Draft Local Plan Review

The Challenges and Objectives set out in the emerging Local Plan are supported, but changes are recommended. However, the objectives relating to housing delivery 'Challenge B' should be broadened to include a specific objective that seeks to promote the redevelopment of brownfield sites in sustainable locations. This will help to deliver much needed housing on sites that are often already well served by infrastructure and so can be delivered in the short term. The early redevelopment of brownfield sites would be encouraged by applying a lower affordable housing threshold to these sites in the first five years of the Local Plan. This would assist those developers who have bought brownfield sites under the existing affordable housing threshold of 40% to bring those sites forward in the context of the policy requirement that was in place when the sites were acquired. This incentive, along with the application of the Vacant Building Credit, as set out in Policy P4, will help and encourage the delivery of brownfield sites in the early stages of the Local Plan. This will provide the additional time required to deliver infrastructure to the larger greenfield sites that are proposed to be allocated by the Emerging Local Plan and ensure a more even housing delivery rate throughout the plan period. Such an approach would meet the overall objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework along with the other challenges outlined in the emerging Local Plan.

In respect of 'Challenge D', the objectives that seek to secure sustainable economic growth are in general supported. However, the second objective to 'Challenge D' offers support for the 'key economic assets' of the Borough. These assets thrive in Solihull because of the associated and related industries and services that feed into and support the key economic assets. Therefore, the smaller businesses and services sectors that support the key assets should also be offered support and encouraged to grow. It would, therefore, be preferable to see this objective reworded to include reference to 'supporting businesses and services'. This ties in much better with the Borough Vision as it encourages wider investment in the Borough from smaller companies related to, involved with, or supportive of the key economic assets.

The spatial strategy is supported. The larger greenfield allocated sites will require the provision of extensive infrastructure and services. It would be advantageous to encourage the development of sustainably located brownfield sites in the early part of the Local Plan period so as to provide a more even supply of new homes throughout the Plan period.

Site SLP25 is identified as an employment allocation of 18.5 ha. Footnote 21 acknowledges that the area will reduce following the preparation of a site masterplan. As the owners of the site, we confirm our commitment to work with Solihull MBC to prepare a masterplan for site SLP25 ('The Green'). We also fully endorse the residential allocation at this site ('Allocated Site 11') and confirm at this stage that we anticipate that no more than 3 ha of the site will be brought forward for employment development. The majority of the site will be brought forward for residential development.

No. Policy P4 should offer a greater incentive to the redevelopment of brownfield sites. This should include a requirement for a reduced affordable housing contribution on brownfield sites that are situated in sustainable locations in the first five years of the Local Plan period. This will encourage the early delivery of sites that can make a more immediate contribution towards housing land supply. This will help to offset the lead in time needed to prepare the large greenfield allocation sites that will require the provision of major infrastructure and therefore take longer to deliver. The promotion of the redevelopment of brownfield sites in the early years of the Local Plan period will result in a more balanced supply of new homes throughout the plan period.
This would be achieved by reducing the affordable housing contribution required from brownfield sites in sustainable locations to 40% in line with the previous Local Plan policy under which many of these sites will have been acquired. By reducing the affordable housing contribution to this level and allowing the use of Vacant Building Credit, there is a real incentive for the early delivery of sustainable brownfield sites that will make a more immediate contribution towards meeting housing needs. This approach complements the overall spatial strategy outlined in the emerging Local Plan, provides a greater period of time to prepare and to begin housing delivery on the larger greenfield allocations and makes the most efficient use of existing services, infrastructure and land.

As outlined in the response to Question 11, there should be a lower affordable housing requirement on brownfield sites situated in sustainable locations in the first five years of the Local Plan period to encourage such sites to come forward for development.
Policy P4 should offer a greater incentive to the redevelopment of brownfield sites. This should include a requirement for a reduced affordable housing contribution on brownfield sites that are situated in sustainable locations in the first five years of the Local Plan period. This will encourage the early delivery of sites that can make a more immediate contribution towards housing land supply. This will help to offset the lead in time needed to prepare the large greenfield allocation sites that will require the provision of major infrastructure and therefore take longer to deliver. The promotion of the redevelopment of brownfield sites in the early years of the Local Plan period will result in a more balanced supply of new homes throughout the plan period.
This would be achieved by reducing the affordable housing contribution required from brownfield sites in sustainable locations to 40% in line with the previous Local Plan policy under which many of these sites will have been acquired. By reducing the affordable housing contribution to this level and allowing the use of Vacant Building Credit, there is a real incentive for the early delivery of sustainable brownfield sites that will make a more immediate contribution towards meeting housing needs. This approach complements the overall spatial strategy outlined in the emerging Local Plan, provides a greater period of time to prepare and to begin housing delivery on the larger greenfield allocations and makes the most efficient use of existing services, infrastructure and land.

Where sites of over 100 units are being brought forward for development these need to be comprehensively planned and the delivery of plots across the site requires a coordinated approach. The comprehensive delivery of large sites, together with the urban design and feel of these developments would be affected by a requirement to effectively set aside plots for self or custom build. Therefore, option 2 could interfere with and jeopardise the wider delivery of housing and the overall quality and cohesion of larger developments.
Moreover, larger residential development sites (e.g. sites over 100 units) tend to require the provision of public open space and if a main developer loses overall control of the total number of plots, then establishing the effective and efficient management of the public open space and any other shared facilities could become difficult. Setting aside plots for self-build or custom housing would compromise the delivery and management of public open space and other shared facilities. Option 2, is not, therefore, considered to be a workable or robust approach to the delivery of self-build plots. The 100 unit trigger could also act as an artificial barrier and stand to prevent the efficient and effective use of land.
Consequently, there is a strong preference for Option 1.