Object
Solihull Local Plan (Draft Submission) 2020
Representation ID: 11122
Received: 14/12/2020
Respondent: Messrs G&A Coombs
Agent: Claremont Planning Consultancy
Legally compliant? No
Sound? No
Duty to co-operate? Yes
Support the release of the site from the Green Belt. However, no collaboration or agreement between landowners and Solihull MBC on the masterplan approach, which inappropriately identifies the Stripes Hill House site as accommodating the replacement Arden Academy and new Primary School.
Land use distribution within the allocation is not soundly based upon evidence, particularly considering constraints, timescale for delivery of infrastructure (such as relocation of the Arden Academy) and appropriate viability testing and equalisation of land values. No information justifying that Arden Academy’s relocation is financially viable or deliverable.
The masterplan proposed will not deliver the site.
Reliance upon Concept Masterplan KN2 should be removed or the masterplan amended to ensure constraints can be appropriately assessed and impacts quantified, within adequate mitigation and infrastructure provision allowed for.
The Allocation proposals for the Arden Triangle site should provide for the retention of Stripe Hill House and existing trees that are of significance and should be retained. The related Masterplan for the allocation should be suitably amended to respond to these considerations so that the educational development is relocated elsewhere within the allocation. Such a relocation will enable the delivery of the education facilities within the required timetable and to the standard required; without the ensured delivery of these educational facilities the strategic allocation of this site and the infrastructure it is intended to deliver is undermined. Similarly, the reasoning for the site’s Green Belt release is also detrimentally affected.
It is recommended that further consideration of alternatives is undertaken, particularly with respect to the delivery of a new Arden Academy within the School’s existing landholdings. Until the Council has agreement of the allocation masterplan, the policy should not rely upon the accompanying masterplan document to secure the various components of the allocation.
Specific deletion of paragraph 724 is also recommended.
An alternative Masterplan is provided for consideration.
See attached documents