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Solihull Local Plan (Draft Submission) 2020

Ended on the 14 December 2020
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(8) Hampton-in-Arden

The Settlements Now

  1. The parish area includes the rural settlements of Hampton-in-Arden and Catherine-de-Barnes, both of which are small villages east of Solihull which are located in close proximity to major transport links joining Birmingham with Coventry. The settlements are divided by the M42 motorway and are broadly bounded by the A45 and A452 trunk roads to the north, by the River Blythe to the east and south and by the Grand Union Canal, Hampton Coppice and the A41 to the west.
  2. The settlements are situated within the largely pastoral and historic Arden Landscape. This area of Green Belt which separates the wider Birmingham conurbation from Coventry is known as the 'Meriden Gap'.
  3. The central part of Hampton-in-Arden was first designated as a Conservation Area by Warwickshire County Council in order to preserve the historic core of the settlement. In 2015, Solihull MBC completed a review of the Conservation Area and expanded its boundaries to include other notable parts of Hampton-in-Arden.
  4. A neighbourhood plan for the parish was adopted in August 2017.
  5. The parish currently covers the village itself and associated hinterland, and by virtue of boundary changes that took effect in April 2019, the parish boundary was extended westwards up to the urban edge and all of Catherine-de-Barnes is now included in the parish.
  6. The village of Hampton-in-Arden is located to the eastern side of the Parish whilst the smaller settlement of Catherine-de-Barnes is located to the western side. Between them, the settlements have a range of facilities including a primary school, a library, doctor's surgery and a number of shops including a post office and chemist together with recreational facilities.
  7. Hampton-in-Arden has a train station on the West Coast Mainline which provides access to London, Birmingham and Coventry. The station has a car park accommodating some 72 vehicles. A bus service runs through the village which connects Hampton-in-Arden to Meriden, Catherine-de-Barnes and Solihull

The Settlements in the Future

  1. Given the limited ranges of services, it is considered that development options are restricted to what would be limited and proportionate extensions to the settlement. A key aspect to this is to ensure that the existing infrastructure supporting the village, especially the school, is not overwhelmed from additional demands that may occur from larger expansions.
  2. The M42, which separates Hampton-in-Arden and Catherine-de-Barnes, will continue to provide an important part of the strategic highway network. The planned improvements to Junction 6 of the M42 will result in a new road linking the motorway to the A45 via a new junction to be located where Solihull Road currently crosses the motorway.
  3. The HS2 line will run through the parish. To accommodate the crossing of the River Blythe (and its floodplain), a viaduct of some 480m in length and over 10m above ground level will be constructed.

What is Required for the Settlements in the Future?

  1. The parish area of Hampton in Arden will require protection from excessive development that may impact upon the character and attractiveness of the village; and the services it provides. Where development is provided, the following issues will need to be addressed.
  2. Concept Master Plans – The plans that accompany this consultation for the principal sites include a draft concept masterplan. These seek to identify the key existing features of a site that may need to be retained, and show at a high level where development is envisaged within the wider site. This is to ensure that when development proposals move to the planning application stage, there is certainty about the important elements of the development, e.g. appropriate green infrastructure and other requirements. Whilst this may result in a lower gross to net developable area, this will demonstrate that a quality development can be provided which makes efficient use of land and respects local character.
  3. Constraints & Opportunities – The Conservation Area, historical environment and Local Wildlife Site provide constraints to the west, whilst the River Blythe, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and its flood zones are constraints to the east. The former ammunition depot, currently in use for storage is a brownfield site which could be developed alongside the existing allocation (site 24 in the Solihull Local Plan 2013), providing alternative provision is made for open space. Opportunities in Catherine de Barnes are limited, but Oak Farm south of Hampton Lane is previously developed land that could be developed to meet needs for older persons accommodation in the Borough.
  4. Community Infrastructure Levy – The parish council will directly receive 25% of the levy collected in the area that is covered by the adopted neighbourhood plan, and 15% elsewhere. This will provide a source of funding that can be used to take forward appropriate projects that the community have identified as priorities. The CIL levies for the parish will also include those from site SO1 which although not covered in this chapter is a site that falls within the parish.
  5. Green Belt Enhancements – The NPPF makes provision for environmental and/or access improvements to be undertaken to land that is to remain in the Green Belt to compensate for land that is taken up for development, and this is required by Policy 17A. This new requirement of the NPPF provides an opportunity for additional accessible open space and views which would be welcomed from both site promoters and residents.

