Ken Hawkins

Here I wish to update you as to my thoughts about where we are with planning for development in Blythe ward. The draft Local Plan can be read here:  003-Draft-Submission-Plan-Incorporating-Post-Publication-Minor-Modifications-as-Tracked-Changes.pdf (solihull.gov.uk)

We have three sites within the draft Local Development Plan (LDP) within Blythe ward and they are summarised below – they are detailed from pages 180 onwards in the document highlighted above).

Site BL1(Tilehouse Lane/Tythe Barn Lane:

·       Richborough – Planning Application – PL/2023/02656/PPOL for 450 homes submitted in January 202024

• Persimmon Homes – Planning application PL/2024/00728/PPFL refers to the ‘residential development of up to 90 dwellings, submitted April 2024.

The Richborough application is constrained until they sort out the replacement sports clubs.

 Site BL2 (Dog Kennel Lane):

• Taylor Wimpey – 732 homes (approx.) homes planned. Have held two consultations on anticipate a full planning application in September this year.

• Richborough/ZF – 550 homes – planning application PL/2024/00598/PPOL submitted March 2024.

I suspect both with be determined at the same time.

Site BL3 Whitlock’s End Farm – site allocated for 300 homes. Nothing submitted yet.

This site is within Blythe ward but is not directly affecting the main communities in the ward but does affect the Hasluck’s Green Lane area.

We now know the number of homes we need to build in the borough will be doubled as a result of the statement made by the Deputy Prime Minister on 31 July 2024. In brief, where we planned to build 866 homes per year we are now tasked with building as many as 1317 homes per year (over an extended period). Our housing number have been increased by 52%. It is therefore certain more sites will have to be identified within the borough for housing.

Next steps (these are my own thoughts and are not formulated in any policy):

The statements made by the Deputy PM and the Chief Planning Officer are straightforward and clearly show where we will need to be going if we want to obey they demands put upon us by government.

I suspect we will push to have our draft LDP adopted (albeit in part) and work on plans to identify and then consult on additional sites for us to meet the targets set upon us.

It therefore follows there will be more discussions between SMBC planners and the planning inspectorate. Councillors, Parish Councils and residents will be consulted. The letter from the Deputy PM to local authority leaders is very clear: Letter from the Deputy Prime Minister to Metro Mayors: Playing your part in building the homes we need – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) . One paragraph in particular reads:

The Government is committed to taking action to ensure authorities have up-to-date local plans in place, supporting local democratic engagement with how, not if, necessary development should happen. On that basis, and while I hope the need will not arise, I will not hesitate to use my powers of intervention should it be necessary to drive progress – including taking over an authority’s plan making directly. The consultation we have published today sets out corresponding proposals to amend the local plan intervention criteria.’

In conclusion, what we have before us may not be the final amount. As the Deputy PM says – it’s a case of –  how, not if, necessary development should happen.

I attached two maps relating to the ‘Call for sites’ in 2016 and a supplementary site assessment from 2019. Both indicate the numbers of sites put forward by developers for consideration, with the overwhelming majority not accepted. I have also highlighted the area for Blythe ward in both documents.