No

ID sylw: 108104

Derbyniwyd: 23/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Miss Caitlin Regan

My primary concern is the destruction of vital wildlife habitats, including those of the protected Roe deer, which currently inhabit the fields near my home after being displaced by the construction of the Blythe Valley estate. This development would further erode their natural environment.

The proposal targets Green Belt land, leading to the irreversible loss of British countryside and transforming our village into a small town, diminishing its character and desirability. Additionally, our rural roads, already prone to flooding, cannot sustain the increased traffic, which will bring higher pollution levels.

Furthermore, our local infrastructure—schools, shops, and medical services—are already overstretched and cannot support such an expansion.
I strongly urge the council to reconsider and reject this damaging proposal.

No

ID sylw: 108123

Derbyniwyd: 28/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Mrs Valerie Palmer

The reasons are as follows:-

Traffic
Local lanes are inadequate to cope with additional traffic.
The main road, A3400, is subject to speeding and many HGV’s. Following an incident on the M42 the whole area becomes gridlocked.
There would be an increase in pollution.

Public Transport
There is no railway station within the village. There is no spare capacity for parking at the nearest stations and no room for expansion.
Bus provision is poor.
The outcome will inevitably mean more road usage as there is little employment opportunity in the village.

Education
The village primary school is at capacity.
There is no secondary school and no spare capacity at those closest to the village. Children have to be bussed in as it stands.

Health
The village has neither GP’s nor chemist.
The village is supported by Solihull hospital with no effective A&E, Warwick hospital which recently raised an emergency alert and Birmingham Heartlands which besides being a long way away is the last place you would wish to go to if ill.

Amenities/Parking
The village has few amenities and those are supported by extremely limited parking facilities with no scope for expansion.

SMBC
As I understand it SMBC will also have to propose new developments within their part of the village but they consider that 100 new homes should be the maximum, tolerable number without destroying the character of the village.

Green Belt
The proposal envisages destruction of a significant amount of green belt and associated loss of habitat.

Conclusion
I should be grateful if you take these factors into your considerations and reject SG24 as a development possibility.

No

ID sylw: 108152

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Dylan Griffiths

This development should not go ahead
Wild life is abundant on the land , thousands of birds , deer and other wild life will be lost for ever
The Stratford rd is not capable of taking more traffic the road has been increasingly busy after the blyth valley estate and more development and more traffic would signify increase pollution and risk of injury and fatalities in the village
There is no infrastructure for this many houses , we are only 700 and you would be creating double that in house, so in fact you are destroying a village and creating a small town
The proposal is destroying our way of life and beautiful country side

Yes

ID sylw: 108186

Derbyniwyd: 27/02/2025

Ymatebydd: St Philips

Asiant : Lichfields (Birmingham)

2.15 It is noted that the PO has identified twenty-four areas as Strategic Growth Locations [SGL]
and that not all of those locations will be allocated. St Philips strongly supports the
identification of the Hockley Heath Group (SG24) as a Strategic Growth Location within the
PO. Whilst the settlement is located on the edge of WDC’s administrative boundary, its role
within South Warwickshire’s approach to meeting the GBBCHMA’s unmet housing needs
should also not be disregarded. Whilst there is no ‘unmet need’ in spatial planning terms to
be accommodated from this neighbouring local authority, Solihull is nevertheless a core
part of the GBBCHMA. There is a strong and cogent argument to meet the unmet housing
needs of neighbouring authorities in an area in close proximity to where these unmet needs
have arisen – and Hockley Heath lends itself well to this approach as an entirely logical
location to meet this challenge. Indeed, the NPPF is clear that planning policies should identify opportunities for villages to
grow and thrive, especially where this will support local services (Para 83). Directing
growth to rural settlements supports local services and also ensures development is located
sustainably in line with the NPPF (Para 11a). Existing settlements often have access to
education, healthcare, retail, jobs, and public transport, and should therefore be considered
as ideal locations for growth. Further growth in rural settlements can also broaden the
scope for these settlements to seek improvements to services and infrastructure, helping to
address imbalances between the rural and urban areas in terms of provision and access to
facilities.
2.17 To this end, the NPPF is clear that, in rural areas, planning policies and decisions should be
responsive to local circumstances and support housing developments that reflect local
needs (Para 82) and that small and medium-sized sites can make an important contribution
to meeting the housing requirement of an area and are often built-out relatively quickly
(Para 73). St Philips considers that the development on the edge of Hockley Heath (i.e.
SG24, and particularly St Philips’ Site) lends itself well to achieving these objectives,
particularly given the fact that the site is well-located in order for residents to access a range
of key local amenities and facilities within walking distance of the Site. As such, St Philips
strongly considers that the SWLP should direct growth to Hockley Heath and allocate SG24
in the SWLP.

