BASE HEADER

No

ID sylw: 106105

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Philip Vollans

Hockley Heath village already has surface water drainage issues and the Stratford Road floods regularly during heavy rain. The proposed development areas also flood and there are limited options for proper drainage and further development would worsen this problem. The relevant consideration is that effecting the flood areas by a large scale development would also damage the biodiversity and natural soak aways presently in existence. Houses that back onto the land already carry a large amount of the run-off from the land, which would be worsened by the development and threaten the homes already part of Hockley Heath.

- All of the earmarked land is on Green Belt, which is only to be built on in exceptional circumstances. The exceptional threshold has not been reached. The Government explicitly focussed in its manifesto about developing brown field sites. This does not align with election promises or the overriding obligation to protect Green Belt land. There are a number of brownfield sites which can be considered across Warwickshire which have not even been considered.

- The land identified for development has not taken into consideration that these are not only nesting sites for owls including, Barn Owls but also that they are ground where deer freely roam. The restriction of habitat not only would disrupt the natural hunting grounds of Barn Owls but also restrict the deer in their territory forcing them to cross roads more regularly causing a direct conflict between vehicles and wildlife. The development would harm wildlife and impact on biodiversity. There have been multiple car accidents with deer in Hockley Heath recently, this is only likely to increase with increased traffic and removes vast swathes of their remaining habitat. The loss of green space would also impact the wellbeing of existing residents, by removing the green spaces that are regularly used by local residents.

- There are implied easements across the land identified which has been utilised in excess of 21 years in relation to dog walkers, local schools, scouting associations and natural foragers. Were the development to proceed then it is more likely than not Warwickshire would have to address each of these implied easements in due course. The council is hereby given formal notice of the implied easement of the land as otherwise referred to and as such the council is formally invited to identify to whom interested parties should make themselves known to.

-Solihull MBC already had a local plan that states only a small-scale development is appropriate for Hockley Heath. The proposed plan, even if one section of the proposed development, would dwarf Hockley Heath and double the size of its current development, which the local area does not have the infrastructure to deal with. Hockley heath has only a few shops and falls under the control of Solihull Borough Council. In placing the development literally on the border of the council’s control, they would require Solihull Borough Council to have the entirety of the responsibility of any infrastructure.

- There are already issues with traffic on the A34 and Aylesbury Road. The development would significantly increase traffic. All proposed developments would need to access the A34, significantly increasing the accident risk. Sometimes it is impossible to get onto the A34 from the Aylesbury Road or Old Warwick Road. There is simply no infrastructure available that would alleviate this.

- The proposed development would fundamentally alter the character of Hockley Heath and undermine its distinctiveness and rural identity. The community is an integral part of why we moved here and this would remove a distinctive part of the benefit of living in this part of the world.

- The proposed development would put more pressure on the already stretched infrastructure, including schools and transport, particularly given the size of the development. The burden of the new population for schooling, transport, health, refuse collection would fall to Solihull, who have already opposed it. It is likely to ongoing disputes between the councils over future funding. This cannot be an efficient way of working cross counsel. Furthermore, it would fall under the responsibility of Warwick Hospital. Warwick Hospital is struggling to find enough beds available even on weekdays, with extensive waiting hours and the overwhelming nature of patients.