Q 12 - Site 4 - Land West of Dickens Heath

Although Site 4 West of Dickens Heath has been reduced from 700 dwellings to 350 it is still unsustainable and covers the same area.

Most of the playing fields west of Dickens Heath would disappear. It is not clear where the playing fields are to go to. Sport England opposed the Solihull Plan Site 4 proposals in comments in 2017. The loss of sports grounds/recreation areas for 9 clubs is contrary to Government Policy.

The traffic situation is really bad. Site 4 would add to this. The rat-running through Tythe Barn Lane and part of Dickens Heath village is mainly by people from Wythall who work in Solihull, Blythe Valley Business Park, etc. Extra traffic will exacerbate congestion through the Dickens Heath Village, on the A34 and surrounding roads especially at peak times.

Adverse impacts of developing this Site 4 for housing would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of providing houses near a railway station when there are other sites in the Solihull area that are of a lower grade of Green Belt with lesser adverse impacts and are in a more sustainable location. The CPRE has carried out the sustainability test, in accordance with Government guidelines and the test for Site 4 came out as only 30% sustainable. There are other sites throughout the Borough that are more sustainable to locate this development which are analysed as an amber category in the Local Plan to replace the Site 4 proposal.

Impact on the function of high performing Green Belt status of land will be lost which is contrary to Government Policy.

There would be added demands on already crowded local rail services and inadequate parking at the station and Village centre.

The design & concept of Dickens Heath is of a new village surrounded by Green Belt with no part more than 800m walk from village centre. Site 4 housing proposals are beyond this circle. The location of Site 4 is unsustainable not being linked to Dickens Heath by road, cycleway or footpath and outside the 800 m circle from the village centre.

Tythe Barn Wood is a most significant Ancient Woodland in Solihull. The ancient woodland is likely to require a suitable semi-natural buffer which, together with the ancient hedgerows, will reduce the areas of development.

The development would have a significant adverse impact on the ecology of the area, which has 3 Local Wildlife Sites adjacent to and surrounding the proposed housing development, affecting the ecological connectivity of the area.

The sports fields are liable to flooding most years and would exacerbate the flooding problem to neighbouring properties. The Site consists of deep boulder clay which does not drain well and dwellings would need to be built on deep piles and to keep above the water table, raised with infill material. Again, this contributes to the unsustainability of the proposals.

There is no case for any 'Sustainable Urban Extension' in the Dickens Heath Parish. Dickens Heath has reached the limits of expansion; any further growth would reduce gaps between the new village and other settlements and create urban sprawl, the prevention of which is one of the purposes of the Green Belt as stated in the NPPF.

Dickens Heath has some 1800 dwellings but the original design was for only 700 dwellings. The impact of this level of population on the local road system, which has had no road improvements to compensate for this additional growth, is significant. Outside the village built-up boundary, the roads are primarily narrow country lanes. There are junctions with low visibility which were not a problem before the recent housing growth, but are now potentially dangerous. The level of traffic creates noise, and deters walking and cycling on what were once quiet lanes.

The original decision to approve Dickens Heath, by the adoption of the first UDP in 1997, was made in the context of Green Belt status being confirmed at the same time on all the open land around the settlement. The Green Belt until 1997 was only 'Proposed' or 'Interim' Green Belt. This confirmed status, which dates from 1997, should not be altered. Exceptional circumstances need to be demonstrated to alter Green Belt boundaries in a Local Plan Review. There are no exceptional circumstances for changing the boundary to allow new houses on the land surrounding Dickens Heath.