Solihull Local Plan (Draft Submission) 2020

Allocate part of the site for expansion of the Renewal Church.

The Submission Local Plan makes no provision for future growth of cultural, religious or social needs of the growing communities being created by the additional housing is areas across the Borough or enhancing those needs for the existing population of Solihull.

Cultural religious and social groups are not considered as an element of the community that should be recognised or supported in any of proposed policies in the Local Plan.

Renewal, a Christian church, have been in discussion with the Council about significantly extending its facilities close to the centre of Solihull, in order to provide for the spiritual needs of the population in the area as well as providing additional services for supporting the vulnerable, and the wider needs of the community.

An appropriate site would require land of between 1- 2 hectares with car parking provision and facilities for the wider community. However, the Council have negated any proposals that we have come forward with and have not come up with any suggested alternative site or made any provision in the Local Plan, even in very general terms, for such land uses. It would seem that the Council does not easily recognise the need for other elements that make up a proper, fully functioning balanced community.

Many other religious, sports and social groups meet in other premises such as schools, because no proper provision is made in the development plan for those to develop purpose-built facilities for their need. No provision has been made in the broader Local Plan or in the latest version Solihull Town Centre Masterplan which concentrates on more housing and business uses\

Renewal church is currently located in converted industrial buildings off Lode Lane. Those buildings are far from ideal for any functioning modern church serving a growing congregation of over 1500, as well as providing a wide range of community support, in conjunction with the Council.

Approaches to the Council to use part of the Moat Lane Depot site next door to the church have been rebuffed.

Provision should be made in the local plan by designation of land for significant social, cultural and community buildings. Such sites should be brownfield within the urban area, rather than green field sites, unless those are in close proximity to major centres of population. The Local Plan should address the issues of such uses and either make appropriate provision of sites in the Plan, or address the issue in general terms setting out where such uses can be considered in spatial terms and what support the Council would give in terms of considering such applications.

Arden Eco Park should be allocated as a site for a Power from Waste site to service Arden Cross.

The wider former Arden Brickworks site, now called Arden Eco Park, covers a total area of around 38.6 hectares (95.4 acres). The Eco Park site is accessed from the A45 via a one-way service road running on the south side of and parallel to the A45 between Stonebridge Island to the east, at the junction of the A45/A452, and M42/J6 to the west.

The Arden Eco Park lies within the M42 Solihull Economic Gateway with additional expansion proposed to this gateway. It is located in the West Midlands Green Belt in the Meriden Gap which separates Birmingham from Coventry and is largely surrounded by agricultural land apart from a large Kennel complex – Top Hat Kennels - on the frontage which is likely to be directly affected by HS2, and Pasture Farm to the east. The HS2 line is due to pass just to the east of Arden Eco Park leading into the new Interchange Station north of the A45.

Birmingham International Airport, the National Exhibition Centre and Birmingham International Station are located around 2 miles to the north west accessed off the A45 to the west of the M42.

Future development of the site

As such Arden Eco Park is a major previously developed site in a strategic position and already operates a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) at the rear of the site alongside the remaining areas of clay extraction. The Local Plan recognises the clay extraction operation as well as the MRF as established facilities.

The major frontage part site comprises a Civic Amenity Facility which has operated for many decades to service the wider Solihull community but is proposed to be relocated to a site near Damson Parkway which for many is likely to be less accessible that the present facility at Bickenhill. HS2 will run directly adjacent to the eastern boundary and Adren Cross is directly on the north side of the A45.

Behind the Civic Amenity site lie a large number of business units used by utility and civil engineering companies for offices and ancillary facilitate as well as open storage (B8) with ancillary facilities mainly covered by a Certificate of Lawful use granted by the LPA in 2007 (ref 2007/ 1171). The site comprises a large area of hardstanding a range of buildings in brick or profiled steel buildings which have largely replaced the former brickwork buildings.

The owners of the land have ambitions to establish a major Power from Waste facility on this site which would make a major contribution to the energy needs of the area around including the Arden Cross development area around the HS2 Interchange with over 5000 new houses as well as business development.

The Arden Eco Park site has been submitted under the Council’s Call for Sites in relation to the Local Plan as land for business and employment uses given into extensive past history. The Local Plan has not recognised that submission and no provision is being made in the plan for the site to contribute positively to needs of the Solihull Economic Gateway which it is well placed to do.

No provision is made in the Plan for dealing with major brownfield sites in the Solihull Local Plan which are included within many other local plans. Leaving it to the development management process is not sufficient to give a proper and appropriate policy framework for considering proposals. In the future.

The Arden Eco Park site should be allocated as a site for energy from waste and other related development.

Allocate Arden Eco Park as an employment site and for an Energy from Power facility

The wider former Arden Brickworks site, now called Arden Eco Park, covers a total area of around 38.6 hectares (95.4 acres). The Eco Park site is accessed from the A45 via a one-way service road running on the south side of and parallel to the A45 between Stonebridge Island to the east, at the junction of the A45/A452, and M42/J6 to the west.

