I'm writing regarding the proposed housing developments for Balsall Common and Berkswell.
We moved to Old Waste Lane just over a year ago (Nov 2015) in order to enjoy a village location. The proposed developments would completely change the look and feel of Balsall Common, and we feel are wholly inappropriate for a village.
Traffic is already a significant issue to the village, and adding 1350 more homes would be catastrophic in this respect. It's hard to imagine the increase from that being at all manageable in a small village. Parking in the village centre is scarce and difficult (someone reversed into me in October in the village centre). The village would be completely overrun.
Access to the Barrett's farm plot would be a complete disaster. Meeting house lane, one of the proposed access points is completely inappropriate for more traffic, being too narrow, and the junction of Windmill Lane/Kelsey Lane/Waste Lane is already dangerous which would be much multiplied with such an increase of traffic.
At our end of Old Waste Lane, which could be directly bordered by housing behind, even for a fit relatively young couple (we are early 40s) it's not really feasible to walk into the village centre to collect shopping etc. Any housing here, would be sufficiently far from the centre and public transport to preclude anything other than more traffic to an already overstretched area.
What would be the plan for the village centre? There doesn't seem to be one whatsoever.
We moved to this area because of its stunning natural beauty. The area of Barrett's Farm, and around the Windmill really are truly beautiful. These would be forever lost. Surely we could use all previously developed land before raping and pillaging our beautiful countryside and greenbelt?
When we visited The Church hall for a look at the proposals, the proposals all had more detail in them. Now, the boundaries of many of the sites have been changed and the details of what the developments would look like have completely vanished. It's impossible to have a fully informed view without significantly more knowledge of the proposals.
We already lack significant areas of park or green play areas. Taking away beautiful paths would further impacts on the quality of our family life.
We'd like to see the option to develop the formation of a new village, with new modern custom designed services, situated on previously developed land, rather than trying to bolt on and squeeze in massive developments on an already overstretched village. This was suggested in Berkswell Parish's response to the Solihull Housing Plan Review and a potential site suggested in reclaimed quarry land off Cornet's End Lane.
Or as a last resort, Oakes Farm or Pheasant Oaks farm would better balance the village, although many of the problems would still remain.
It is also our understanding that some of the landowners whose land would be needed for the extent of the developments have not even been contacted, and they've indicated that they would be unwilling to sell. Is this the best way to go about planning proposals? Proposing the use of land you don't know is available.
I would urge you to reconsider destroying this beautiful area (Barrett's Farm and Windmill Lane), which is enjoyed by all this side of the village and many outside and in Berkswell Parish. It is clearly not suitable for significant development due to the issues raised above.