Proposed Housing Allocation 18

To whom it concerns:

I recently attended a meeting of the Sharmans Cross Action Group and was amazed to learn
that developers are again applying for planning permission to build 100 new homes on the
land formerly used by the Bees rugby club just off Sharmans Cross road.

I should like to object to this application on several grounds, firstly I was under the impression
that this land is covenanted in that it should only be used for sporting purposes; I was therefore
very surprised that developers had acquired the land. If as I understand that SMBC are the
leaseholders of this land why are they even contemplating such a venture. Since the developers
first acquired the land they have been approached several times by local football groups wanting
to rent a pitch on this land. The developers have requested an astronomical fee for such useage
therefore denying the use of the land for sporting purposes. It would seem their plan is to say that
since they acquired the land that it has not been used for sporting purposes, that is because they
have out-priced all the local clubs which seems very underhand to me.

I think that Solihull needs this land to be used for sporting purposes as there is a shortage of
pitches in Solihull. Sport England has found that Solihull is very much under represented nationally
for over-16 participation and continues to fall in the national league tables.

The area around Sharmans Cross road is already very heavily congested and the addition of
100 new homes would be a tremendous burden in view of the extra traffic this would involve. There
is a junior school near to the proposed development and this would be an added safety problem
during going to and from school for the pupils and their parents. This road is also a designated cycle
route and therefore cyclists would be more at risk with the extra traffic

Schools and medical centres in this area are already over-subscribed and the increase in further
demand would lead to a degradation of services for local residents. Furthermore the proposed
development is 1700 metres from Solihull town centre and 1000 metres from the railway station
which is in excess of the access requirements as out-lined by the National Planning Policy
Framework.

I submit this e-mail in the hope that my objections will be noted.