Proposed Housing Allocation 18 Sharmans Cross Road Solihull
We wish to raise objections to the application by the developers 'Oakmoor' for the combined Rugby Club and Solihull Arden Club grounds off Sharmans Cross Road to be approved as a potential residential development site within the Local Development Plan.

It is our understanding that the developers seek to move the Solihull Arden Club facilities onto part of the existing Rugby Club land and build approximately 100 new homes on the remaining land with access to those homes from Sharmans Cross Road. This would result in the complete loss of the rugby pitches.

Our objections are as follows:-

1) There is already a shortage of sports pitches in Solihull, being less than the national targets eg. for rugby.

2) Other than this rugby club, there is only one set of sports pitches in Solihull with changing rooms, and none with facilities for women.

3) Moving a pitch to the outskirts of the Borough makes it more difficult for young people to get to it, particularly by public transport.

4) We have been told that when Oakmoor negotiated taking a lease on the rugby club pitches some years ago (at a peppercorn rent) they pledged to SMBC that they would keep the land as a sports facility. However, they have refused to communicate with several parties interested in renting, leasing or developing this land for sports purposes, or they have put off interested parties by suggesting excessive rents. They reportedly now allege as part of their application that there is no longer sufficient demand to use it for sport when it appears that their tactics have been to suppress that demand.

5) We have been informed that Sport England did not support Oakmoor's previous application as is stated in the current application.

6) Sharmans Cross Road is already very congested throughout the school year when pupils are being taken to, and collected from, school by car. The additional traffic from the proposed 100 or so homes will all funnel out onto this road and make the situation much worse.

7) There are no places for the significant number of children that 100 homes will bring into this area, particularly if half of the houses are to be 'affordable' thereby attracting younger families. In addition, the nearest infant school is about a mile away.

8) There is little or no spare capacity in any of the local GP surgeries.

9) It appears that in order to fit 100 dwellings onto the site, and to provide 'affordable housing' the application will need to include blocks with at least 3 storeys. Such blocks would be out of keeping with a large surrounding area.

10) The 3 storey blocks will potentially overlook surrounding existing properties.

11) If Solihull Arden Tennis Club move from the freehold land that they currently occupy onto the leasehold land of the rugby club (with its restriction of use for sports purposes only) they will be giving up very valuable land in exchange for virtually no land asset. Members of the Tennis Club have said that they have not been properly consulted about such a change.

12) If the application is successful, the Tennis Club moves onto the rugby club land, and the new houses and flats are built then the Tennis Club will be closely bounded on three sides by housing. This could well lead to friction and complaints from the householders regarding noise, traffic etc as has happened at the West Warwickshire Sports Club.