Object

Solihull Local Plan (Draft Submission) 2020

Representation ID: 10706

Received: 08/12/2020

Respondent: Mr Nick Martin

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? Yes

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Representation Summary:

I am disappointed that this plan whilst providing required housing and education provision has not taken the opportunity to adequately compensate or mitigate lost wildlife habitats in the area. This large area would have been home to a wide range of wildlife and would have been a refuge for some species in an area of housing and arable farming. The loss of this area from the green belt could have been compensated by utilising some of the land or adjacent farmland to create habitats of high wildlife value and provide at least biodiversity parity or even gain.

Change suggested by respondent:

I would like to see the loss of this area compensated locally with much more ambitious habitat creation. Just retaining some existing features doesn't go far enough and I would like to see the developers and planners exercise some real ambition within the planning. Some of the current intensive arable land in the area could be allowed to develop into rough grassland succeeding into scrub and woodland. This would help compensate nature for the loss to these developments.

Full text:

I am disappointed that this plan whilst providing required housing and education provision has not taken the opportunity to adequately compensate or mitigate lost wildlife habitats in the area. This large area would have been home to a wide range of wildlife and would have been a refuge for some species in an area of housing and arable farming. The loss of this area from the green belt could have been compensated by utilising some of the land or adjacent farmland to create habitats of high wildlife value and provide at least biodiversity parity or even gain.