I have written to Solihull Council to object to the reserved matters application for 22 residential dwellings at 1761 Warwick Road in Knowle. This proposal is contrary to key planning policies intended to safeguard the Green Belt and is not part of wider masterplan for Knowle. Piecemeal development will not provide the design and infrastructure that is essential for coherent placemaking.
The site is adjacent to the Knowle Conservation Area, which includes a number of Listed buildings, and means high quality development is essential to match new developments with the character, visual value, and rural heritage of Knowle.
Demolishing business buildings is unacceptable without provisions to replace them, especially given the high demand for business occupancy in Knowle. There is also demand for affordable first homes, yet the applicant indicates this is unlikely to be delivered. This is contrary to paragraph 157 of the NPPF.
The site for this proposal is not an allocated site as part of an adopted Local Plan. The plan-led system is fundamental to public confidence in the planning system. Without a current Local Plan for Solihull, the proposal remains speculative and should not be pursued.
There is no justification for this scheme and it must not proceed.
