Object
Solihull Local Plan (Draft Submission) 2020
Representation ID: 13979
Received: 11/12/2020
Respondent: Messrs Benton & Neary
Agent: Tyler Parkes Partnership Ltd
Legally compliant? Yes
Sound? No
Duty to co-operate? No
The plan does not sufficiently take into account anticipated growth over the plan period and beyond to avoid the need for an early review. The standard method for assessing housing need would increase the housing requirement to 1011 dwellings per annum.
It is unsound to propose phasing delivery of the housing requirement. If the requirement is not delivered effectively/timely, house prices could escalate reducing affordability.
It unsound that there are no ‘safeguarded’ sites proposed which is inconsistent with national policy. This would speed up the Local Plan review process and ensure a deliverable supply of housing land.
Small and medium sized sites for residential development should be allocated.
The phased housing delivery target table at paragraph 224 should be removed.
Policy P5 should be modified to state ‘1. The Council will allocate sufficient land for at least 5,270 net additional homes to ensure sufficient housing land supply to deliver a minimum 15,017 additional homes in the period 2020-2036…
Two new paragraphs beneath paragraph 4 of Policy P5 should be included-
‘Reserve Housing Sites providing flexibility to ensure that the Borough can meet in full any increase in housing numbers arising from any change to the standard method for assessing housing need, and respond to the need to meet housing need arising from within the HMA. Reserve sites will have the capacity to deliver at least 20% of the total housing requirement to 2036. Re-serve sites will be released in the following circumstances: • To rectify any identified shortfall in housing delivery in order to maintain a 5-year supply of housing land in Solihull MBC area; • To contribute to meeting any housing needs arising outside the Borough accepted through co-operation between the relevant councils.’
‘Land identified on the Policies Map will be removed from the Green Belt and safeguarded for potential future development needs beyond the plan period to ensures that Green Belt boundaries will last beyond the end of the Local Plan period. The status of the safeguarded sites will only change through a review of the local plan.’
Dear Sir/Madam,
Please find attached representations submitted on behalf of our Clients Messrs Benton & Neary to the Draft Submission Solihull Local Plan currently out to consultation.
We should be grateful if you would confirm receipt of these representations and confirm that they will be submitted for consideration by the Local Plan Examination Inspector.
We look forward to hearing from you.