No

Draft Local Plan Review

Representation ID: 4139

Received: 17/02/2017

Respondent: Mrs Helen Goodwin

Representation Summary:

Site 2 Objection
not a viable or appropriate development.
green belt areas of land. several brownfield sites more suited.
situated on the south side of the village - increase in traffic on already overwhelmed road system, a hazard to the pedestrian traffic, made up of a very high percentage of children)
an abundance of wild life living and visiting, at the moment the fieldfares are on the Frog Lane fields along with buzzards, muntjac deer, French partridge and bullfinches.

Full text:

Please find attached a letter concerning proposed development in Balsall Common

As a local resident of Balsall common I am writing to you all with reference to the proposed development of two sites in Balsall Common which you are being contemplated for building, these sites are Frog Lane and an area of land off Kenilworth Road/Windmill Lane.
These two sites have several things in common, therefore rendering them not a viable or appropriate for this development.
Both are green belt areas of land. There are several brown field sites more suited.
Both are situated on the south side of the village - this positioning means the increase in the volume of traffic would already compound an already overwhelmed road system, the area of which is close proximity to both schools. (This could potentially be a hazard to the pedestrian traffic, made up of a very high percentage of children)
At drop off and pick up times these roads are totally congested and there is very restricted movement on Balsall Street East (BSE), Alder Lane, Kelsey Lane, Holly Lane, Gypsy Lane and the Kenilworth Road. Of which this is the main transport route for all traffic, north/south and vice versa.
Both Holly Lane (and any other proposed entry/exit to Frog lane) and the Kenilworth road are not designed or suited to any increase in traffic. (With these proposed builds, that increase could be up to 300 just on BSE) The Kenilworth Road is, like BSE chronically saturated at peak times of the day. If there was ever a serious emergency the services would totally struggled to get through.
Both sites have an abundance of wild life living and visiting, at the moment the fieldfares are on the Frog Lane fields along with buzzards, muntjac deer, French partridge and bullfinches.
As the lollypop lady at the primary school, I am speaking with personal, hands on experience and I see unbelievable sights, volume of traffic and despair from drivers either bringing their children to school or trying to get to work, from Coventry/Solihull or vice versa. Only, one morning last week the local farmer was moving muck on BSE and he came through over 5 times during one session.
I would suggest that you visit these areas, spend time observing the roads, see what is going on with the traffic, how commuters are coping with their commute and see for yourselves how saturated this whole area is.
I conclude that these proposed builds are complete nonsense and Solihull Council needs to go back to the drawing board for development sites.