Draft Local Plan Review

School Place Planning Response to the proposed Local Plan sites
Primary School Provision
For school place planning purposes the Borough is split into 9 primary planning areas. The proposed sites identified in the review of the Local Plan have been mapped to a planning area and primary school places across the planning area have been considered.
1. North Planning area
This planning area includes sites 5,7,14 and 15 - a total of 350 dwellings proposed. It also includes the proposed HS2 Interchange, site 19.
315 additional primary school places have already been added into this planning area to meet the needs of an increasing birth rate and current housing proposals. A further 105 places are currently being planned for. The pupil numbers likely to be generated by the level of dwellings planned for sites 5,7,14 and 15 can be met within existing school place provision. For site 19, a significant strategic site, it is expected that a new 420 place primary school would be required.
2. Rural East Planning area
This planning area includes sites 1, 2, 3, 6 and 10. Sites 1 to 3 total 1,150 proposed dwellings - are located in the Balsall Common area. Sites 6 and 10 total 150 dwellings - are located in the villages of Meriden and Hampton in Arden.
This planning area is already subject to approved housing development, totalling 150 dwellings, which is creating pressure on existing school places as is the demand from parents living outside of the Borough. 1,150 dwellings will generate circa 288 primary age pupils creating the need for additional primary school places.
To meet the existing and future demand for school places in this area, it is anticipated that an additional 420 primary school places will be required. These additional places could be provided through the expansion of existing schools in this planning area if the existing school sites are sufficient to enable expansion. Alternatively, the additional school places could be provided through the creation of a new school which would also enhance choice and diversity in the area.
Sites 6 and 10 are only small developments. However, they are proposed for the edge of existing rural villages. Additional pupil numbers, however small, may mean that demand from the village cannot be met by the village school but the proposed developments are not large enough to warrant the need for additional school places.


3. Knowle and Dorridge Planning area
This planning area includes sites 8 and 9 totalling 1,050 proposed dwellings.
This planning area is already subject to approved housing development, totalling 300 dwellings, which along with a fluctuating birth rate, is creating pressure on primary school places. 1,050 dwellings will generate circa 260 primary age pupils creating the need for additional primary school places.
To meet the existing and future demand for primary school places in this area it is anticipated that an additional 420 primary school places will be required. These additional places could be provided through the expansion of existing schools if school sites are sufficient. Alternatively, the additional places could be provided through the creation of a new school.
4. Rural South Planning area
This planning area includes sites 4, 12 and 13 totalling 2,150 proposed dwellings.
This planning area is already subject to significant housing development with circa 600 houses currently under development in the Tidbury Green area and 300 houses under construction in Cheswick Green. A further 750 dwellings have outline planning permission on the Blythe Valley Park site. Two schools have already been identified for expansion in this planning area providing an additional 420 primary school places to meet the needs from the current housing development.
2,150 additional dwellings in this planning area will generate circa 537 primary age pupils creating the need for additional primary school places. A minimum of 420 primary school places will need to be created, ideally through the creation of a new school within one of the proposed housing sites. This assumes that some of the pupil product from the new housing (site 4) will be met by the current school expansions.
5. Shirley West Planning area
This planning area includes site 11 totalling 400 proposed dwellings.
This planning area has already managed to absorb the increased number of pupils from a number of completed housing development including dwellings on Aqueduct Road and from the Parkgate development. The proposed site 11 adjoins the housing developments outlined in the Rural South Planning area (sites 12 and 13) so the expected pupil product could be accommodated within the development of the new school in the Rural South planning area.
6. Monkspath Planning area.
No additional sites planned. The current level of school places meets the needs of parents.
7. Shirley East Planning area
This planning area includes site 18 totalling 100 proposed dwellings.
90 Infant school places have already been added into this planning area (name the schools) and plans are underway to add 120 junior school places totalling 210 additional school places to meet the needs of a rising birth rate. The pupil numbers expected from the proposed 100 dwellings can be accommodated within this expanded level of places.
8. Solihull Central Planning area
This planning area includes sites 16 and 17 totalling 800 proposed dwellings.
In addition to the sites identified in the review of the Local Plan, this planning area incorporates Solihull Town Centre which is earmarked within the existing Local Plan for circa 800 dwellings. 210 additional primary school places have already been added to this planning area to meet the needs of a fluctuating birth rate and with a view to managing the pupil product from the development of the Solihull Town Centre.
800 additional dwellings will generate circa 200 primary age pupils. Once the details of the housing development in the Town Centre are known, with regards to the make up of the dwellings, for example apartments or family housing, it will be possible to more accurately plan for the potential pupil product. This will then determine whether the needs of Sites 16 and 17 can be met through the existing expanded level of primary school places or whether a further 210 additional places will be required.
9. Lyndon Elmdon Planning area
No additional sites planned and current level of school places meets the needs of parents.
Secondary School Provision
Work is currently underway to review the level of secondary school places across the Borough. None of the proposed developments are large enough to warrant the creation of a new secondary school, however the combined effect of the addition of circa 6,000 will generate circa 1,150 secondary ages pupils.
At present over 30% of Solihull secondary school places are offered to children living outside of Solihull and these places will in future years be used to absorb the increase in demand from within Solihull.
Arden School has already expanded by 300 places and the Council is currently planning the expansion of 3 secondary school places increasing by a further 450 places a total of 750 additional school places.
These expansions combined with the reduction in the numbers of pupils being admitted from outside of the Borough may be sufficient to meet the needs of the majority of the housing developments that are in the urban area. However, careful consideration may need to be given to the Rural East Planning area covering Balsall Common where there is only one local secondary school and high level of development.