No
Draft Local Plan Review
Representation ID: 234
Received: 15/01/2017
Respondent: Mrs Felicity Wheeler
Concern about the Meriden Gap at its narrowist point between Coventry and Solihull.
Need additional infrastrucure in place prior to any major developments
New development in Balsall Common should be to the north or north west of the village
Any incursion into the Green Belt should be within the Borough not towards other larger conurbations.
The vision should stress that the Green Belt between Balsall Common and Coventry - the narrowest part of the Meriden Gap - will have been protected.
The Meriden Gap should be preserved from incursion by housing as the HS2 route corridor runs through this precious green lung between Coventry and Solihull.
With regard to Balsall Common it is imperative that the infrastructure is put in place to accommodate the proposed 25% increase in households before any house building is undertaken. It is also preferable that new development is to the north or north-west of the village to reduce local traffic through the village.
Green belt will be further eroded by the proposed trunk road from the A46, by Warwick University and onto the A452 or A45 for access to the HS2 hub but it should alleviate the need for a by-pass through Balsall Common.
The vision does not explain how the impact of building and on-going use of HS2 will be minimised. Balsall Common/Berkswell will be affected more than any other part of the region (apart from the Hub itself) and SMBC need to mitigate this impact not exacerbate it.
No new housing has been allocated to Dorridge despite this being mentioned in point 84.