The Arden Eco Park lies within the M42 Solihull Economic Gateway with additional expansion proposed to this gateway. It is located in the West Midlands Green Belt in the Meriden Gap which separates Birmingham from Coventry and is largely surrounded by agricultural land apart from a large Kennel complex – Top Hat Kennels - on the frontage which is likely to be directly affected by HS2, and Pasture Farm to the east. The HS2 line is due to pass just to the east of Arden Eco Park leading into the new Interchange Station north of the A45.

Birmingham International Airport, the National Exhibition Centre and Birmingham International Station are located around 2 miles to the north west accessed off the A45 to the west of the M42.

Future development of the site

As such Arden Eco Park is a major previously developed site in a strategic position and already operates a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) at the rear of the site alongside the remaining areas of clay extraction. The Local Plan recognises the clay extraction operation as well as the MRF as established facilities.

The major frontage part site comprises a Civic Amenity Facility which has operated for many decades to service the wider Solihull community but is proposed to be relocated to a site near Damson Parkway which for many is likely to be less accessible that the present facility at Bickenhill.

Behind the Civic Amenity site lie a large number of business units used by utility and civil engineering companies for offices and ancillary facilitate as well as open storage (B8) with ancillary facilities mainly covered by a Certificate of Lawful use granted by the LPA in 2007 (ref 2007/ 1171). The site comprises a large area of hardstanding a range of buildings in brick or profiled steel buildings which have largely replaced the former brickwork buildings.

The owners of the land have ambitions to establish a major Power from Waste facility on this site which would make a major contribution to the energy needs of the area around including the Arden Cross development area around the HS2 Interchange with over 5000 new houses as well as business development.

The Arden Eco Park site has been submitted under the Council’s Call for Sites in relation to the Local Plan as land for business and employment uses given into extensive past history. The Local Plan has not recognised that submission and no provision is being made in the plan for the site to contribute positively to needs of the Solihull Economic Gateway which it is well placed to do.

No provision is made in the Plan for dealing with major brownfield sites in the Solihull Local Plan which are included within many other local plans. Leaving it to the development management process is not sufficient to give a proper and appropriate policy framework for considering proposals. In the future.

The Arden Eco Park site should be allocated as a site for energy from waste and other related development.

Allocate the Arden Eco Park site for employment uses and an Energy from Waste site and delete reference to a RIGS.

The wider former Arden Brickworks site, now called Arden Eco Park, covers a total area of around 38.6 hectares (95.4 acres). The Eco Park site is accessed from the A45 via a one-way service road running on the south side of and parallel to the A45 between Stonebridge Island to the east, at the junction of the A45/A452, and M42/J6 to the west.

The Arden Eco Park lies within the M42 Solihull Economic Gateway with additional expansion proposed to this gateway. It is located in the West Midlands Green Belt in the Meriden Gap which separates Birmingham from Coventry and is largely surrounded by agricultural land apart from a large Kennel complex – Top Hat Kennels - on the frontage which is likely to be directly affected by HS2, and Pasture Farm to the east. The HS2 line is due to pass just to the east of Arden Eco Park leading into the new Interchange Station north of the A45.

Birmingham International Airport, the National Exhibition Centre and Birmingham International Station are located around 2 miles to the north west accessed off the A45 to the west of the M42.
The site is within the stategic UK central area.

Future development of the site

As such Arden Eco Park is a major previously developed site in a strategic position and already operates a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) at the rear of the site alongside the remaining areas of clay extraction. The Local Plan recognises the clay extraction operation as well as the MRF as established facilities.

The major frontage part site comprises a Civic Amenity Facility which has operated for many decades to service the wider Solihull community but is proposed to be relocated to a site near Damson Parkway which for many is likely to be less accessible that the present facility at Bickenhill.

Behind the Civic Amenity site lie a large number of business units used by utility and civil engineering companies for offices and ancillary facilitate as well as open storage (B8) with ancillary facilities mainly covered by a Certificate of Lawful use granted by the LPA in 2007 (ref 2007/ 1171). The site comprises a large area of hardstanding a range of buildings in brick or profiled steel buildings which have largely replaced the former brickwork buildings.

The owners of the land have ambitions to establish a major Power from Waste facility on this site which would make a major contribution to the energy needs of the area around including the Arden Cross development area around the HS2 Interchange with over 5000 new houses as well as business development.

The Arden Eco Park site has been submitted under the Council’s Call for Sites in relation to the Local Plan as land for business and employment uses given into extensive past history. The Local Plan has not recognised that submission and no provision is being made in the plan for the site to contribute positively to needs of the Solihull Economic Gateway which it is well placed to do.

