Draft Local Plan Review

Proposed building of houses between Kenilworth Rd and Windmill Lane, Balsall Common
I would like to draw your attention to the importance of Berkswell Windmill in Windmill Lane, Balsall Common and to the undesirability of compromising its setting and air flow by the proposed residential development nearby.

I have detailed knowledge of the windmills (and watermills ) of the midland counties, having been interested in the subject for many years, and I am secretary of the Midlands Wind and Water Mills Group, which I helped to found in 1976.

The windmill, as you say in your proposals, is a listed building. It is in fact listed grade 2*, a grade which is given to only a small proportion of listed buildings, and is an indication of the importance that English Heritage attach to it.
The mill is a rare surviving example of the once common Warwickshire style of tower mill (basically with a small neat tower, and a boat shaped cap turned by a winch). It contains all of its internal machinery - in fact it is by far the most complete example of a tower windmill in the counties of Warks, Staffs, Worcs and West Midlands (Far more complete and more historically representative than Chesterton Windmill). The owner has in recent years, using her own money and grant aid, done a lot of repairs to the mill and brought it to complete working order.

The proposed development would appear to compromise the mill in three ways in particular:
(1) blocking the distant view of the mill. (how often can you see a windmill across fields?)
(2) compromising the rural view of the mill close by and
(3) making it impossible to run the sails, which is already difficult because of nearby trees. Whilst multistorey flats would be a particular problem here, even houses quite a way back from the mill can have the same effect - as sadly has sometimes happened in the Netherlands.

I greatly hope therefore that another site can be found for the development.

(On behalf of self and Midland Wind and Water Mills Group)