I am writing to you regarding my concerns over the local Plans for Balsall Common and in particular my objections to the concept master plans for BC2 Frog Lane.

The local plan is a cacophony of housing developments of which 31% has been allocated to Balsall Common eroding the rural fringe of Solihull and encroaching on the Meriden Gap. 1100 of the 1600 houses in Balsall Common are being developed on green fields site, ignoring the governments recommendation to protect greenbelt and favour Brownfield sites.
Brownfield land is a renewable source, green belt is not.
In particular, BC2 Concept Master Plan should be removed from the Local Plan. This is a small development on vital greenbelt land that would have an insignificant contribution to the overall housings needs in Solihull at the cost of the environment.

The SMBC’s plan to change the greenbelt boundary of BC2 site is contradictory to the NPPF. The NPPF makes it clear that the fundamental aim of the Green Belt Policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open. It also explicity states that established boundaries should only be altered in exceptional circumstances. There are no exceptional circumstances to justify removing this land from greenbelt. It is a small housing development that provides little impact to the overall housing shortage in Solihull. In addition, altering greenbelt boundaries would set a precedent for other landowners in the area to change their greenbelt boundaries and encourage further urban sprawl.

The BC2 site in on an elevated position (as shown on your landscape assessment) and slopes towards a rural country lane and farmland. This is a critical flood risk and will erode natural flood planes causing nearby farming fields to be waterlogged and to potentially ruin crop growth.

The proposed entrance to the site is unsuitable. Balsall Street East is a heavily congested road and with a large primary school and large secondary school adjacent it. Additional traffic to the area would cause further congestion on a hazardous main road especially at peak school times where cars already obstruct the pavement of Balsall Street East.

Finally the BC2 site is poorly positioned from local public transport connections and is located at the furthest point in Balsall Common train station and village centre which is in contravention with planning best practise and would require all residents to drive any local amenities or work. The impact of the carbon footprint would be substantial in comparison to the small gain to housing requirements in the borough.

Based on the above, I hope Solihull council will review the decision to develop on BC2 greenbelt land and remove this site from the planning process. Local plans should reflect the future needs of the borough and not the demands of local landowners and development companies profiteering from the BC2 site.