[Specific comments on Site 178- Land off Stratford Road, Hockley Heath (within SG24)
2.18 As set out in Section 1.0 of these representations, St Philips is promoting land at Stratford Road, Hockley Heath, for residential-led development. Whilst part of the Site falls within SMBC’s administrative area, the majority of the Site lies within the administrative boundary of WDC. 2.19 The Site comprises c.33ha of land and is located directly to the northeast of Hockley Heath, in the Green Belt. Aylesbury Road (B4101) lies to the south of the Site and Stratford Road (A3400) to the west. Bus stops on Stratford and Aylesbury Road, provide regular bus services that provide connections to key regional destinations including Birmingham, Stratford upon Avon and Solihull. The settlement benefits from a range of key local amenities and facilities, including the Hockley Heath village centre convenience store, a Post Office, Dental Surgery and Primary School. 2.20 The Site has no physical constraints that would prevent development. There is limited vegetation on the site, with the exception of some trees and boundary vegetation. Design proposals would positively seek to retain and enhance any trees and hedgerows where possible within the Site as part of the placemaking strategy, subject to detailed studies and further technical work. 2.21 Crucially, the SWA’s own evidence base confirms that the Site is in a lower-performing area of Green Belt land which does not significantly contribute to the purposes of the Green Belt.
As set out in detail in St Philips’ response to Draft Policy Direction 7 (Green Belt), the Site should be considered ‘Grey Belt’ and in a location that would secure more sustainable patterns of development. To this end, St Philips consider that the release of the Site from the Green Belt would be suitable and would accord with the ‘sequential approach’ set out in the NPPF (Para 148). 2.22 In this regard, the Vision Document (Appendix 1), submitted in support of these representations, demonstrates how the Site could deliver a medium-sized sustainable development of up to 400 new market and affordable homes through the SWLP on the edge of Hockley Heath. It demonstrates how the Site could deliver a residential-led development that addresses the SWLP’s Vision and Strategic Policy Objectives in relation to delivering sustainable growth and combating climate change in South Warwickshire. 2.23 The Concept Plan within the Vision Document demonstrates how the Site could deliver up to 400 residential dwellings (Class C3) and a community building or facility (Class F2), a c.9 ha Country Park, and a network of supporting green and blue infrastructure. 2.24 The design’s scale and form can cater to a range of house types and living styles, including self-and custom-build plots, retirement housing and community-led housing projects. All homes would be integrated within an attractive and well-connected network of low-traffic streets and green corridors. 2.25 It is envisaged that the Site could come forward in two phases. Phase 1 could deliver c.150 dwellings, and the community facility, with primary vehicular access off Aylesbury Road and new pedestrian and cycle access points on Stratford Road, alongside public open space, supporting infrastructure and SuDS. Phase 2 could deliver a further 250 dwellings, with a second vehicular access from Stratford Road, alongside further public open space, supporting infrastructure and SuDS and the Country Park. 2.26 The design embraces high-quality placemaking principles and shows how the SWLP’s Vision and Strategic Policy Objectives can achieved on this site, with the result being a sensitive, valuable and logical new edge to Hockley Heath. The key components of the Concept Plan are: 1 Up to 400 new homes, delivered across two phases, including the flexibility for a range of different housing models to be integrated, which could begin delivering in the first five years of the SWLP plan period. 2 Provision of land for a community facility, positioned in a location that will bridge the existing and new communities. 3 A new c.9 ha Country Park, providing areas for formal and informal play, benefiting both the existing and proposed communities and supporting opportunities for improved health and wellbeing. 4 A mosaic of sustainable drainage solutions across the site will capture surface water runoff close to the source and enhance the visual amenity of the public realm. 5 A legible and accessible strategy, providing direct pedestrian and cycle links to local facilities and services, encouraging active modes of travel for local trips. 6 Outward-looking development ensuring an attractive public realm with strong natural surveillance.7 Retention and integration of existing landscape to protect and enhance biodiversity and secure a unique identity that responds to the natural environment. 8 A tree-lined boulevard and feature gateway, providing a new development edge that makes an attractive and logical new edge to the settlement. 9 Significant areas of accessible public green space close to each new home. 10 Provision of generous space for enhancements to biodiversity and ecology through the retention of existing trees and hedgerows (where possible) and the planting of new vegetation, that will deliver overall environmental net gain. 2.27 Crucially, the proposed development could respond sensitively to its surroundings through measures such as providing a visual buffer planting within the Country Park edge to create a strong and defensible long-term Green Belt boundary. Connectivity through the Site through Green Infrastructure corridors and to the village and surroundings would be emphasised to encourage sustainable travel. The delivery of environmental enhancements on-site, which would be achieved as part of the development, would also ensure that any harm arising as a result of the removal of the Site from the Green Belt could be offset.

