Draft Local Plan - Supplementary Consultation

Comment

Representation ID: 9573

Received: 15/03/2019

Respondent: Bloor Homes

Agent: Savills

No exceptional circumstances that would justify the Council using an alternative approach.
Support the Council's use of the 2014 based household projections in their LHN calculations. However, the figures result in a contribution of only 24 dwellings per annum to the Greater Birmingham Housing Market Area. This is not sufficient to meet the shortfall.

Object

Representation ID: 9574

Received: 15/03/2019

Respondent: Bloor Homes

Agent: Savills

Object to the scoring of site 192has received in the Site Assessment document .
Do not support the Step 2 'refining criteria' and the lack of clarity of how sites have been assessed against the factor listed in the table.
Sites have been scored inconsistently, when they are in close proximity to each other.
Site specific benefits have not been considered.

Support

Representation ID: 9575

Received: 15/03/2019

Respondent: Bloor Homes

Agent: Savills

Support the inclusion of Site 4 West of Dickens Heath as an allocation. Although located in a moderately performing parcel of Green Belt, the site is opportunely located in very close proximity to Whitlock's End Train Station as well as being within walking distance to key facilities and services to make it sustainable.
It is unclear how this site parcels 176 and 126 in the Site Assessment Document are 'green sites' when site 192 immediately adjacent site has been scored 'red'. Further clarification is sought as Site 192 performs equally well.

Support

Representation ID: 9576

Received: 15/03/2019

Respondent: Bloor Homes

Agent: Savills

Support removal of Tidbury Green from the Green Belt to provide opportunities to deliver additional development and make better use of land which is currently constrained. Support the Council's recognition that Tidbury Green "does not have an open character that makes a contribution to the openness of the Green Belt". The Council should revisit the strategic position that Tidbury Green holds in terms of supporting future housing growth and connections to Whitlocks End station via Site Allocation 4. A strategic allocation and a removal of Green Belt wash should determine the boundary revisions that should be made to the settlement.

Comment

Representation ID: 9577

Received: 15/03/2019

Respondent: Bloor Homes

Agent: Savills

Site 192 should be a 'green site'. The site performs better in some areas than Site 41 and is located in an area identified as being suitable for significant growth. The site has many benefits that outweigh the harm, arising from inappropriate development. The site has no hard constraints, limited soft constraints, and provides Solihull with an opportunity to deliver a
comprehensive development in this area. The Railway line to the west of Tidbury Green could provide a new defensible boundary to the Green Belt and wider opportunities where the Green Belt wash is removed from Tidbury Green.

Object

Representation ID: 9578

Received: 15/03/2019

Respondent: Bloor Homes

Agent: Savills

We consider that this approach of affordable housing contributions is unconventional and could generate a greater than 50% of housing units being provided for affordable housing, where the mix for private included more 2 and 4 bedroom houses than is required for affordable. We consider that this in-turn could negatively affect the overall site mix, development viability and prohibit development.
We object to this affordable housing approach until further evidence can be provided to justify a habitable room/floor space requirement. We consider that the Council's existing approach on affordable housing is more appropriate.

Object

Representation ID: 9579

Received: 15/03/2019

Respondent: Bloor Homes

Agent: Savills

Unless there is compelling evidence to support otherwise, we object to a change in the approach to calculating affordable housing. Most LPAs approach affordable housing on a % of the total housing units and we consider that this approach should remain in place to enable housebuilders to compare like for like opportunities across
LPA boundary areas.

Object

Representation ID: 9580

Received: 15/03/2019

Respondent: Bloor Homes

Agent: Savills

We consider that this approach of affordable housing contributions is unconventional and could generate a greater than 50% of housing units being provided for affordable housing, where the mix for private included more 2 and 4 bedroom houses than is required for affordable. We consider that this in-turn could negatively affect the overall site mix, development viability and prohibit development.
We object to this affordable housing approach until further evidence can be provided to justify a habitable room/floor space requirement. We consider that the Council's existing approach on affordable housing is more appropriate.

Comment

Representation ID: 9581

Received: 15/03/2019

Respondent: Bloor Homes

Agent: Savills

The approach most developers take to housing sites is one of market demand. Where there is a strong demand for smaller market houses then house builders will build them. To rigidly require house builders to build more smaller houses may reduce the ability to meet the market requirements for larger 3 and 4 bed houses. If the supply of these houses is artificially restricted then there is a risk that asking prices would increase which could in turn affect the asking price of smaller properties. Whilst some guidance is expected, a policy influence on the market housing mix is unnecessary.