BASE HEADER

No

ID sylw: 106176

Derbyniwyd: 04/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Hannah Richmond

1. Excessive and Unjustified Overdevelopment.
The scale of SG24 is completely disproportionate to Hockley Heath’s current size, threatening to erode its village identity, disrupt community cohesion, and undermine the very qualities that make it a desirable place to live.

2. Loss of Green Belt and Insufficient Consideration of Alternatives.
The SG24 allocation involves significant development on Green Belt land, which is meant to prevent urban sprawl and protect the countryside. The proposal fails to meet the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requirement for demonstrating exceptional circumstances for Green Belt release. Some of the justifications used in the assessment are flawed, particularly the claim that the canal provides a suitable boundary many of the proposed sites extend beyond the canal, invalidating this argument.

3. Environmental and Biodiversity Impact.
The SG24 allocation poses a direct threat to local biodiversity, contradicting national sustainability policies. The proposed development sites include ecologically rich areas, particularly along the canal, which serve as important wildlife corridors.

4. Lack of Infrastructure Capacity and Planning.
SG24 is proposed without adequate infrastructure provision to support it. Hockley Heath is already under strain, with limited road capacity, stretched school places, and insufficient healthcare services. The SWLP does not present realistic solutions to accommodate this increased demand.

Roads & Transport: The western side of SG24 relies on narrow single-track roads, some with no pedestrian footpaths, and single-lane canal bridges that are unsuitable for increased traffic. Widening roads would require purchasing small portions of land from multiple private owners, making it unfeasible.

Education: Hockley Heath has only one primary school, which is landlocked and already at capacity. The plan does not explain how school provision will be expanded or how catchment areas will be managed.

Healthcare: Local GP services, dentists, and hospitals are already stretched beyond national accessibility guidelines. The increased population from SG24 would exacerbate waiting times and reduce service quality.

Infrastructure Funding: There is no clear financial plan for how the necessary infrastructure improvements will be delivered. Given Solihull Councils existing position that Hockley Heath can only support small-scale development, the costs of major expansion would likely fall on them something they have not agreed to.

5. Flood Risk and Drainage Issues

Hockley Heath already experiences serious surface water flooding, particularly on key access routes such as School Road, Spring Lane, Cut Throat Lane, and the A3400 Stratford Road. These areas are prone to flooding even in moderate rainfall.

The SWLP does not present updated flood risk assessments, nor does it offer a clear drainage strategy for SG24, despite the fact that some of the proposed development sites are already on waterlogged land. Adding large-scale development without sufficient drainage mitigation will increase flood risks for existing and future residents.

6. Failure to Meet Sustainability Principles.
The SWLP claims to prioritise sustainable development, yet SG24 fails to meet key sustainability criteria. The transport network is inadequate, local services are already overburdened, and environmental harm would be substantial.