Local Development Plan Site 245
I have received your letter about the Proposed Housing Allocation 18 at Sharmans Cross Road and I have seen the information and studied the plans. There are various concerns that I have about these.

There is already a Tree Preservation Order on trees on the land between Arden Tennis Club and houses no.28 to no.36 in Winterbourne Road. T.P.O. No 174. dated 31st March 1989.

I understand that this land should be for sport. SMBC minuted in 2013 that the use of the grounds was only for sport and that they would not sell the freehold. I am shocked that SMBC has not maintained the only covenant on the Rugby Ground. Also SMBC has not made Oakmore keep their covenant and so keep the land for sports. In fact it appears that Oakmore have actively discourage sport by putting a very high rent and so discouraging clubs to use the land,and then letting the land and building deteriorate. There is a shortage of pitches in Solihull, less than the national target and loosing this land would be a loss of sports in the central town area. Children are not having access to sport to help them grow up fit and active. The Arden Lawn Tennis Club is a vibrant, active club with all the facilities it needs and adequate parking and so no cars are left on nearby roads. It is on freehold land and so has access to assets for building projects. This would be lost if it was moved to leasehold land. Houses built too near ALTC would suffer from flood lights and noise from the club.

The amount of housing suggested in this area would be very dense and probably require flats to make up to a hundred dwellings. This would be totally out of character with the surrounding houses in the area.

Living in this area I am concerned about all the extra cars turning into Sharmans Cross Road. It is already a nightmare with cars parking near the school at the beginning and end of the day, with buses and cars trying to get through.There is no extra capacity in local schools, no infant school near by, and already overcrowded medical centres. Buses don't run often and the train station is 25-30mins walk away. This would put more cars on Sharmans Cross Road and to the junction with Streetsbrook Road, already a dangerous junction with queues at busy times.