No

ID sylw: 108450

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Ceri Jones

The land proposed in Hockley Heath is disproportionate to the size of the settlement. The area cannot accommodate thousands of new homes and associated traffic. This is excessive and unjustifiable given local population and need. Potentially a smaller-scale use of some land parcels around this settlement and others would be acceptable. It is unclear how decisions will be made on which parcels should come forward. If they are prioritised according to HELAA Part B assessments only REFIDs 154 and 718 seem to meet the criteria.

The Green Belt Review shows all land parcels assisting in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment and contributing to the Green Belt. Purpose C can include impacts of infrastructure and boundary features on the parcel's connection the countryside. Your report notes that this is particularly relevant for the importance of some parcels in Hockley Heath, such as HOH1 which corresponds to REFID 178. The review states "the parcel/broad area forms an essential gap between neighbouring towns where development would significantly reduce the perceived or actual distance between the towns or would result in merging". It is unclear then why you feel this should be reallocated for building. Previous application W09/1248 for a marina development on REF278 was rejected on the grounds that there were no 'very special circumstances' outweighing the harm to the Green Belt. There continue to be no special circumstances and it is a waste of time and money to reassess sites that have already been rejected.

REFID 178 Hockley Heath contains part of the Canal Conservation Area. While it may be acceptable in some cases to reclassify Green Belt, large-scale building in a Conservation Area is unacceptable in character terms and I am disturbed that you are even considering it. The proposed developments in Hockley Heath would cause permanent, irreversible environmental and habitat damage from destroying agricultural, hedging and woodland. There are insufficient local amenities (GP surgeries, pharmacists, post office/bank, schools). Infrastructure is inadequate e.g. mains drainage and street lighting. Buses run only hourly and there is no train connection. Increasing traffic would lead to congestion at peak times and reduce air quality.

Yes

ID sylw: 108545

Derbyniwyd: 05/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Godwin Developments

Support the proposal to develop Strategic Growth Location SG24 – Hockley Heath

No

ID sylw: 108716

Derbyniwyd: 27/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Jonathan Ritchie

Flood Risk and Environmental issues.