Proposed Approach

  1. Other than a limited and proportionate expansion of the villages, no other large scale development is considered appropriate. This reflects the sensitive environmental nature of the area, the character of the villages and the need to manage the capacity and viability of local infrastructure.
  2. A mix of market and affordable housing, as well as smaller market homes for young people wishing to remain in the area and specialist housing to meet the needs of older people will be provided in the settlement. There will need to be a careful balance struck between making the most efficient use of land and respecting the character of the local area.
  3. Hampton-in-Arden is one of the Borough's communities that will be more acutely affected by HS2, both during the construction phase and with the impact upon the landscape of the line itself.

Existing Allocation

SLP Site 24 – Land off Meriden Road, Hampton-in-Arden

  1. The adopted Solihull Local Plan (2013) allocated this site off Meriden Road for development of approximately 110 dwellings. As an adopted allocation this remains to be bought forward and is not affected by this plan.

Proposed Allocations

(10) Policy HA1 - Meriden Road, Hampton in Arden

  1. The site is allocated for 100 dwellings
  2. Development of this site should be broadly consistent with the principles of the Concept Masterplan for this site, which includes the following:
    1. Retention of TPO trees and established hedgerows;
    2. Provision of public open space and play facilities at the heart of the development;
    3. Protection of the local landscape, ecology and drainage assets;
    4. Perimeter block development to maximise natural surveillance and encourage active streets and views over the countryside;
    5. Higher density housing reducing towards the edge of the green belt;
    6. Facilitating easy access by walking through the site and into the countryside.
    7. No development within any area of higher flood risk zones
    8. Provision of above ground SuDs features
    9. 5% of open market dwellings to be provided in the form of Self and Custom Build Plots in accordance with Policy 4D
  3. Likely infrastructure requirements will include:
    1. Financial contribution to education provision as required by the Local Education Authority;
    2. Developer contributions to primary care health services in the vicinity and appropriate UHB secondary care services in the wider CCG;
    3. Give consideration to realigning the surface water flood risk within the site to continue in a west to east direction through the POS to the receiving floodplain;
    4. Appropriate measures to promote and enhance sustainable modes of transport including pedestrian and cycle connectivity towards Hampton in Arden rail station, shops and health centre;
    5. Financial contribution to provision of new playing pitches and contributions to enhancement of existing recreational facilities, to accord with the requirements identified in the Playing Pitch Mitigation Strategy.
  4. The Concept Masterplan document should be read alongside this policy. Whilst the Concept Masterplans may be subject to change in light of further work that may need to be carried out at the planning application stage, any significant departure from the principles outlined for Site HA1 will need to be justified and demonstrate that the overall objectives for the site and its wider context are not compromised.

Justification

  1. This site sits adjacent to that allocated in the SLP 2013 and they should ideally be developed together in a comprehensive manner. This will help improve connectivity between the new developments and maximise the effectiveness and efficiency of new infrastructure. It provides an opportunity to re-use the former ammunitions depot which is a brownfield site (and is included on the Council's BLR). Open space provision serving the development as a whole will be an important consideration.
  2. The parcel of land immediately east of the village is a lower performing parcel in Green Belt terms, partly as a result of the existing use, with low capacity to accommodate change in the Landscape Character Assessment, 2016. The site has medium accessibility, but is close to the rail station. A large part of this area is included on the Council's BLR.
  3. Whilst the site performs relatively poorly in the sustainability appraisal, with a significant adverse effect due to the distance to a convenience store/supermarket, there are a number of shops in the village meeting basic needs, including a general store. The Level 2 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment identifies surface water flood risk within the site and highlights the opportunity for realigning the flood risk east to west through the area of green infrastructure.

