Object

Solihull Local Plan (Draft Submission) 2020

Representation ID: 10583

Received: 07/11/2020

Respondent: Mr Richard Salt

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? No

Representation Summary:

We are residents of Damson Parkway
Concerns regarding the impact on our health and well-being: increased noise, vibration and pollution levels; vehicle emissions; foul odours; attraction of vermin; visual intrusion
Already we have environmental impact of JLR, A45, airport: noise; pollution; congestion
Disregard of Council’s commitment to residents’ health and well-being as promised in local plan
Disagreement with Council’s views that site is isolated from residential uses and that there is adequate space for queuing vehicles
Disappointment at loss of green belt and industrialisation of our residential area.

Change suggested by respondent:

We would request that the Council looks again to relocate Solihull’s Household Waste and Recycling Centre and Depot to a site which does not impact on any person’s opportunity to live in an environment which is not subject to high levels of noise and pollution.

Full text:

We are writing to express our shock and distress at learning that Solihull’s Household Waste and Recycling Centre and Depot is planned to be relocated to Damson Parkway. We are residents of Damson Parkway and would like to note that we have serious concerns regarding the impact on our health and well-being from yet another source of noise and pollution, given that we already live close to the airport, the main A45 and Jaguar Land Rover and are currently suffering the environmental impact of having the JLR Logistics Centre being built close to our home. We already have noise intrusion and poor air quality due to being located in close proximity to JLR, main roads and the airport; the relocation of the Household Waste and Recycling Centre and Depot will bring increased noise, vibration and pollution levels as well as foul odours and the attraction of vermin. We are disappointed at the loss of the green belt already allocated to JLR and the visual intrusion of the changes already being made. We are distressed that we will now have further visual intrusion from this planned relocation. We note that the plan states that “the site is relatively isolated from residential uses, other than the Gypsy and Traveller site, for which impacts can be minimised and mitigated”; we do not accept this judgment as we are already able to hear noise from the A45 and JLR where we live and therefore it is certain that we will be impacted by noise and pollution from the Waste and Recycling Centre and Depot as well. There will also be increased vehicle pollution levels to our air quality due to the increase in traffic approaching Damson Parkway to access the Waste and Recycling Centre and Depot.
The plan states that “the site is accessible from the strategic highway network, with sufficient space for queuing vehicles at peak times”. There are already frequent occasions when traffic is held up on Damson Parkway due to congestion so we do not accept this evaluation.

We then read in your plan that the Council already acknowledges “the existence of significant sources of noise or potential noise within 375.the Borough, such as Birmingham Airport, major roads and railways including HS2, mineral workings and some industrial processes, and the need to protect noise sensitive uses, including housing, education and health institutions. The policy seeks to ensure that the impacts of noise and vibration are properly investigated, assessed, quantified and mitigated to ensure adequate protection is afforded. Where this is not possible, the policy aims to prevent such development taking place”. Following this, in the section of your plan on Health and Well-being, you state that you intend to “Delivering high quality, inclusive and attractive environments which minimise and mitigate against potential harm from risks such as pollution and obesogenic environments, and promoting health and wellbeing & opportunities for social interaction” and that you are looking to create “a healthier environment by filtering pollutants, attenuating noise pollution, decreasing the urban heat island effect, reducing flood risk impacts and providing opportunities to interact with nature.” It seems that the residents in the Damson Parkway have been ignored in your desires to promote health and well-being for the community. For our own health and well-being we fail to understand why the Council would think it appropriate to locate this site close to residential properties. When we moved to this area, we had no idea that we would be subsequently living within a highly industrialised location.

We would request that the Council looks again to relocate Solihull’s Household Waste and Recycling Centre and Depot to a site which does not impact on any person’s opportunity to live in an environment which is not subject to high levels of noise and pollution.