I have tried and failed to access the online response facility for responses to the Draft local Plan despite having registered for the purpose and am using this route which is indicated as a simpler method of contact to make the following
points:

LDP - Proposed Housing Allocation 18

I am writing on behalf of Silhill Football Club members, most of who live in Solihull, to comment on the Draft Local Plan which has recently been the subject of consultation. We own the freehold of the club premises and two full sized football pitches at Sharmans Cross Road and have been at this location since the mid-1920s. We also lease a full-size pitch at Hockley Heath Pavilion on a seasonal basis and a small-size pitch at Bentley Heath CofE School for two younger teams. In all we have 5 adult teams and 5 youth teams. Solihull Moors Girls u15s also use one of our adult pitches for their home fixtures. We are well aware of the significant demand for better quality small-size sports pitches in Solihull, not just from our own club.

We were concerned to learn of the relaxation of the planning guidelines with regard to the protection of sports pitches within the current Local Plan and objected to that. Our concerns are heightened by the concerted, damaging proposals to identify sports pitches throughout the borough for development. In the case of the former Solihull Rugby Club pitches and associated land, adjoining Solihull Arden Club at one side and our own club at the other, we are doubly concerned. This site is in an area of residential development where the few sports pitches that remain are a key aspect of the health and well-being of all the population and once lost will be gone forever. This is an unnecessary policy move and is counter to other policies for the area which seek to promote healthy activity and personal responsibility.

Flooding already is a major concern in the area and the proposed development is likely to worsen that. The drainage for the sports fields is often inadequate and developments are very likely to cause further problems of extreme water-logging.

We have noted that no real attempt has been made to keep the rugby pitches in use or to involve other sports and that contact to the organisations involved in the land has been ignored. We understand that Sport England may not be able to lodge an objection on current use grounds given the time which has elapsed since the land was used for rugby and believe that these two factors are clearly connected.