Include Site 82 Kenilworth Road as housing allocation, possible as alternative to Site BC3.

Along with Matthew Nightingale, we own over 2 hectares of land at Kenilworth Road, Balsall Common which has been put forward for consideration for residential development several times over the last 17 years, including in the latest invitation for Call for Sites in 2016/17 in relation to this current review of the Local Plan.
Our land, known as Site 82 in your evidence base, and shown on the attached site plan, has been assessed and considered to be a moderately performing parcel in the Green Belt similar to many other sites which have been put into allocations in the emerging Local Plan. The site does have defensible boundaries with the open space ransom strip on the north side of Dengate Drive, the woodland to the west and a green way to the north. The only significant negative in the assessment was distance to jobs but that is common to most if not all sites proposed to be allocated in Balsall Common.
As one of the owners of Site 82 I am of the view that the above site specifically should be included as a site for housing allocation as it accords with and addresses many of the challenges facing Solihull as it sets out how and where Solihull will develop in the future. Given the considerable local concern about the allocation of housing land at Windmill Lane, Balsall Common our Site 82 could offer at least a partial alternative to the proposed housing land in your current site BC3.
Our alternative site on the west side of Kenilworth Road is just adjacent to the existing Dengate Drive housing estate, and far closer to the village centre and services than both Trevallion Stud which you propose to designate to the north, and the Windmill Lane site further to the south which is far further from the village centre and is far less sustainable.
We note that Site 82 has been joined with Grange Farm and adjoining land in the Sustainability Assessment under reference AECOM76. We consider that to be unfair. This site should be separately considered. The Peter Brett assessment in the SHELAA notes that the site performs well against suitability and availability criteria, although it indicates that in their view the site faces some achievability problems. This may relate to the need to obtain an access to Kenilworth Road and we have indicated an access via No 166 Kenilworth Road – which we have recent confirmation that it remains available to us – and has been verified with the Council’s Highway Engineer as being acceptable.
Site 82 is a small to medium scale site in line with the NPPF requirements to consider such sites in Local Plans and provides an excellent opportunity for small to medium sized builders to make a significant contribution towards the overall future need for housing in Balsall Common. Moreover, it is in close proximity walking distance to all services including shops, medical centre, train services, and importantly all local schools without the need to use a car to use these services. There is a bus service stop within a few metres from the Site, which ensures a level of sustainability that the other locations would have difficulty in matching.
The land is flat and available, sustainable, suitable and deliverable now.
The release of Site 82 is favoured by many in lieu of development at BC3 Windmill Lane and has far better advantages, especially with its proximity to the village centre. No doubt due in part to the fact that the size and scale of the necessary development of this flat site would have minimal impact on the day to day life of the village. Whilst seamlessly fulfilling an urgent housing need that still has countryside surrounding it and within the current settlement boundary and existing residential properties without extending the village.