John Denham, secretary of state for communities and local government, had the powers to ‘call in’ Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council’s approval for the Marie Curie scheme.
Yet a letter from his department of the council said this could ‘not be justified’.
Opponents said the Marsh Lane plan should be rejected as it is on protected Green Belt land and would cause traffic problems.
But the letter said: “The secretary of state is satisfied that the issues raised do not relate to matters of more than local importance, which would be more appropriately decided at national level rather than the local planning authority.”
Click here to read the letter (Microsoft Word).
The council’s planning committee passed the plan in December.
More than 11,000 backed the scheme as they said Marie Curie’s present home on the Warwick Road was outdated. This will now be sold for flats.
Solihull Conservative MP election hopeful Maggie Throup welcomed the news.
In a press release she said: “Despite being an avid Green Belt defender, I feel the social role provided by our local hospice outweighs the loss of this small area of Green Belt.
“I am delighted that the Secretary of State has decided not to intervene in this local decision, which now means Marie Curie Hospice can speed ahead to the next stages and the immense amount of fundraising needed.”
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