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Crest Nicholson has appealed to the independent Planning Inspectorate to make a decision on the plan for 38 houses at the Bentley Heath field.
It lodged the appeal this month, saying Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council has taken too long to make a decision on its application, lodged last December.
A slightly amended application was lodged last month for 38 homes while a plan for 51 flats for OAPs was also put into the council this month. No decision has been made on either.
The council’s planning committee – which would have made a decision on the December scheme – will be asked to give its view on the plan next Wednesday.
The council’s planning committee – which would have made a decision on the December scheme – will be asked to give its view on the plan next Wednesday.
A council planning officer’s report to the committee says while the site is suitable for housing, it has too many four-bedroom homes.
And it says the developer is not offering enough cash to provide extra places at Arden school.
Of the 38 homes, 23 would be on the open market and comprise four bedrooms while the remainder would be affordable housing from two to four bedrooms.
It says: “There has been no attempt to provide a mix of market dwellings as they are all four bedroom properties.”
It said: “Therefore the proposals do not provide for local need.”
These reasons will be argued against the plan at the inspectorate, it says.
Some 11 objections were made to the council, including The Knowle Society, with concerns over traffic and “overdevelopment”.
The report says the development would introduce about eight primary age and six secondary age pupils into the area.
The developer said pupils could go to Tudor Grange or Alderbrook schools in Solihull and offers £94,752 towards expanding Arden.
But the report says this does not show a “sound understanding” of admissions in the area as the Solihull schools are unlikely to take pupils from the Knowle area.
It said any increase in numbers “is likely to lead to local children being refused a place at entry level, even though they meet the normal criteria for admission”.
With no places in Solihull these children “could be forced to travel substantial distances to the nearest schools with vacancies” it adds.
It says Crest Nicholson should therefore pay £380,952 as the school will need a new £2m block to take year sizes from 240 to 270.
But the officer backed the visual impact of the plans, saying: “It will create a coherent townscape that is functional and an attractive place to live.”
And it said traffic impacts and the affect on neighbours were acceptable.
Views can be given to The Planning Inspectorate here before July 6.
What do you think? Leave your comments below. No registration required. Posts must abide by the terms and conditions. Report comments at news@thesilhillian.co.uk.
And it says the developer is not offering enough cash to provide extra places at Arden school.
Of the 38 homes, 23 would be on the open market and comprise four bedrooms while the remainder would be affordable housing from two to four bedrooms.
It says: “There has been no attempt to provide a mix of market dwellings as they are all four bedroom properties.”
It said: “Therefore the proposals do not provide for local need.”
These reasons will be argued against the plan at the inspectorate, it says.
Some 11 objections were made to the council, including The Knowle Society, with concerns over traffic and “overdevelopment”.
The report says the development would introduce about eight primary age and six secondary age pupils into the area.
The developer said pupils could go to Tudor Grange or Alderbrook schools in Solihull and offers £94,752 towards expanding Arden.
But the report says this does not show a “sound understanding” of admissions in the area as the Solihull schools are unlikely to take pupils from the Knowle area.
It said any increase in numbers “is likely to lead to local children being refused a place at entry level, even though they meet the normal criteria for admission”.
With no places in Solihull these children “could be forced to travel substantial distances to the nearest schools with vacancies” it adds.
It says Crest Nicholson should therefore pay £380,952 as the school will need a new £2m block to take year sizes from 240 to 270.
But the officer backed the visual impact of the plans, saying: “It will create a coherent townscape that is functional and an attractive place to live.”
And it said traffic impacts and the affect on neighbours were acceptable.
Views can be given to The Planning Inspectorate here before July 6.
What do you think? Leave your comments below. No registration required. Posts must abide by the terms and conditions. Report comments at news@thesilhillian.co.uk.
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