(12) Policy HA2 - Oak Farm, Catherine-de-Barnes

  1. The site is allocated for 95 dwellings. The site may also be suitable for specialist provision in accordance with policy P4E 'Housing for Older and Disabled People'.
  2. Development of this site should be broadly consistent with the principles of the Concept Masterplan for this site, which includes the following:
    1. Retention of historic and mature hedgerows and trees to help provide a semi-rural setting for future development and which enhances the ecological potential of the site providing an amenity for future residents;
    2. An integrated landscape, ecological and drainage strategy for the site to promote a place-making approach;
    3. No development within any area of higher flood risk zones;
    4. Provision of above ground SuDS features;
    5. Vehicular access to the development will be taken off Friday Lane as a single site access. Development proposals should extinguish the access at Hampton Lane;
    6. Encouragement of safe active travel to local amenities. A new pedestrian and cycle access should be formed to Hampton Lane and link to the canal towpath;
    7. Public open space should be provided in the centre of the site to create opportunities for 'place making'. Where specialist provision is provided a different approach may be appropriate.
    8. Creation of a new defensible green belt boundary through the use of the Grand Union Canal, Friday Lane and a strongly reinforced hedge line to the south of the site.
  3. Likely infrastructure requirements will include:
    1. Financial contribution to education provision as required by the Local Education Authority;
    2. iDeveloper contributions to primary care health services in the vicinity and appropriate UHB secondary care services in the wider CCG;
    3. Highway improvements to encourage pedestrian use across Hampton Lane to the surrounding roads, including the provision of a new pedestrian crossing;
    4. Highway modifications to Friday Lane.
    5. Drainage will need to mitigate surface water flood risk on the southern part of the site;
    6. Financial contribution to provision of new playing pitches and contributions to enhancement of existing recreational facilities, to accord with the requirements identified in the Playing Pitch Mitigation Strategy.
  4. The Concept Masterplan document should be read alongside this policy. Whilst the Concept Masterplans may be subject to change in light of further work that may need to be carried out at the planning application stage, any significant departure from the principles outlined for Site HA2 will need to be justified and demonstrate that the overall objectives for the site and its wider context are not compromised.

Justification

  1. This allocation measures approximately 3.4 hectares. The site lies within the Arden landscape character area and is on the urban fringe. The site is well screened to the boundaries so views in are screened by existing vegetation although glimpses can be seen through the tree cover especially in the winter months
  2. The site slopes gently uphill to the north and is situated between the Grand Union Canal to the west and Friday Lane to the east and lies on the south side of Hampton Lane (the B4102). The northern site boundary wraps around the garden area of a residential property on Hampton Lane. A horticultural nursery is at the south of the site and at the north east corner is the 4-arm roundabout which connects with Friday Lane, Catherine-de-Barnes Lane and Solihull Road.
  3. The Oak Farm site currently contains a number of businesses comprising B1, B2 and B8 uses which occupy a variety of small buildings on the site. There are a total of 22 buildings including two dwellings on the site. The existing buildings are proposed for demolition.
  4. This site is higher performing in the Green Belt Assessment, although l being a brownfield site adjacent to a settlement, with low capacity to accommodate change in the Landscape Character Assessment. It is of low to medium accessibility with only a limited range of facilities available nearby, and is mainly neutral in the sustainability appraisal, although there are 2 significant positive benefits, and green infrastructure can be enhanced within the site.
  5. The site is located in the village of Catherine de Barnes which is 2.5 miles to the east of Solihull town centre where a full range of shops and services are available. The village has a public house, a restaurant, a cricket club and a village hall and shop in addition to the number of small businesses based around Oak Farm. Birmingham Airport and the NEC lie 2 miles to the north of Catherine de Barnes. The A45 and M42 motorway provide convenient road links close by.
  6. Any development must take account of proximity to gas governor sites and gas main pipes, the position of overhead electric lines, the proximity to the Grand Union canal, the ecology of the site and environmental impact of development.
  7. The site has no history of flooding from ground or surface water, sewers, the Grand Union Canal or rivers. It is within Flood Zone 1 (low risk of flooding) on the Environment Agency's indicative flood plain map. The site is therefore suitable for all land uses including residential and residential institutions development.

Site SO1 – East of Solihull

  1. Whilst this site is located within the Parish boundary of Hampton-in-Arden and Catherine-de-Barnes, it functions as part of the urban area rather than as an expansion of one of the parish's villages. It is therefore not included within this chapter and is dealt with under the Solihull chapter.
  2. The capacity from this site, together with other allocations in this plan, and the site that remains to come forward from the SLP, will see over 1,000 dwellings being accommodated within the parish on allocated sites.
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