Solihull Local Plan (Draft Submission) 2020

Object

Representation ID: 10679

Received: 04/12/2020

Respondent: Birchy Close Residents Association

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Site BL1 Dickens Heath

I would like to register my objections to the inclusion of part of the above site in the Local Plan, the larger of the two which proposes up to 350 dwellings
My reasons are;
- Increase traffic problems.
The population of Dickens Heath has grown from the original award-winning design of 850 dwellings to 1,757 units today. The proposed new housing would increase this to around 2,100 dwellings. However, the roads and infrastructure have not been designed or improved to accommodate this increase. The vast number of dwellings proposed in the Local Plan Review for the Blythe area, together with the large housing estates given planning permission in the general area in the last few years has caused considerable congestion at peak times. Given the parking problems in the Village centre, the narrow rural roads and historic hedgerows, it will be difficult if not impossible to make all the required road improvements to take any more traffic.

- Accessibility
One of the main design concepts of Dickens Heath was to limit the need for private car use. This meant that all housing was to be within easy walking distance (800 metres) of the centre. The majority of the proposed Site BL1 exceeds this walking distance. The new residents would therefore generally use their own vehicles to reach the retail, educational and social facilities of the existing village where car parking is already a major problem. New footpath links would be necessary to make the development sustainable in terms of walking distances to the Village Centre. Earlier drafts of the plan showed a new footpath through Birchy Close. This will not be deliverable as it is a private road owned by approximately 50 separate freeholders. Also, the plans do not show the junction of Birchy Leasowes/ Dickens Heath Road which lies within the shortest alternative route from the proposed development to the Village. This cannot be improved as ancient woodland and LWS adjoin the narrow highway where there are no footpaths. In addition, as the distance from the proposed site is not within an accepted walking distance, a bus route is proposed by the Council along Birchy Leasowes Lane but buses cannot turn on to Dickens Heath Road safely. Neither can a bus travel to the Village Centre along Tythe Barn Lane, as the access on to Dickens Heath Road is also restricted.
Furthermore, this site is not “highly accessible” as stated in the Sustainability Appraisal. While it would be close to Whitlocks End railway station, the overloaded rail service at that station gives access to Central Birmingham and to Stratford-upon-Avon. It does not provide a service to Solihull Town Centre or employment locations which are further than 15 minutes distance, for which here is only a slow and indirect bus service, and there would be no public transport to the ‘UK Central’ location east of the M42 Junction 6. There would be no direct access from Site BL1 to the services and facilities in Dickens Heath village itself, as there would be no direct road or cycleway to the village centre. Cycle and pedestrian access to the village centre was a core principle of the design for Dickens Heath.
- Impact on natural environment
This is a high performing Green Belt site. There are more Local Wildlife Sites surrounding it than any other of the proposed allocations with protected species, ancient woodlands and hedgerows. Also, the land is liable to flooding as the sub-soil is deep boulder clay that does not allow adequate percolation.

- Local ‘overload’

The Plan proposes to locate approximately 39% of all proposed new housing in the Borough to South Shirley/Blythe Ward. This is an inordinate amount compared with other communities so does not contribute to geographical distribution. I think that this will place an excessive burden on such a small area given the nature of the roads, traffic levels, the flood risks and the rural environment