Object
Solihull Local Plan (Draft Submission) 2020
Representation ID: 14402
Received: 14/12/2020
Respondent: Prologis UK Ltd
Agent: Delta Planning
Legally compliant? Yes
Sound? Yes
Duty to co-operate? Yes
Support this policy and the accompanying text at Paragraph 857-86. As landowners and developers of the site we have set out our Concept Masterplan which we put forward for consideration with the aim of having this agreed with Solihull MBC and included within the final plan. This Plan fully aligns with the development principles listed in the policy and the infrastructure requirements listed, and also includes a phasing strategy.
There are some aspects of the detailed text we consider should be amended in order to make the policy clearer and which would further support the soundness of this aspect of the Local Plan.
These are as follows:
• The text within the Policy and at paragraph 859 should remove references to ‘local’ employment needs. As stated elsewhere in our submissions to the Plan, there is no definition of what ’local’ means within the plan with reference to economic development and the term has no meaning, purpose or enforceability in employment land delivery terms, especially in a location like this which will clearly be a highly attractive location for business relocating from within the District but also from new inward investment and businesses relocating from within the wider region.
• The list of acceptable development in the allocation area should generally be set out more clearly.
• References in the Policy and paragraph 859 to the inclusion of a Household Waste and Recycling Centre and Council Depot should be amended to make clear that the Council has not yet made a decision on this issue and other sites are still in consideration as set out in Paragraph 353 of the Submission Draft Plan.
• The opportunity should be taken in the supporting text to clarify the scale of the available allocated land.
• The special circumstances case for Green Belt release are contained in the explanatory text to Policy P1 and cross referenced at Paragraph 863. There is no need for Paragraph 859 to try and summarise this again.
The opening sentence of the Policy UK2 should be amended to read:
“This site is allocated for employment development. It provides for general local employment needs together with the needs associated with the key economic assets in the UK Central Solihull Hub Area, and for a potential relocated Household Waste and Recycling Centre and Depot as set in Policy P12”
2. Paragraph 859 should be amended to read as follows:
“This is an employment land release of c94 ha (gross). Allowing for development already committed/built and green/blue infrastructure requirements the allocated area amounts to c39 ha. net. It will provide additional employment land to meet wider identified needs, together with providing for future expansion for JLR and JLR related activities and ancillary development to Birmingham Airport. Part of the site also provides a potential option for a relocated Household Waste and Recycling Centre and Depot as set out in Policy P12.
See attachments