Over the last decade Coventry has suffered from several major developments on land in the green belt e.g. Eastern Green and Keresley.
Solihull Borough Council is now consulting on an outline planning application it has received for a site of over 65 hectares for new housing and a multi-faith cemetery in the green belt between Coventry and the conurbation. It is thus a major strategic proposal.
Why is this relevant for Coventry? The site, known as Hawkhurst Moor Farm on Broad Lane, is in Solihull but is next to Bannerbrook Park and is in the green belt. It backs onto the homes on Astoria Drive. It is also bounded by Broad Lane and Summerhill Lane.
The planning application submitted by Barratt Developments is summarised as:
“Outline planning application with means of vehicular, pedestrian and cycle access from Broad Lane for consideration and all other matters (layout, appearance, scale, internal access and landscaping) reserved for subsequent approval for residential development (use class C3) of up to 600 units, including 50% affordable housing; a multi-faith burial ground with associated car parking; demolition of existing buildings and structures; sustainable urban drainage systems; car parking; landscaping and all ancillary and enabling works”.
The recent history of the site and the proposal is ‘interesting’. Solihull Borough Council (like Coventry City Council) is updating its local plan. As required by national regulations, the consultation included a ‘call for sites’ ie landowners and developers can submit suggestions for the development of specific sites.
Hawkhurst Moor Farm was one of a large number of suggestions put forward to the Council. The assumption is that the proposal for this and other sites would be considered as part of the local plan process. However, Barratt Developments has pre-empted this by submitting an outline application that has to be considered by the Council in advance of the local plan.
Coventry Society has objected to this application as we argue that it is inappropriate to make a decision about this site now through the development management system and instead should be considered through the current local plan process.
The three substantive reasons for this are:
- It is a large strategic site
- The application indicates that it will consist primarily of a multi-faith burial ground and 600 homes – both of which are significant proposals
- Most importantly, the site is currently in the green belt.
Despite changes made by the Labour Government to planning policies, the current stance nationally is that sites in the green belt should only be developed in rare and exceptional circumstances. No evidence has been submitted by the developer to cover this point.
In addition, we are aware from our involvement in the consultation on the local plan process for Coventry that there are serious concerns among residents on Bannerbrook Park and the local community. These include:
- Lack of a health centre and a new primary and junior school
- Traffic congestion on Broad Lane
- Lack of public transport.
A further 600 new homes will worsen these issues.
You can see the application and make your own comments here.