FAO Lawrence Osborne

Solihull MBC

Planning Services

P O Box 11652

Solihull

West Midlands

B91 3YA

8^th March 2011

Dear Mr Osborne,

Planning Application Ref: 2011/154 - Moat House Farm, Elmdon Road, Marston Green

Proposal: To erect 125 no. dwellings with associated car parking, access, infrastructure provision and open space

I am writing to advise you of the views of Bickenhill Parish Council on the above planning application which is currently before the Council for consideration and in which members have taken a close interest. The Parish Council wish to make a number of comments and observations which we ask be reported to the Planning Committee when the application comes before them for decision.

However the Parish Council will preface those with a number of important background points that we wish to draw to the Council’s attention.

Bickenhill Parish Council has undertaken a community wide consultation in Marston Green in respect of the Council’s Emerging Core Strategy. A copy of the community questionnaire is attached. In our letter to the Council of 4^th January 2011 a copy of which is also attached, we set out the results of that consultation, together with the Parish Council’s comments on the various policies and other matters in the Consultation document.

Bickenhill Parish Council has produced a summary leaflet of the views of those Marston Green residents who responded to us and I attach a copy of this for your attention. We ask you to note particularly the following – that new housing should be directed elsewhere rather than in Marston Green; that it should meet the needs of the local community rather than any wider demands of Solihull or beyond; that housing should be mainly for older people; and the concern about issues of parking in the village centre and the current severe pressure on schools and doctors serving the community.

It is important to note in respect of the first point that the Parish Council are reflecting the clear policy thrust from Central Government in that it is consulting with the local community in developing a future set of policies and proposals for Marston Green that will reflect local views. The current Localism Bill seeks to empower communities to do things their way – by creating rights for people to get involved with, and direct the development of, their communities.

On that theme, last autumn the Parish Council, with other resident groups in the community, embarked on the preparation of a Community Plan for Marston Green – again following in the light of government principles outlined in the Localism Bill, currently going through Parliament. That work had been put on hold temporarily while views were being obtained to inform the Parish Council’s response to the Emerging Core Strategy, work is now proceeding on the Community Plan. The Localism Bill is intended to radically reform the planning system to give local people new rights to shape the development of the communities in which they live, and the Community Plan for Marston Green which is being prepared is intended to do that.

Turning now to the application itself, the Parish Council’s concerns are grouped under a number of headings.

Principle of Development – We recognise that the application site has been identified as a possible long term housing site for a number of years. While the first tranche of Moat House Farm was developed some years ago, this second part was intended to be released only as part of the development plan process.

The Council has yet to produce its Preferred Strategy which will follow on from the Emerging Core Strategy, consultation upon which has only recently ended. As we understand it, the Preferred Strategy will then have to be subject to proper formal scrutiny, which, on the present timetable, will not be until at least 2012. If it has to be developed, the Moat House Farm site is not scheduled in the Emerging Core Strategy to be released until 2016, so that any development now is clearly premature.

The Solihull Housing Market Assessment (EOTEC, 2009) places the Bickenhill Ward – which includes Marston Green - in the wider Rural Area rather than the Urban Area West or Regeneration Area to the north. Erroneously both the Developer in his planning submission, and the Council in their list of suggested release of long term housing sites in the Emerging Core Strategy, put Moat House Farm and Chelmsley Lane/Bickenhill Road sites in the Urban West area, not in the Rural Area which the evidence base, and hence the need for new housing, should be so assessed.

Having regard to that correct interpretation of the evidence base, it is the view of the Parish Council that if there is a proven need for more affordable housing to meet the needs of Solihull’s Rural Area then the Council should look to other sites more closely related to that area – such as Knowle, Dorridge, Balsall Common or Meriden - rather than Marston Green, which is on the very northern fringe.

Alternatively, if the justification for release of the Marston Green sites is based, wrongly in our view, on the perceived needs of Chelmsley Wood, then the Council have already indicated that they are looking to release two sites in the North Solihull Regeneration Zone. The Moat House Farm site itself is well beyond the southern fringe of the Regeneration Zone in the rural market housing assessment area, and its release is thus not justified on that account.

Moreover, the Council has clearly indicated that there is to be a further review of the north Solihull Green Belt which may look at other sites that might be suitable for release for housing. Parts of two sites (184/185) close to the centre of Chelmsley Wood have been indicated for release in the Emerging Core Strategy, and the Parish Council believes that release of further parts of those sites could also be considered.

