Solihull Local Plan (Draft Submission) 2020

The following should be added to paragraph 291:
'Since then revised planning applications have been submitted and are currently being assessed by the Council and Highways England. During this time, greater understanding has been gained of how ATM systems operate and interact with the Motorway Network under Highways England’s control. This is assessed by Highways England.'

The draft Local Plan Review discusses MSAs at paragraphs 288-291. This section acknowledges there is a significant unmet need on this part of the Motorway Network in line with previous Secretary of State appeal decisions (2001, 2009)1 (paragraph 290). The acknowledgement of the need, in line with national policy as set in the National Planning Policy Framework (2019) and Department for Transport Circular 02/2013, is supported.
The Local Plan Review sets out the history of planning appeals MSAs on this part of the Motorway Network. Paragraph 288 states that the Secretary of State was minded to grant consent for a MSA near Catherine-de-Barnes and that “It was judged that the need for the services outweighed the harm to the Green Belt”. Paragraph 290 set out that the Inquiry was re-opened due to material change in circumstances and both appeals were dismissed. In the case of the Catherine-de-Barnes proposals this was because the Secretary of State did not consider that the proposals before her were compatible with the safe and efficient working of the Active Traffic Management (ATM) system. This appeal was examined in 2009, when ATM systems were new to the Motorway Network. There is now greater understanding of ATM systems and how they interact with the operation of the Motorway Network. We respectfully request that this is acknowledged in the Local Plan Review. Paragraph 291 states that revised planning applications planning applications have been submitted and are currently being assessed by the Council and Highways England. It is suggested that the following wording be added to paragraph 291:
'Since then revised planning applications have been submitted and are currently being assessed by the Council and Highways England. During this time, greater understanding has been gained of how ATM systems operate and interact with the Motorway Network under Highways England’s control. This is assessed by Highways England.'
Extra MSA Group’s planning application submission sets out that the proposal demonstrates the very special circumstances (VSC) case for development in the Green Belt. The application demonstrates that the proposal can operate safely with the ATM system. We are working with Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council and Highways England to progress this application to determination at a Special Planning Committee meeting in Q1 2021.