re SMBC,"s Draft Local Development Plan for Balsall Common

Firstly the Meriden gap is being eroded by this development.
The Meriden gap was made as a prevention to restrain the urban scrawl in the West Midlands conurbation between Birmingham and Coventry. (Paragraph 96 ) states that this plan will enhance the Green Belt! It is clearly under threat with these plans of urbanisation. How is this enhancing it by building Balsall Common 1/2 as big again!
Coventry have already made plans to build up to the Solihull Borough at Berkswell boundary. Coventry are already constructing at Burton Green in Warwickshire ,
SMBC "s plans will erode it further. It is only 2km at this point.

Once land is released from the Green Belt (paragraph 97) it cannot be reclaimed, the benefit of this lovely countryside will be gone forever. Looking at map of areas planned for development Balsall Common and especially Berkswell will no longer be a village and a rural area, which is why we enjoy living here with easy access to walks across the fields and countryside

Barratt"s Farm which is right next to where I live is at the narrowest point of the Meriden Gap. All those beautiful fields will be lost especially with HS2 and the By pass as well in this area and side of village!

There are possible alternative sites for building away from this valued piece of Green Belt section 15. & Paragraph 405 e.g site numbers 76 &212 at Cornets End Lane which could be used for a new settlement.

Secondly Green space must be preserved within the area covered by the development.
In the NDP it seeks to maintain and preserve the rural character of the area , which the existing residence would like to keep. No mention has been made of the NDP for Berkswell unlike those of Hampton and Meriden.
Paragraph 95 Concept Master Plans should:
- develop a tract of open space running through the majority of Barrett's Farm, much like Riddings Hill, with recreational amenities, play areas and retention/ development of nature reserve areas.
- There are some magnificent oak tree in Berkswell Parish these have preservation orders on them and must be retained along with established hedgerows and must be incorporated into any development in keeping with the rural area.
- long established use of playing fields and recreational spaces must be incorporated and new areas established.
- it is also very important to establish safe pathways and cycle routes away from traffic to the village centre as there certainly won't be any room to park with the housing being increase by 59%,!

The protection of existing residents property and quality of life of all residents must not be affected by the development.
- As a long time resident of Balsall Common (33 Years) I am looking for vision and not the reproduction of another standard lookalike housing estate and village centre. That is why we choose to live here and have never moved. I know we need change and extra housing is required, we do not need to increase as much as 50% in this area it is not in keeping. Why is it not put in other parts of the Borough? It is spoiling the rural aspect of the area.Paragraph 57
- ensure that the least possible disturbance is caused to existing residents whilst building any part of this new development.
-The location-of new housing close to existing residences should be kept to a minimum and where practical separated by a green open area , not opening up existing roads and using hem as access to the new development. Access to New development should have their own access from new roads created to keep traffic flow and congestion to a minimum
- Existing roads and lanes around the development are insufficient to cope with additional traffic. Meeting house lane should be kept as it is and not used and become an access point for a first phase of building before HS2 is completed. Any access along this road or the roads that feed off it would change the character and country feel of a traditional lane and would change the ambiance of a rural feel for ever.
- All traffic for new development must be directed away from existing resident areas towards the new bypass that will provide the main vehicle access.
- I live in Oxhayes Close coming off Meeting House lane which is a small culdesac with a sharp bend where our house is half way up,. It is a blind bend and there are often cars parked outside house on this corner, so is one lane only, one proposal is to open up our road as access to build possibly 40 homes . It would be very dangerous traffic wise and would also put extra possibly 80 cars ( 2 car a household) using Meeting house lane and Oxhayes Close. The access from our roD is dangerous with the pinch point existing hedges and bushes it is often hard to see on coming traffic when turning onto Meeting House Lane. This would also cause traffic build up coming in and out of Oxhayes to and from Meeting House Lane with the pinch points. The pinch points are very necessary as they slow the traffic down and stops Meeting House lane being a fast cut through for traffic instead of Kenilworth road. It would also not be in keeping with the existing housing in this area. At the end of the road was originally used as a play area with swings and slides and field used as a football pitch.groun. It is vital that areas like this should be redeveloped as open space for recreational activities which will be much needed with the Barratts Farm development.
At the end of our road are some lovely old oak trees which have preservation orders on them, there would be no access unless these were taken out, which goes against trying to keep the feel of the existing rural environment and preserving out trees and hedgerows.. Taking them out and removing their long established routes could also do damage to the nearest existing houses, one of which has extensive underpinning .

