Allocation 13, Policy and Spatial Planning, Solihull MBC

All of the above members fully object to the proposed plan to build 600 houses on 'Allocation 13'. We object for the following reasons and request Solihull MBC Policy and Spatial Planning to cancel indefinitely all proposals for Allocation 13. The reasons for our objection are as follows:

1. There is already more than enough built up area with residential accommodation within the Baxters Green, Dickens Heath and Woodlands Estates and Shirley South areas. Those built up estates have only one relief road leading out of the estate. This in turn has caused already the enormous volume of traffic on roads such as Shakespeare Drive, Bills Lane, Burman Road, Haslucks Green Road and Stretton Road to be at unacceptable levels. We are unable to get out of our driveway in good enough time even during off-peak hours! All residents on Shakespeare Drive are unable to cross the road safely or the school children walking to school are not safe - all because of the unacceptable volume of traffic created by the above estates and the associated road structures not in place for the overflow of traffic.

Hence, if the Allocation 13 is given permission to build 600 houses, then this will only increase the volume of traffic on already congested roads as mentioned above and there will be fatalities with speeding motorists. All of this traffic is normally heading for the M42 motorway via Shakespeare Drive, Stretton Road, Stratford Road due to developing these estates in an enclosed manner with no relief roads out.

2. The proposed allocation of green space to remain ie. 'yellow highlighted area' if the development goes ahead is totally inadequate in proportion to the number of residents in the surrounding area wishing to access green space. Even Shirley Park has disintegrated due to the Asda development and will now impose further pressure with the residential development of the old Powergen site.

3. Rather than focussing on Shirley South for building of 600 houses, why are other areas such as Knowle, Dorridge, Catherine-de-Barnes, Hockley Heath and Earlswood not being allocated the building of houses and share the burden of urbanisation? Areas in Solihull near the Birmingham International Airport or either side of the motorway M42 must be DEVELOPED FIRST BEFORE proposing Shirley South, since there is good transport infrastructure and amenities and enough green space to the surrounding residents in these areas.

4. We are already suffering health problems such as asthma, arthritis and joint pain due to the petrol fumes from traffic from Dickens Heath, Baxters Green and Woodlands Estates racing through Bills Lane, Shakespeare Drive and Burman Road. The levels of pollution has increased dramatically in the last ten years so that there are more incidents of respiratory problems on Shakespeare Drive with many of the residents being elderly and frail. By proposing to develop Allocation 13, the health problems of existing residents many of whom have lived here for more than 40 - 60 years will be exacerbated further!!

5. There is no proper thought being given to what will be the associated infrastructure or the problems it will create on an already existing dire situation we face daily right now!

For the above reasons we three members of 145 Shakespeare Drive TOTALLY OBJECT INDEFINITELY TO ANY PROPOSAL OF ANY KIND OF BUILDING ON ALLOCATION 13. INSTEAD PROPOSALS FOR OTHER AREAS LISTED IN POINT 3 ABOVE MUST BE PURSUED!