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ID sylw: 107243

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Solihull MBC

Meeting Employment Need
SMBC welcomes the inclusion within the Preferred Options plan of land to meet strategic employment needs as identified in the West Midlands Strategic Employment Sites Strategy. SMBC participated in this joint study and acknowledges the outcome. It is noted that the plan includes provision for the upper limit of the requirement identified in the WMSESS (between 75 to 125ha) for the M40 / A46 corridor in South Warwickshire to reflect that the WMSESS only forecasts up until 2045. The figure derived from the WMSESS relates to the whole study area rather than individual authority areas. Two sites capable of meeting the qualitative and quantitative strategic need have been identified. SMBC expect the delivery of strategic employment sites and the relationship to labour patterns and wider housing need within the housing market area to continue to form part of duty to cooperate discussions. Further consideration of these matters following the outcome of this consultation and as part of part 2 of the West Midlands Strategic Growth Study will be needed.
It should also be acknowledged that the provision of strategic employment land, whilst primarily to provide sites of a size and nature to attract large scale regional or national operators will also meet local needs.
The plan also identifies a Core Opportunity Area based on the road opportunity area (ROA 8) and rail opportunity area (ROA 4) identified within the WMSESS and the South Warwickshire Employment Land study 2024. The Core Opportunity area will be the focus for new employment within South Warwickshire. It is noted that this includes the area around Burton Green which adjoins the Solihull local authority boundary. Major investment sites have been identified within the plan area including the University of Warwick to the north of the plan area. Any expansion or significant economic development to the south of Solihull may have implications for the wider transport network and delivery of economic objectives and would need to be considered as part of duty to cooperate discussions.