The Hockley Heath Neighbourhood Planning Steering Committee do not believe that Site 25 should be included as an allocated site. In the Summer of 2018 we ran a survey across the village in support of the Neighbourhood Plan. The survey received an excellent response rate for a survey of this type (50% of the village responded) and its findings will form a key element of the forthcoming Neighbourhood Plan. Our response to this consultation should be viewed as being informed by representative data from the village as a whole.
1. Our survey showed 87% of respondents indicating it was very important for highway changes to School Road to prevent excessive vehicle use arising from additional Blythe Valley Park development. This finding was in advance of any consultation associated with the release of green belt land on School Road
2. The top priority in terms of the natural environment was to protect the views of Green Belt land and green spaces from inappropriate development (92% of residents)
3. 69% felt that School Road should be protected from development (the highest response)
The draft concept masterplan for the site indicates a density of housing out of proportion to the village as whole. The Steering Committee do recognise the opportunities to improve community access to the canal network. In respect of suggestions that any future development could improve Hockley Heath Academy drop off and collections, we would point out that the development is on the other side of the busy School Road and we do not accept that the risks associated with additional children crossing the road offset the negative aspects of the release of the land.
The NP Steering Committee recognise that Site 25 does offer a more defensible green belt boundary than other sites in the village and agree wholeheartedly with SMBC that should other sites be released (particularly in the north of the village) this would more likely lead to the future erosion of the green belt. However, for the reasons stated above, the SC feel that the release of this specific site should be avoided, based on the assumption that should this site retain its green belt designation, its release would not then be subsequently 'displaced' to other much less favourable sites elsewhere in the village.