisation rather than wilful deception, then that in itself is a cause for concern – do we really want the future of our historic and evironmentally protected greenbelt decided by people that cannot even organise a simple meeting of local people at a primary school?

To show your support and to see the plans put forward in order to make an informed decision, please visit The Friends Of Coombes Wood webiste at

www.friendsofcoombes
wood.pwp.blueyonder.
co.uk

Important!!! As the website is new it does not as yet appear in google or other search engines. Pass the message on – there will be leaflets with the website address available from Long Lane library from Wednesday 18th March.

So i was right about the tickets then! strange that one.