No

Draft Local Plan Review

Representation ID: 2662

Received: 13/02/2017

Respondent: James Thomson

Representation Summary:

Object to housing Site 18 as a longstanding member of Solihull Arden club, as the owners of the freehold land on which the club is located were not party to the developers submission, and the proposal would involve relocating from freehold to leasehold land, which would leave the club with no land asset to support loans for future developments.

Full text:

LDP - Proposed Housing Allocation 18

The application to build 100 houses on the ex rugby club and Solihull Arden Club (S.A.C.) grounds was submitted by Oakmoor Ltd and Arden Lawn Tennis Club Ltd. (A.L.T.C.L.) It should be noted that the Freehold to the land on which S.A.C is located is owned by A.L.T.C.L., not S.A.C.. The Directors of A.L.T.C.L. were not party to this submission. Oakmoor have acted in an underhand if not illegal manor in this respect.
Although on the surface the offer of building a new club and facilities for S.A.C. on the Leasehold rugby club land might appear tempting to some, the value os would in no way compensate for the value of the A.L.T.C.L. land. To move from Freehold land to Leasehold would be, in the longer term, financial suicide for the club as they would be left with no land asset to support any future bank loan type requirements.
As a member of the club for more than 30 years, I object to the Oakmoor proposal for the two reasons stated above.