Object

Solihull Local Plan (Draft Submission) 2020

Representation ID: 14878

Received: 14/12/2020

Respondent: L&Q Estates - Land at Berkswell Road

Agent: Pegasus Group

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

Representation Summary:

Taking into account all of the other policy demands upon delivering housing schemes, delivery could be seriously compromised by the requirement to make a 5% contribution to Self and Custom Build Housing (offered for sale with outline planning permission, fully serviced to the boundary, with unconstrained access to the highway. The plots would be offered for sale for a period of 12 months to those registered on Solihull’s Self and Custom-build Housing Register)
Taking into account all of the other policy demands upon delivering housing schemes, delivery could be seriously compromised by such a requirement. The flexibility provided within the policy, which enables case by case assessment of matters such as viability and the impact upon other requirements of the scheme (such as the ability to deliver an appropriate housing mix) sounds sensible in principle. However, this approach would only be workable if such detailed consideration on a case by case basis was to be allowed at the planning application state.
Given that the current system now generally discourages debate on viability at the decision-taking stage, with such matters expected to be addressed when plan-making, it cannot be assumed that this policy would work in practice.
There is nothing in the explanatory text to demonstrate how the matter has been considered in more detail at this point. The Local Authority cannot simply rely upon developers to provide for all self and custom-build housing in fulfilment of its legal duty and should be exploring other options for delivery. Without evidence of other options having been thoroughly explored, L&Q Estates object to this policy.

Full text:

LAND AT BERKSWELL ROAD, MERIDEN see attached documents