BASE HEADER

No

ID sylw: 106348

Derbyniwyd: 27/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Margaret Harrison

We have lived in Hockley Heath for almost two decades and during that time have seen population growth following a number of new buildings across the area. The Green Belt field next to us has been developed into a small housing estate, including social housing, and further houses have been built across the road from our property. We are not NIMBYs and accept that there is a need nationally for an increase to housing stock, and this has happened across the village. However, at the same time we have seen pressure growing on the local roads with a number of accidents resulting, on the few services available in the area and in the adverse impact on the local countryside. This situation will only worsen with the proposed development, which will take the village to almost a small town, but one without the social and transport infrastructure required for such growth.

We utterly oppose this development for the following reasons:

In terms of infrastructure the village does not have the transport, education, or health facilities for such an increase in population. Transport wise, it already struggles. The Stratford Road (A34) is already congested and the roads in Hockley Heath are becoming cut-through and ‘rabbit runs’ for traffic, including highly inappropriate large lorries and HGVs, trying to avoid the A34. They are also heavily used at all times of the day and night whenever there are M40/M42 problems. Emergency vehicles and breakdown vehicles are regularly using the roads to and from motorway incidents. The local bus service is not frequent and the closest train station is a distance way with only a lengthy circular bus service to the station.

2. The A34 regularly floods during heavy rain and more development can only exacerbate the problem and consequent further traffic congestion during flooding and road repairs.

3. We do not understand how any such development on designated Green Belt land can be justifiable - these are not the exceptional circumstances for such usage..?

4. The planned development will have a detrimental impact on local biodiversity and damage wildlife habitats - not just for now but for the future of the area.

5. Visitors come to the village to enjoy its green space - loss of such will impact not only on local residents, but on many other people/families for whom it impacts positively on their physical and mental wellbeing.

We believe that this planned development fails to align with Solihull MBCs local plan which states that Hockley Heath should only have small-scale development - something that has already largely happened in recent times. Further, the burden of said development and the consequent needs of the significantly higher population (private and public transport, health, refuse collection, schooling etc) will be the responsibility of Solihull MBC. Yet Solihull has already opposed the development!

We would appreciate serious consideration to be taken of our formal objection to the planned development (SG24).