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ID sylw: 106771

Derbyniwyd: 02/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Collette Higgins

I'm writing to respond to the consultation on the South Warwickshire Local Plan. I write with specific reference to the building proposals for SG24, near Hockley Heath, the village I have lived in for many years and know the aera well. I attended a residents' meeting to hear of the proposals. The meeting was attended by local Solihull Councilors who informed residents of their own plan to site fewer than 100 in Hockley Heath, because the village lacked sufficient amenities and infrastructure which are already overstretched. It was a real shame that South Warwickshire was not represented to answer questions, of which there were many. (NPPF Para 15)

This particular site, SG24, is not a viable option for the following reasons:

Adding a further 5000 homes would totally change the nature of the village. This would more than triple the size of the village. It could no longer be described as a rural village and eat up any buffer between Hockley Heath and Dorridge. The local primary and secondary schools are already full, with children having to attend schools further afield. There is no local Health Centre or Pharmacy. There is no Accident and Emergency Department at Solihull Hospital. Residents go to Heartlands which is already at capacity. Any additional housing of this scale would put an unsustainable burden on already stretched resources in this area. (NPPF Para 20.98)

Rush hour regularly brings traffic to a standstill on the main Stratford road through the village, and when the M42 is closed. It can take 15 minutes to exit Aylesbury Road, School Road and Old Warwick Road onto the Stratford Road at these times. There is one bus an hour to Birmingham, Solihull and Stratford, if it comes at all. Residents have little option but to have a car. What will 5000 extra cars add in terms of noise, safety, pollution and congestion? A shuddering thought. (NPPF Para 109,110)

The roads and fields around the village are prone to flooding regularly. Severn Trent Water's Plan to address the flooding issues is not due to be executed until 2031 at the earliest. An additional 5000 would put an enormous strain on already outdated and overstretched drains and wastes disposal. The scale of the proposal would greatly alter an already fragile water table. (NPPF Para 170)

5000 houses at SG24 would have a huge environmental impact, not only on the nature of the village and its community feel but on local wildlife too. There are deer, foxes and badgers living in the area together with a variety of birdlife including kites, buzzards and owls who rely on these fields and hedges for survival. (NPPF Para 8,15, 187)

Properties in villages carry a hefty premium on house prices because people choose to live in a rural location to enjoy open aspects, fresh air and wildlife. The proposed development will turn Hockley Heath from a quiet village into a sprawling town with no infrastructure or amenities to cope with the growth. The plan offers no community infrastructure, as far as i can see, with likely planning and Council Tax gains going to Warwickshire and all the burden will be borne locally by Solihull Council. This strikes me as most unfair. (NPPF Para 16, 20, 135,143)
16,
Pushing all sites forward in the SW plan seems a rather clumsy approach. A more refined and considered approach should be considered with due regard to the potential impact on local communities and neighbouring authorities.

I very much hope you will take these points on board when making huge decisions that have a lifelong impact on people's lives and their community.