In terms of their Green Belt function, those sites do not measure up to the quality and importance of the Moat House Farm site which should be considered for reinstatement to Green Belt in that review. It has far greater merit for retention free from development that the other sites, and is not previously developed land. Its release should not be considered in front of other sites which might better meet the planning preference for using previously developed land.

Solihull Council has made it clear in the Emerging Core Strategy that no decision has been taken on the future allocation of any of the long-term housing sites, although eight of the long-term housing sites are suggested for allocation for phased release in Policy 4 of the Emerging Core Strategy, including Moat House Farm. The Parish Council consider that having regard to all of the above, there is no convincing case for release of the Moat House Farm site either now or in the future as it would be both unnecessary and premature, and should be reinstated to Green Belt.

With the impending development of the Chelmsley Lane/Coleshill Road site, and all the recent housing development in Marston Green, the Parish Council consider that the community has absorbed as much as it can, and the serious consequences on services and functioning of the village can readily be seen.

Housing Mix – Notwithstanding the above concerns, and having regard to the clear views of Marston Green residents in our very recent consultation, the application proposals do nothing to meet the local needs of Marston Green or offer the sort of accommodation that would enable Marston Green residents to stay within the community for all of their lives.

Density – The 125 dwellings proposed would result in a density of 44dph, well above the former minimum density that had been required under PPS3. The density requirements have now been abandoned by Government, and there is no justification for such a high density unrelated to the pattern and density of existing development around.

Noise – The site is adjacent to the West Coast main line, and close to Birmingham International Airport. The site falls into Noise Exposure Category B (Day and Night) in relation to Birmingham International Airport whereby conditions should be imposed to ensure an adequate level of protection against noise. The application is supported by a Noise Assessment which suggests that the impact of both noise and vibration from both sources can be mitigated. However the Parish Council consider that this impact is understated and that the Council should undertake a thorough independent assessment to establish the impact and the appropriateness of new housing in this location.

Impact on Community Services – Again in the light of the views of residents recorded in our recent survey, the existing primary schools, and doctors’ surgery are experiencing severe pressure, and the Parish Council believe that any further housing development will exacerbate present problems. Developers should be required to fund practical and proper improvements of all those facilities if development is allowed.

Traffic – The development would be served via two existing access ways through the adjoining estate and via Elmdon Road linking to the village centre. Additional traffic would impact on the existing housing alongside those accesses, on Elmdon Road which is already congested at times with kerbside and pavement parking, and on the junction of that road with Land Lane. If blocked by any incident, that junction effectively cuts off a number of housing estates to the south and east from access by any motor vehicle including emergency services.

Parking – The recent residents’ survey has highlighted the major local issue of lack of parking space in the village centre that further development will only exacerbate. The distance of the proposed housing from the village centre, schools, station and main bus services will inevitably lead to occupiers of the new housing using cars to travel to the centre where there is nowhere to park.

Flooding – The site is prone to flooding and lies within the floodplain of the Lowbrook. The Parish Council believe that the Flood Risk Assessment understates the likely impact of development on flooding further along the course of the stream, and the risk that the site itself will remain waterlogged after development.

Other layout issues – There are a number of ‘no man’s land’ areas in the layout that will become areas where no maintenance will occur in the long term. The layout allows for further land adjoining to the north and east to be added as further housing development in due course. The central open space is dominated by large trees which should be protected and retained, but their presence leaves little effective space for children to play games.

History and Ecology of Site – Moat House Farm is mentioned in the Doomsday Book and has elements of ridge and furrow remaining. This historic site is far more important locally than the developer is suggesting in his submission. It also has significant ecological interest which should be investigated further by independent assessment.

Statement of Community involvement – The applicant has submitted a Report that seeks to relate the comments made by local residents at an event that the developer held in June 2010. The Report merely relates the responses to the questions that the developer posed in his questionnaire. Little is mentioned of the many letters of objections sent to object to the very principle of development of the site.

In conclusion the Parish Council believe that it would be wholly wrong to approve this application having regard to the above matters. Continuing work on a Community Plan for Marston Green will allow proper consideration of many of these matters and the future of development in the village to be influenced by the community itself, in line with the clear thrust of Government policy.

Yours sincerely

Mrs Carole M Cox

Clerk to Bickenhill Parish Council

Cc: To Ward Councillors