SMBC's Draft Local Plan concerning Berkswell and Balsall Common.

I have lived in the Berkswell and Balsall Common area since 1971 and have watched as strips and parcels of land have been obtained and built on. Houses are needed, however there has to be a limit to the number of buildings that an area can take without there being fundamental damage to the environment and the quality of life for existing residents. The many housing estates that have been built has led to a haphazard and topsy turvy village with the village centre not able to cope with the increase of people or vehicles that additional housing has caused.

The residents of Balsall Common need a clear vision for the enhancing and improvement of the centre and the plan does not provide this. It appears that it will be more of the same standard lookalike housing estates with the further erosion of precious green belt and further loss of amenities for present residents. The only guarantee is that the semi rural


My major concern is the erosion of the green belt. Barrett's Farm is the narrowest strip of the Meriden Gap and yet this is going to lose its preservation of green belt status. We know that the City of Coventry has made plans to build up to the boundary with Berkswell and there is already construction in Burton Green on the other side. If you allow Barretts Farm to be built upon, Berkswell and Balsall Common will merge into an urban conurbation that is the West Midlands with no consideration for the residents or the natural environment. The purpose of the Green Belt was to prevent and restrain urban sprawl. Seems to me that this is being ignored and you as a council are failing to consider the existing residents.

Once the land is released from Green Belt status it will be lost forever. Whilst the argument for new houses cannot be refuted there has to a better way. There seems to be a reluctance by you as a council to investigate fully the potential of brown field sites.

The Concept plan for Barrett's Farm does not consider increased traffic, the impact on the village centre, parking, as 900 homes means that there are potentially 1800 more cars in the area.

I believe that Solihull Council are aware of the major parking issues in Station Road, Balsall Common at the present time. This despite there being a station car park (usually full) and parking all along Hall Meadow Road . As a resident on Station Road I can confirm that reversing out of my narrow drive is precarious at best and down right dangerous most of the time. This is because I have a 4 way intersection to consider in addition to this the road is lined with stationary vehicles and therefore my sight line is poor and I fear that there will be a terrible accident at some point. If there are more houses and therefore more cars I cannot imagine the chaos and congestion that that will incur.
Existing roads are insufficient to deal with the massive increase in vehicles when all of these properties are built. Add to this the construction traffic and disturbance due to HS2 and life in the area will be intolerable.
Due to the complexities of the Barrett's Farm site, with many landowners , the start of HS2 construction, a proposed by- pass ( further erosion of the green belt) and new facilities the Concept Plan MUST be strong in order to avoid piecemeal development. Also because of the disruption of HS2 building must not start until after the completion of this major project.
Other issues include, increased pollution, loss of natural habitat for wild life and the loss of the rural aspect