LDP - Proposed Housing Allocation 18

I wish to object to your proposal to include in your Local Development Plan, a development of 100 houses on the rugby ground on Sharmans Cross Road.

My reasons for this are as follows

The permanent loss of sporting facilities which I understand SMBC formally minuted in its policy in 2013 as ground to be used solely for sport. It was also stated that the freehold would not be sold by SMBC. Should a housing development be approved I would imagine that without freehold rights, a mortgage would be difficult to obtain for the remaining years on the lease.

I have grave misgivings concerning the increased traffic and safety on Sharmans Cross Road which is already a very busy road and has children, some unaccompanied walking to and from the local Sharmans Cross Junior School.

The extra traffic will also pose an increased risk to cyclists.

I understand that there are plans to redevelop the Solihull Arden Tennis Club onto the rugby field but that there will a loss of some 75 parking spaces. This will inevitably lead to street parking and cause more disruption and safety issues on Sharmans Cross and neighbouring roads.

Sharmans Cross Road has problems with flooding when there is heavy rain and a housing development will only add to this problem.

A housing development will result in many mature trees being lost together with what is now a safe environment for bats and badgers. This would be a terrible shame.

Local schools and doctors are already oversubscribed and an extra 100 houses with maybe 3 or 4 people to a dwelling will greatly add to already stretched facilities.

The criteria for Sustainability are not met in that The National Policy Framework requires that developments have access to local amenities within 800m/10 minutes walk away. This site is 1000m from the train station and 1700m from Solihull town centre.

Bearing all these points in mind, I urge the Council to leave this plot of land as intended as land for sport use only.