Concept Plan for Barratts Farm
- The emerging concept plan for Barratts Farm not clear and insufficiently developed to enable a clear assessment for residents to realise it s full impact on them. It raises more concerns then it addresses. The site is complex with 13 different landowners, HS2, proposed bypass and school. The plan needs to be strong from day one for the whole site. Paragraph 101
-there should be no development of Barratts Farm until after HS2 is completed, the village and especially the residents could not cope with traffic and extra disruption . The main access points must be from Station road near the Station and Waste lane from the other side.
- green space between existing and new development is not clearly shown on the concept plans at this stage. This must be made clear before any work begins.
- The concept plan as published is an emerging one and there hopefully will be major revision before it is finally issued taking in the needs and views of existing residents who will be greatly affected by this plan. Piecemeal planning must not be allowed otherwise this will not happen it must be a clear and planning policies must be robust and adhered to. It is dangerous that once land has been allowed to be removed from the green belt land will be sold off to developers who will apply for planning permissions.

My personal views on development
Balsall Common will no longer have a rural feel to it, which is why we chose to live here having moved from Water Orton 33years ago That has now been ruined by major roads and development. My concerns are that will happen here, with 50% increase in housing we will become a sprawling Conurbation with no amenities joined on to Coventry, it will not be rural village in the countryside, although it has grown it still has that feel but with this development it certainly will not
At the moment the village already struggles with parking at certain times of the day, I am lucky as I can walk up but, I have to drive to get to my house either through the village dicing with the people stopping and reversing in and out of space with often no regard for drivers who are driving through to get home, or along Hallmeadow road an up Station road with all the cars parked because there is insufficient parking for Station now,! We will need 80% increase in a new station car park to accommodate new housing and existing cars parked on road.. it is very dangerous at times driving up the hill from the Station by The Bricklayers arms, imagine with the increase of traffic and a bypass. Sensible provision of parking amenities must be provided for at Station and village. With the increased traffic it is going to take me a lot longer to access my house coming from both Solihull or from dual carriageway. How is the village going to sustain the increase of traffic and people?
More trains stopping here will also be needed, at moment x2 an hour and you have to stand during busy periods.. enter bus service including the evenings to Solihull .
More amenities will be required for leisure, open space, expanding the doctors surgery, the new school should be built first as the existing primary school cannot take any new people moving into village .
We will become a small town with no character just a sprawl of houses in the middle of country nearly joined to Coventry with no amenities like town, this is not in keeping with the villages of Balsall Common and Berkswell.
Why is all the building going into Berkswell Parish and not the other side of the village. It should be more eventually balance out especially with the disruption of HS2 and bypass both this side of the village, there are pockets of building land the other side of village . What about the area from Greenfield Avenue up to Wooton green lane and up to and beyond The George in tree easy access onto Kenilworth road.. I know there were areas there that were put forward as building land.
There are large pollution implications with HS2, bypass, extra traffic with development and the planes that take off and land over Balsall Common. This has an impact on old and new residents and also the new school which is tied near the proposed bypass..
why is the bypass not going to the West of Balsall Common , it was one of the original suggested routes.. why put so much together down next to HS2 which will be a huge disruption and a blot on the landscape cutting Berkswell Parish in half.
Also what justification is there for choosing to make Balsall Common for Your housing needs. What is the matter with Dickens Heath which was a new developed village in Solihull, these new houses would fit in much better to the existing environment. Or Hockley Heath, which has much better access to M42/M40 and nearer to Solihull town centre or Shirley where there are lots of amenities, we haven't we are in the country.
Solihull have ignored the Berkswell NDP in their plans and not taking or car d about existing residents
I feel it is very sad what is happening to our rural village and the beautiful countryside being eroded. )