Draft Local Plan - Supplementary Consultation

Comment

Representation ID: 8610

Received: 14/03/2019

Respondent: The Shakespeare Line Promotion Group

Wythall and Whitlocks End Stations should be considered holistically due to the following: the need for connectivity between the two authority areas (Bromsgrove and Solihull), Birmingham City Centre and the wider West Midlands, the level of passenger demand at the two stations and different train frequencies, the impact on Whitlocks End caused by no parking at Wythall, proposed scale of housing will place significant pressure upon the rail network, benefits of a holistic approach would extend to Earlswood and Shirley.
Community of Dickens Heath as well as a wider area relies on Whitlocks End to access the railway network. It is the busiest unstaffed station in the West Midlands area. Existing car parking is oversubscribed every day causing potential users to commute by car adding to vehicular congestion. Additional residential development will require facilities and infrastructure at Whitlocks End to be significantly enhanced. Supports the improvement of pedestrian and cycling facilities between Whitlocks End and Dickens Heath, there can be no upgrade of parking without the grade separation of pedestrians and vehicles which use the Tilehouse Lane over bridge. Paragraph 132 is not robust enough in terms of supporting better train services and enhanced transport infrastructure using Community Infrastructure levy powers.
Future housing development at Blythe should financially support the improvement of rail services and a bigger car park providing 200/250 spaces. There should be co-operation between Solihull and Bromsgrove authorities to enable a joint strategy to be developed which addresses the railway station housing catchments for Earlswood, Wythall, Whitlocks End and Shirley.