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ID sylw: 106275

Derbyniwyd: 04/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Richard Couzens

I am writing to formally oppose the inclusion of SG24 within the SWLP. I am a local Hockley Heath resident, having lived in the village for 17 years. This ill thought out plan will destroy the character and beauty of this small semi-rural village.
The proposal directly impacts me, my family, friends and fellow residents. Hockley Heath is a beautiful village with the feel and character of a small village and makes living here an absolute joy. Some of my concerns are listed below (not exhaustive);
1. Unjustifiable overdevelopment
The scale of the proposed allocation is excessive and disproportionate, completely out of step with the current community. It would erode our village identity, undermine local cohesion and destroy the very attributes that make Hockley Heath a desirable place to live.
SG24 is being advanced without due consideration of the Solihull Local Plan, which is currently under review. The failure to adopt a coordinated and integrated approach with Solihull Council highlights the enduring issues that will arise should SG24 be taken forward in its current state. The Solihull Plan was very clear that Hockley Heath is only suitable for small scale development due to limited facilities - SG24 is quite the opposite.
SG24 within the SWLP should not be permitted to proceed in its current scale and cannot be considered in isolation away from the Solihull Plan. Any proposed development in area surrounding Hockley Heath must have Solihull Council engagement and agreement.
2. Irreversible destruction of green belt and limited review of sustainable alternatives
Each individual site that makes up SG24 requires inappropriate development on green belt land, designed to prevent urban sprawl and preserve open countryside. This proposal fails to demonstrate the 'exceptional circumstances' required for Green Belt release under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) with a number of the tests being applied in a flawed manner. The claim that the canal can substitute as a defensible boundary instead of the Green Belt is demonstrably flawed; several proposed sites are located beyond the canal, rendering this justification invalid.
The lack of a proper sustainability appraisal for alternative brownfield options demonstrates a missed opportunity and failure in due process. The SWLP has ignored viable alternatives, including the redevelopment of underutilized commercial spaces into residential in locations that already have a good level of infrastructure readily available.
SG24 within the SWLP should not be permitted to proceed without reviewing alternative sites / options in deeper detail and taking a more comprehensive review of the plan to release green belt and its wide ranging impact linked to character, environment and biodiversity.
3. Detrimental Environmental and Biodiversity impact
SG24 would inflict harm on local biodiversity, directly contravening national sustainability policies. The targeted sites are rich in ecological diversity, supporting an array of wildlife and plant life, particularly along the canal’s vital green corridors and pockets of woodland throughout the fields. The SWLP fails to meet the legal obligation in the NPPF requiring ‘conservation and enhancement of the natural… environment’ and para 175 requiring councils to take ‘a strategic approach… plan for the enhancement of natural capital’
Key failures include; the destruction of key habitats with no credible mitigation plan, failure to use up to date environmental assessments (the 2013 Green Infrastructure is out of date and not fit for purpose), significant increases in air and noise pollution from additional traffic which will harm local air quality and quality of life.
4. Absence of detailed Infrastructure capacity planning and funding
SG24 is being proposed with no credible infrastructure provision to support it. Hockley Heath is already stretched in terms of roads, schools, and healthcare facilities. The SWLP fails to provide any realistic solutions to mitigate the additional strain SG24 would impose.
Roads & Transport: Many affected roads, especially to the west of SG24, are single-lane with no pedestrian walking access. They rely on single lane canal bridges that are entirely unsuitable for increased traffic. Widening roads would require the expropriation of small pieces of land from a large number of private properties, which is unrealistic. The main Stratford Road reaches capacity with traffic at a standstill almost daily. Traffic leaves the busy M42, and uses both the Stratford Road and surrounding road network as an alternative. The road network could not cope with the demands of the large scale development of SG24.
Hockley Heath is served by limited public transport. The nearest railway station is Dorridge which is 2 miles away. Train commuters will drive to the station thus increasing traffic, congestion and parking issues throughout our neighbouring village.
Education: Hockley Heath has a single, landlocked primary school already struggling with capacity and traffic congestion. The plan doesn’t explain how school provision will be improved and there is no mention of how school catchment areas will work.
Healthcare: The increase in demand for doctors, dentists, hospitals could not be covered by Hockley Heath in its current form. The area is already beyond national guidance for travel times to hospitals and A&E services. Increased demand will further exacerbate waiting times and degrade local healthcare services.
Infrastructure Costs: The funding for essential infrastructure expansion is lacking detail, meaning these burdens will fall heavily on Solihull Council, which has already stated that Hockley Heath can only accommodate small-scale development.
5. Significant flooding and drainage risks ignored
Hockley Heath already experiences severe surface water flooding, even at times without heavy rainfall and particularly along the artery routes which will be required to serve SG24; School Road, Spring Lane, Cut Throat Lane and A3400 Stratford Road. The existing drainage infrastructure is insufficient to support additional development and Severn Trent have quoted 2030/2031 for any upgrade works to be carried out.
Several of the fields highlighted in SG24 remain water logged during the winter months, an issue which has increased in recent years with heavy rainfall from the increased number of storms we are experiencing as a country. If these fields are developed where will the water go?
The SWLP has not updated flood risk assessments to reflect the current challenges, has not provided a clear drainage mitigation strategy and has not considered the cumulative impact of adding impermeable surfaces to already high-risk flood zones.
6. Breach of sustainability principles
SG24 fails to meet the Sustainable Development Requirements outlined by South Warwickshire. The transport network is already under strain, local services are stretched, and the environmental consequences are severe. Proceeding with this allocation would be in direct opposition of the fundamental principles of sustainable development, making the entire plan legally and ethically indefensible.
Conclusion: SG24 can not proceed as a strategic growth location in its current format
SG24 inclusion as a strategic growth centre can NOT proceed in its current format within the South Warwickshire Local Plan. We recognise that Hockley Heath has some facilities and can take on a small level of growth, however many of the plans, policies, frameworks have not been reviewed in enough detail or applied correctly. The unsustainable overdevelopment proposed under SG24 would irreparably damage Hockley Heath’s character, environment, infrastructure, and quality of life. It fails to demonstrate exceptional circumstances for Green Belt release, ignores significant viable alternatives and lacks the essential infrastructure planning required for sustainable development.
There are many other issues that arise due to the inappropriate selection of the sites. They represent further significant legal, environmental, sustainability and H&S issues which must be reviewed prior to agreeing the SWLP. SWLP have an obligation to deliver housing and release sites in the most sustainable way, which cannot be achieved via the current SWLP as there are clearly much better performing settlements.