No provision is made in the Plan for dealing with major brownfield sites in the Solihull Local Plan which are included within many other local plans. Leaving it to the development management process is not sufficient to give a proper and appropriate policy framework for considering proposals. In the future.

The Arden Eco Park site should be allocated as a site for energy from waste and other related development.

RIGS Designation

The Local Plan refers to a Regionally Important Geological Site within the minerals working area. As we understand it RIGS are now called ‘Local Geological Sites’ and have a similar status to Local Wildlife Sites, i.e. non-statutory but protected through policy in Local Plans and as a material planning consideration in applications.

The designation for the Brickworks site still exists in the Submission version of the Local Plan and we believe that the citation for the former brickworks describes important exposures of the Triassic, Mercia Mudstone Group which are important for educational purposes. 'The strata consists of irregularly bedded red clay and mudstone, interbedded with green mudstone and green sandstone skerry horizons'.

While the quarry owners are prepared for students to observe the exposure subject to proper prior and safe arrangements, that exposure is not static and mineral working and subsequent landfill n that such exposure is continually on the move. While extraction is ongoing then presumably there will new exposures of these strata created periodically but the requirements of the minerals planning permission require the land to be back filled and returned to agriculture. As such that designation on the site should be removed from the Local Plan.

Define the settlement boundaries of Chadwick End, Cheswick Green, Millisons Wood and Tidbury Green

Greater certainty for the four listed infill settlements should be given by properly defining the setllement boundaries

Provisin needs tio be made on the Moat Lane depot site or a suitable alternative for Renewal Church to be able to grow.

The Submission Local Plan makes no provision for future growth of cultural, religious or social needs of the growing communities being created by the additional housing is areas across the Borough or enhancing those needs for the existing population of Solihull.

Cultural religious and social groups are not considered as an element of the community that should be recognised or supported in any of proposed policies in the Local Plan.

Renewal, a Christian church, have been in discussion with the Council about significantly extending its facilities close to the centre of Solihull, in order to provide for the spiritual needs of the population in the area as well as providing additional services for supporting the vulnerable, and the wider needs of the community.

An appropriate site would require land of between 1- 2 hectares with car parking provision and facilities for the wider community. However, the Council have negated any proposals that we have come forward with and have not come up with any suggested alternative site or made any provision in the Local Plan, even in very general terms, for such land uses. It would seem that the Council does not easily recognise the need for other elements that make up a proper, fully functioning balanced community.

Many other religious, sports and social groups meet in other premises such as schools, because no proper provision is made in the development plan for those to develop purpose-built facilities for their need. No provision has been made in the broader Local Plan or in the latest version Solihull Town Centre Masterplan which concentrates on more housing and business uses\

Renewal church is currently located in converted industrial buildings off Lode Lane. Those buildings are far from ideal for any functioning modern church serving a growing congregation of over 1500, as well as providing a wide range of community support, in conjunction with the Council.

Approaches to the Council to use part of the Moat Lane Depot site next door to the church have been rebuffed.

Provision should be made in the local plan by designation of land for significant social, cultural and community buildings. Such sites should be brownfield within the urban area, rather than green field sites, unless those are in close proximity to major centres of population. The Local Plan should address the issues of such uses and either make appropriate provision of sites in the Plan, or address the issue in general terms setting out where such uses can be considered in spatial terms and what support the Council would give in terms of considering such applications.

I support the principles of the Locall Plan in broad terms but do not consider that it addresses all the neccasessy issues in an objective and sensible way nor does it reflect the propery make up balanced comminities.

The Local Plan should be prefaced by a Statement about the recognition of the Meriden Gap as a strategically important area that required continued protection from unnecessary development

Local Plan does not properly recognise the strategically important Meriden Gap in the way that new housing allocations have been substantially located in that segment of the Borough. This is an important area of open countryside possibly destined to be a National Park area which should be generally protected from substantial development other than to meet the needs of the communities within it.
While there may be some merit in the Arden Cross development for economic reasons that should not be the thin end of a wedge to encourage release of so much additional land in the Green Belt.

The Local Plan should make provision for land for expanding religious, social and cultural facilities

Under Challenge J the Local Plan should also include the need to allocate land to accommodate facilities for the spiritual needs of the Community. Many expanding religious groups are desperate to find suitable sites that can accommodate their needs to serve their congregation and the wider community which they also serve in support of Solihull Council.

Land is not allocated or available in the Local Plan as most land is allocated for housing without proper thought as to what makes up a balanced community.

The Council should allocate sites around Balsall Common and in the Arden Triangle for employment uses.

The Local Plan fails properly to consider sites for employment uses in expanding settlements of Balsall Common and Knowle. The emphasis of the Local Plan is largely only on Land Rover needs, some high tech development within Arden Cross . No provision is made for local employment uses which at a modest scale could be accommodated in those growth settlements. While some residents will have to travel distances by car to get to centres of employment, the provision of at least some land in those settlements would serve the needs of those who cannot or will not want to travel.