Proposed Housing Allocation 18

In response to Government requirements to deliver affordable housing, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC) is including in its Local Development Plan (LDP), a development of 100 houses on the rugby ground on Sharmans Cross Road.

Having being a resident of Solihull for over 25 years and a keen believer in local sport for local people I find it extremely worrying that the council are yet again considering developing the former Solihull Bees ground in Sharmans Cross Road. Even more concerning is that this application appears to include the land currently occupied by Solihull Arden of which I am a member and which came as a TOTAL surprise.

I object to the proposal on the following grounds;

1. Suitability - As a resident of Winterbourne Road (No 39) the development will destroy the character of the neighbourhood. The previous proposed development 6 years ago at 80 homes was too much. 100 houses is effectively 5 times the density of property on Winterbourne Rd. This is totally unacceptable and an over development of the site. This will be both out-of-scale and out-of-character in its appearance compared to existing development in the area I live. As this is an increase on previous development proposals I believe that any plan will have to include properties in excess of 3 stories which is unacceptable and would be clearly visible from my property above the houses opposite.
2. Permanent loss of sporting facilities - Both of my children have benefited from the facilities on the current grounds. This is one of five sports grounds at risk in the LDP. My understanding is that Solihull, SMBC has a statutory requirement to ensure lost pitches are replaced with facilities of equivalent quality and accessibility. It is difficult to see how this will be achieved when nearly all of the 10 proposed sites occupy sports land.
3. Use of land - As previously indicated I objected to previous objections and played an active part in the appeal in 2013 where SMBC formally minuted its policy with regard to the use of the grounds only for sport and that they would not sell the freehold. I would like reaffirmation of this policy which implies that this development is inappropriate for inclusion in the LDP. One previous application for this site has been refused and another withdrawn.
4. The developers - Oakmore state in their submission that the distance to the Station is 700m. As I live in Winterbourne Road the fact is it is at least 1000m depending on which route you use. Oakmore also state the Town Centre is 1km walk when in practice it is 1.7Km to Touchwood. This of course assumes that anyone walking to the station / centre would do so via the current pedestrian access to the Arden Club which IS NOT suitable for this level of regular traffic.
Planning Policy P7 stipulates that accessibility is a key issue. For a site to be defined as 'accessible' it has to have certain criteria met which means car dependency is reduced. Oakmore are suggesting that they are meeting this criteria but in order to do so they would need to create an access to the site off Winterbourne Road which would be in the IMMEDIATE vicinity of my property. I find this approach is less than transparent.

Please confirm receipt of my objection BEFORE the deadline on Friday 17th February 2017.