A CONSULTATION on plans that could see hundreds of homes built on green fields in Knowle and Bentley heath will be consulted on next month.
View Solihull development framework in a larger map
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council confirmed it will begin the consultation on what development should be allowed throughout the borough at the end of September.
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The ‘Emerging Core Strategy’ comes despite the Government scrapping Labour’s housing targets and handing the responsibility to councils.
The plans are for (page numbers refer to detailed maps in this pdf, 12mb)
• 90 homes at Middlefield in Knowle, on a field to the back of Arden School, by Barton Drive (page 63).
• 100 homes on land to the back of Knowle C of E Primary School, off Hampton Lane (p64).
• 150 homes at land off Four Ashes Road, Bentley Heath (p62).
• 100 homes at the former Powergen offices off the Stratford Road in Shirley (p55).
• 1,075 ‘high density’ homes in Solihull town centre (p54).
Solihull Liberal Democrat MP Lorely Burt has backed the move by the Labour-Lib Dem run council.
She said: “People need homes and in particular in Solihull, affordable homes.
“But we know locally what we need and we don’t need central government to tell us.”
Conservative Meriden MP Caroline Spelman, whose constituency includes Knowle, has given the plans a more cautious welcome.
She said: “While I support home-building, it has to reflect the views of local people.”
The consultation is likely to include exhibitions, drop-in sessions and an online survey. It will be subject to a later public hearing.
Councillor John Reeve, council cabinet member for economic development and regeneration, said: “It is crucial that people give us their views when consultation starts.
“This is a strategy which will set out plans for the future of their borough, their environment and their communities and we want residents to have their say.”
For information click here or call 0121 704 6394 or email sustainabledevelopment@solihull.gov.uk.
