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ID sylw: 106430

Derbyniwyd: 04/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Barbara Dowsett

I am writing to formally object to the inclusion of SG24 within the SWLP.
I am a local Hockley Heath resident, having lived in the village for over 20 years. I am worried at the scale of the proposed development and the flawed justification for SG24 as a strategic growth location.
The proposal directly impacts me, my family, the local environment and village character. Indeed, if it goes ahead, the village will cease to exist, and it will become another commuter settlement poorly served by stretched or non-existent public services.
Having reviewed the various consultation documents and technical details, it is clear that there are other sites and settlements that perform MUCH better than those selected at SG24 and they have not been reviewed in the correct manner nor in fullness.
Some of my concerns are listed below:
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 - SG24 is quite the opposite.
SG24 within the SWLP should not be permitted to proceed in its current large-scale quantum, cannot be considered in isolation away from the Solihull Plan and must have a 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. 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.
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. Local children leaving the primary school are already finding it difficult to get appropriate secondary school places due to the massive developments on Blythe Valley. This has resulted in children being bussed to The Heart of England School which is miles away from Hockley Heath.
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. There is no GP or pharmacy access in the village itself, and increasing the size of the population in the way that has been suggested would render current services entirely unsustainable.
Infrastructure Costs: The funding for essential infrastructure expansion is lacking detail, meaning these burdens will fall entirely 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.
The SWLP has not updated flood risk assessments to reflect the current challenges, has not provided a clear drainage mitigation strategy (particularly for the SG24 developments, some of which are on waterlogged land), 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 cannot proceed as a strategic growth location in its current format.
SG24 inclusion as a strategic growth centre cannot 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.