The A34 in Hockley Heath is already regularly susceptible to significant flooding often a S a consequence of no more than 15 minutes of heavy rainfall There is no way that the drainage system can withstand the imposition of any more development let alone 5000 new homes
Additionally the proposal threatens wildlife including a burgeoning and much loved deer population as well as natural habitats, and is totally contrary to the principles of sustainable development

Housing developments of the type being proposed on the green belt are unequivocally bad for the environment. The green belt was implemented to protect natural environments and prevent urban sprawl. Instead we will see a negative impact on wildlife the disruption of ecosystems and the an increase in carbon emissions .

The Destruction of Hockley Heath as a village

The proposed development would dramatically alter the character of Hockley Heath as a rural community with a distinct historical and environmental identity. Large scale housing developments of the this nature will inevitably urbanize the area destroying local charm, and much loved landscapes This is in direct conflict with the National Planning Policy which understands the vital importance of preserving the character of existing settlements'

Heritage and Conservation

The prosed development is in close proximity to designated heritage sites including listed buildings and a canal conservation area which would be adversely affected by the implementation of these plans. Preserving such sites is a core principle of responsible planning A development of this nature would be completely contrary to national and local planning policies aimed at protecting heritage assets.

Availability of Alternative Sites

Without question there is sufficient non Green belt land allocated in the SWLP to meet any supposed housing demand without sacrificing protected land The only reason behind this proposal is that it is on the border of Solihull and stands to make the most money and certainly if affordable housing is the goal then non green belt development should be the only consideration.

Lack of Community Infrastructure Benefits

The proposed development offers no tangible benefits to the local community Any financial contributions or funding are directed towards Warwickshire leaving our village with no enhancement to mitigate the impact of an incredible 500% increase in population.

Strain on Infrastructure

The local infrastructure is already under huge strain and the proposed development can only exacerbate existing issues such as :-

Road Network Key access routes are already congested with limited scope for road widening or improvement. Increased traffic will worsen congestion on already busy roads and heighten safety issues. During motorway diversions the A34 becomes grid locked The A34 leading to the m40 J16 was deliberately limited to only being able to exit southbound and enter northbound to stop the A3400 experiencing the type of congestion that will be an inevitable consequence of this proposal. Railway The local railway infrastructure is at full capacity and cannot accommodate the increased demand from such a large scale development. Healthcare Local GP surgeries, dental practices and hospitals are already overstretched and this proposed development can only worsen this situation.

No

ID sylw: 108717

Derbyniwyd: 26/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Katrina Redmond-Lyon

1. Many of the roads in Hockley Heath the proposed housing would need to use, including Cut Throat Lane, Wharf Lane, Nuthurst Lane and School Road are only meant for minimal traffic and sometimes reduce to a single lane. They also suffer from potholes, regular flooding and trees falling in the road. Stratford Road, the main road running through Hockley Heath, whilst sometimes it is quiet, in rush hour the traffic is often at a stand still. There is also an issue with traffic on School Road by the primary and junior school. Traffic calming measures have been introduced, with a 20 mile an hour zone, but it is still problematic to pass along the road when cars are parked on the road, particularly during school pick up and drop off time.
2. Hockley Heath residents already suffer from difficulty in getting a doctors appointment as the local Dorridge Surgery seems to have more patients than they can cope with.
3. There is very little public transport running through Hockley Heath, with no train station and infrequent buses to very few places.
4. There is no chemist, no post office and no bank in Hockley Heath.
5. The current primary and junior school are already at capacity I believe.
6. My understanding is that more housing will also put a severe strain on roads which already flood regulary. Drainage would need to be improved drastically on the fields and roads.
7. Hockley Heath has very little public transport, with no train station and a minimal bus service running through the village.
8. I am completely against a Gypsy camp close to Hockley Heath. Hockley Heath has suffered from extensive vandalism and aggressive behaviour by gypsies coming to the village in the past.
9. Whilst I support a minimal number of additional houses and some land for self build housing, this should be no more than 300 additional houses and the infrastructure level for building those houses, should go to Solihull Council and be earmarked for improving the infrastructure in and around Hockley Heath.