LDP - Proposed Housing Allocation 18

I write to formally object to the above proposed housing allocation to the rear of Sharmans Cross Road for the following reasons:-

Permanent loss of sporting facilities

I understand that this sports field is one of five that are threatened with development in this proposal, at a time when Solihull is falling far short in providing accessible sport for the over 16's within the borough. As they have a statutory requirement to replace lost pitches with those of equivalent accessibility and quality, I fail to see how they intend to meet this.

Increased traffic and parking

Sharmans Cross Road is a major route into Solihull and suffers from major congestion at rush hours and school drop off times. Adding 100, or even 50 dwellings, with the prospect of 2 cars each, accessing onto this busy road with children & cyclists is a recipe for disaster. The parking situation is dire and can only deteriorate with the increased demand and loss of parking spaces for the tennis club. There are already parking restrictions in place in an attempt to deter workers in the town centre from parking, but this has merely passed the problem on to the side roads. This can only get worse.

Flooding

The road floods regularly outside the school and further down towards Streetsbrook Road. On more than one occasion we have experienced effluent backing up our downstairs toilet and others around us regularly suffer severe and prolonged flooding of their gardens, despite employing methods to try to alleviate the problem. Many times the manholes in the road have lifted with the force of water. This is surely evidence that our ancient sewers are not coping, without the extra demand more dwellings would create and the loss of natural drainage by concreting over a field.

Design and appearance

Urbs in Rure is rapidly losing its "rure" appeal. The old Forest of Arden has given us a legacy of some wonderful open and wooded spaces. Coppices which sustain a variety of wildlife must be preserved - they can never be replaced - in the same way sports fields once lost cannot. We have every nationality as neighbours and all would say they moved here to enjoy the character of the environment. This proposed development with its likely 2/3 storey apartments is totally out kilter with the surroundings and will lead to overshadowing, loss of light and completely change the pleasant nature of this area. There are no other apartment blocks in or near this part of town - a dangerous precedent to allow these now.

I urge SMBC to consider this proposal carefully and not allow this greedy developer, who has effectively sat on this sports field for over five years whilst putting every obstacle in the way of other sports clubs who are desperate for pitches to use this facility, to profit from building on a valuable neighbourhood amenity. As freeholders of the land in question I would hope that you would wish to preserve this sporting facility and re-affirm your refusal to sell the freehold as you policy minuted in 2013.