Object
Draft Local Plan - Supplementary Consultation
Representation ID: 9449
Received: 15/03/2019
Respondent: Alex Gee
Object due to loss of sports facility in area where several facilities lost, and need is clear. Should respect covenant and remove from Draft Plan. Significant increase in traffic volumes and associated traffic pollution exacerbating existing congestion.
Density out of character with the neighbouring areas, being 4/5 times that elsewhere. Parking likely to be cramped and cause an increase in street parking on Sharmans Cross Road. Already chaotic during peak times and Arden Club will lose 70-80 spaces. Important buffer zone for the ancient woodland of Pow Grove supporting wide variety of wildlife.
Design and Appearance
LDP - Proposed Housing Allocation Site 18
I wish to object strongly to the inclusion of the former Rugby ground in Sharmans Cross road in the LDP (Site 18).
This is an entirely inappropriate site for many reasons which has in the past led to the site being firmly rejected several times as being unsuitable for housing development.
As a resident who lives in Sharmans Cross road, my objections are:
1 This is valuable and accessible local sports field within the community which has a covenant for its use for sporting purposes only.
The Council itself has recognised this in 2013 when they passed an all party policy to maintain the sports ground only covenant and not sell the freehold.
I therefore think I am entirely justified to demand that the site is removed permanently from the development plan.
This area has already lost several sports fields over the last few years and Solihull is in the bottom quartile nationally in over 16 participation in sport.
We are already desperately short of pitches, teams I have played for in the past have had to travel out of the area for their 'home' pitches.
2 There will be a significant increase in traffic volumes and associated traffic pollution. Sharmans Cross road is already gridlocked at morning and evening rush hours, with queues of traffic both ways to Streetsbrook road and to Danford lane.
These queues overlap outside my house and cause significant pollution and making access and exit at these times extremely difficult.
3 The density of the development would be out of character with the neighbouring areas. It is likely to be 4 to 5 times the density and is entirely inappropriate.
4 Parking on any new development is likely to be cramped and cause an increase on street parking in Sharmans cross road. Partaking is already chaotic during peak times and school start and finish times. Solihull Arden club will also lose 70-80 parking spaces which will increase this problem.
5 The field is an important buffer zone for the ancient woodland of Pow Grove. We are privileged to have a wildlife habitat for a wide variety of birds and animals.
building on the sports field will remove this buffer zone and threatens its very existence.
I trust you will consider my objections seriously and take this inappropriate site out of the plan permanently.