I have been reviewing the new Draft Local Development Plan which is currently out for consultation. In particular I have been looking at those planned areas for housing within and around Balsall Common.
I think that the Council should consider the following before finalising these plans.
In this respect I believe the council has a responsibility to consider areas that give a balanced and coherent approach to the expansion of this conurbation.
Firstly it needs to bear in mind public transport access.
Placing new houses further and further away from the railway station will only exacerbate the lack of parking at the station ending up with roadside parking all the way up Hall Meadow Road every weekday. To this end the development out at Frog Lane is particularly unsuitable. Also in this respect the provision of scheduled buses near Frog Lane is patchy with only an hourly bus to Solihull and none to Coventry. For those who cannot drive this is a severe limitation.
Secondly it needs to ensure that an enlarged conurbation has all the facilities it needs to maintain a thriving active community and not just become a dormitory town. Therefore the placement of these facilities also needs careful consideration. New facilities should not be placed just in those places currently under consideration and expansion should consider the location of existing facilities eg GP surgery etc.
With the increase in housing comes the need for increased schooling. For Balsall Common we need to plan a second Junior school and not just expand the existing school. These schools should be within walking distance. At the moment with the existing junior school there is chaos on the local roads at start and finish of school. This will only get worse if an enlarged school is located in this part of Balsall Common. By locating a new Junior school to the north end of Balsall Common it would relieve the pressure around Holly Lane and Balsall Street East. It would also provide some relief to the nearby Berkswell Primary School.
The Frog lane site is also further away from the centre of the village and other amenities like the GP surgery this will only worsen the dire parking provision, as more people are forced to drive to the village centre.
Thirdly the removal of existing green space with public access.
I was dismayed to see that the existing recreational areas on Frog/Holly Lane have now been included in the plan. This is a potential erosion of existing recreational green space, which needs to be preserved, not taken away. Addition of this area for development needs further explanation from the council.
Finally another problem with the proposed Frog Lane area is its proximity to the Birmingham Airport flightpath. This means is that it will be prone to higher noise levels and air pollution that builders (and prospective house purchasers) will need to be aware of. Also has the council informed the airport of its plans to build close to its flightpath? The airport will not be keen to pay any compensation arising from this additional housing.
I would appreciate answers to these points and to the questions raised. Please show us that there is some 'joined up' thinking to this expansion. We need a clear strategy.