Please find below the latest update regarding our superb Wildlife Ways project. In each case These areas will then be closely monitored to reduce competition from grass and weeds like docks and thistle. By July, we are expecting wildflower displays which should be significantly beneficial to our pollinating insects. Bickenhill Ward: Route D (Chester Road-Marston … More WILDLIFE WAYS – Solihull
WILDLIFE WAYS – wildlfower turf and seeding at most routes: As part of the Wildlife Ways programme, our contractors, idverde, will be preparing for wildflower turf laying in the next few weeks. There will be no access restrictions whilst these works are happening. Over 30,000 square metres of wildflower turf is scheduled to be laid … More WILDLIFE WAYS – Update
One of the joys of being Cabinet Member for Environment and Highways is that I get to join our brilliant officers at award celebrations and similar events. Solihull’s ‘Love Solihull’ team is not a large team but the amount of work and quality the deliver is enormous and their hard work, together with partners they … More AWARDS FOR SOLIHULL
Some unfinished business by me has been getting some trees planted to screen some buildings that can be seen from part of Hillfield Local Nature Reserve (aka Monkspath Park). This is a screenshot of an online petition I raised a few years ago calling some planting, something that we did not insist on when planning … More TREE PLANTING – Monkspath Park
The government has launched a consultation regarding travellers and the impact unauthorised encampments have on local communities. They are specifically looking at whether the existing powers need to be strengthened and how local public authorities can use powers available to them more effectively. It is our chance to ‘have our say’. The document is posted … More Government Consultation: Powers for dealing with unauthorised developments and encampment
I have made a formal request for Community Infrastructure (CIL) funds be made available for some improvements in Hillfield Local Nature Reserve (aka Monkspath Park). The park serves and is within three municipal wards; Blythe, St Alphege and Shirley South. Letter to Anne B One of the main improvements I request is planting on or near the … More CIL Funding for use in Hillfield Local Nature Reserve
As promised, another short walk that can be reached from Monkspath. This one uses a public footpath, crosses the M42 motorway and onwards to the river itself. Here children can walk in the shallows, where small fish can be found. The walk starts off Shelly Crescent, Monkspath, entering the tarmac footpath that runs parallel to … More River Blythe walk – from Monkspath
A planning application has been submitted by IM Properties as follows: Hybrid planning application for employment development at Fore Business Park to comprise in full: erection of two office buildings (Use Class B1) with ancillary automotive training and testing facility, security gatehouse, access road, car parking, landscaping and associated work; and in outline, with all … More FORE BUSINESS PARK
There are still a lot of local people who are not aware of the walk via the ridgeway in Hillfield Local Nature Reserve. The circular walk, which you can start at several points but I do so near to the footbridge over the stream close to the lake, is about a mile in length and … More Hillfield Local Nature Reserve – a walk near Monkspath
Land changes out of the blue is the headline for the council press release, which reads; Eagle-eyed residents who have seen some areas of land in Solihull turn blue recently may be wondering why. The reason is that recycled denim has been used to help wildflower seeds to germinate. Solihull Council has identified sites across … More Wild flower hedgerows in Solihull
Ken Hawkins 