I am responding to the Council's Draft Local Plan and would like to register my disapproval of the proposed plan both on the unfairness of targeting one area and the blatant disregard of the green belt.
Over the last 10 years Balsall Common has seen an unprecedented number of houses built which has doubled the size of the village and led to undue pressure on school, roads and health services. To now propose to build a further 1000+ houses is nothing short of madness. I feel that is totally ingenuous to publicise these building plans as being split between the parishes of Berkswell and Balsall Common when in fact all the houses are in or next to the village of Balsall Common. The site noted as Barratts Farm where the plan proposes 800 homes to be built is more than 3 miles from the centre of Berkswell but less than half a mile from the centre of Balsall Common. These plans should be looked at by area not by parish boundaries which have been in place over a hundred years and bear no relevance in today's planning world. The actual village of Berkswell has seen no new houses for 20 years, if only Balsall Common could say the same!
It appears on the surface to be totally unfair that Berkswell village has no houses planned, Hampton in Arden 100 homes, Meriden 50 homes whilst Balsall Common has 1000!!!!! I find this discrepancy totally unacceptable and when I spoke to an SMBC representative at the Balsall Common Library consultation day he could offer no sensible or sane reason for this. When I asked further questions on how these development plans had been formulated he said that land owners/builders had put forward the sites for consideration. This, surely, cannot be right? SMBC should surely be deciding where and what is built to fulfil the Government's demands to increase the housing stock not people with vested interests? It would make so much more sense for the planning department to look at the infrastructure of the Borough, look at the demand (which by all accounts is supposed to be for starter and cheaper properties not 4 & 5 bedroomed detached houses) and plan accordingly. Not deposit 1000 homes in an area with no thought whatsoever except for the fact that someone who owns the land would be able to sell it with probably a good profit.
I strongly object to all 3 sites, Barratts Farm, Windmill Lane and Frog Lane. The Frog Lane site would see the allotments & playing fields disappear, how can that be right? The playing field is used by local children for football etc, local dog walkers and joggers. At a time when the Government spend millions telling people to eat healthy and exercise you propose to build houses on the very site that enables residents of Balsall Common to do just this.
I hope that SMBC planners will take into account the residents of Balsall Common feelings and re think this proposed strategy with more fairness and objectivity.