Month: November 2016

Local residents and businesses are being asked to comment on Solihull’s Draft Local Plan, when a consultation begins on Monday 5 December.

This Draft Local Plan will eventually replace the current Local Plan (December 2013), which the Council decided to review following the legal challenge to the housing requirement in the current Plan.

The Local Plan Review will also take into account the housing shortfall across the wider housing market area and aim to maximise the potential economic and social benefits for Solihull of the forthcoming HS2 Interchange Station.

The consultation will last for eight weeks, closing on 30 January 2017.

The outline programme for the review is below:

1. Draft Local Plan – consultation 5 December 2016 – 30 January 2017
2. Publication of Submission Draft (in light of comments from the present consultation) for further consultation – Spring 2017
3. Local Plan submission to Secretary of State – Summer 2017, which will then trigger an official Examination in Public (Winter 2017)

Councillor Ian Courts, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Managed Growth, welcomed the new Draft Local Plan:

“The proposed consultation is not a statutory requirement. However, we want local people and businesses to get involved in preparing a robust Draft Local Plan. We can then produce a Submission Draft before finally entering into the official consultation that comes before the Examination in Public. This is why the proposals at this stage are not fixed and why we are so keen for people’s views.

“I know it is vital for the future development of Solihull that the borough has a plan in place that can support the creation of homes and jobs in a planned and sustainable manner, while retaining the essential ‘Urbs in Rure’ character of the area.

“The final plan will have to juggle many competing forces, but to be effective, it really should have the involvement of residents, businesses, developers and the many other stakeholders that are affected. The question I would pose to everyone as they read through the plan and look at various sites is, ‘if not here, then where?’

“It’s important for local people to take the time to read the Draft Local Plan Review and see how it will affect themselves, their local area and the borough as a whole.”

The consultation will open on 5 December 2016.

The Core – Friday 9 December
Chelmsley Wood – Saturday 10 December
Dickens Heath – Saturday 17 December (closed 1pm – 2pm)
Balsall Common – Saturday 7 January
Knowle – Saturday 14 January

The Draft Local Plan Review can be viewed at http://www.solihull.gov.uk/lpr from Monday 5 December

The current Solihull Local Plan, adopted in 2013, can be viewed here

Solihull Together small grants

The Solihull Together fund offers voluntary and community organisations in Solihull the opportunity to apply for grants of between £100 and £300.

Every year Solihull SUSTAiN raises funds through its Charity Ball and other events for the Solihull Together fund in order to provide extra cash for groups doing good work in Solihull.

The fund is open for applications until midday Friday 2nd December.
Find out and how to apply to the Solihull Together fund.

Father Christmas will be landing in Brueton Park for one day only on Sunday 4 December, 12.00pm – 3.00pm, where he will be making a special appearance at the Christmas in the Park event. 

Children can come and meet Santa and his little helper in his grotto, where they will receive a small gift, follow the festive treasure trail around the park and take part in a Christmas craft activity at the Parkridge Centre.  Time slots are pre-bookable on 0121 704 8000, with the entrance cost of £3 per child being payable at the event.

Free parking is available in Brueton Park car park, and refreshments and toilet facilities are available at the Parkridge Centre.

Featuring a carol concert led by the Leicestershire Co-operative Brass band from 1.00pm, visitors of all ages are sure to get into the Christmas spirit! 

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The proposed new constituency boundaries are displayed in red on the map below. You can click on boundaries to compare them with other geographies and click data to see how many electors are in each constituency. The Boundary Commission welcome comments on their initial proposals, do this by clicking have your say.

West Midlands Initial Proposal Report

Map of the proposed boundary changes

Solihull Council have received a planning application for a new motorway services area between Gate Lane and the M42.

Planning Application PL/2016/02754/MAJFOT  is for a proposed development of new Motorway Service Area, associated highway improvement works and other associated infrastructure.  To have a look at the plans, please Click Here or go into SMBC planning offices.  The location plan can he seen below:

MSA Location Plan

1 file(s) 777.09 KB

Download

The consultation expires on the 25^th November.

We have received reports of a car fire at the recreation ground today.  Someone test driving the car saw smoke and pulled off the road into the car park.  Once the driver had left the vehicle, the car burst into flames.  The fire crew attended and put out the fire and the car company have been notified and will remove the vehicle when it is safe to do so.  In the meantime, please take care and keep away from the car.

Thank you

Local residents and businesses will be asked to comment on the Draft Local Plan after Solihull’s Cabinet approved an eight week consultation, from 5 December 2016 to 30 January 2017.

In July 2015 the Council decided that instead of pursuing a Local Area Plan (LAP) for potential development around the HS2 Interchange, it should review the Solihull Local Plan (SLP) which had previously been adopted in December 2013.

The other reasons for the review of the plan include the legal challenge to the housing requirement in the previous SLP and the apparent housing shortfall in the wider housing market area.

The outline programme for the review is below:

1. Draft Local Plan – consultation 5 December 2016 – 30 January 2017
2. Publication of Submission Draft, in light of comments from the consultation – Spring 2017 (date TBC)
3. Final Local Plan submission to Secretary of State – Summer 2017, which will then trigger an Examination in Public and an official consultation (date TBC)

Councillor Ian Courts, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Managed Growth, welcomed the new Draft Local Plan:

“The proposed consultation is not a statutory requirement. However, we want local people and businesses to get involved in preparing a robust Draft Local Plan. We can then produce a Submission Draft before finally entering into the official consultation that comes before the Examination in Public. This is why the proposals at this stage are not fixed and why we are so keen for people’s views.

“I know it is vital for the future development of Solihull that the borough has a plan in place that can support the creation of homes and jobs in a planned and sustainable manner, while retaining the essential ‘Urbs in Rure’ character of the area.

“The final plan will have to juggle many competing forces, but to be effective, it really should have the involvement of residents, businesses, developers and the many other stakeholders that are affected. The question I would pose to everyone as they read through the plan and look at various sites is, ‘if not here, then where?’

“Cabinet has approved an eight week consultation period, to run from 5 December 2016 to 30 January 2017. It’s important for local people to take the time to read the Draft Local Plan and see how it will affect themselves, their local area and the borough as a whole.”

The consultation will open at 9am on 5 December 2016. An engagement plan is currently being finalised to offer opportunities for people to discuss the plan in person with Council officers working on the review.

This will allow a more robust link between comments and particular policies or proposals within the plan and make sure respondents can see their comments were considered.

View the Cabinet papers: http://eservices.solihull.gov.uk/mgInternet/documents/s42166/Local%20Plan%20Review%20-%20Draft%20Local%20Plan.pdf  

The previous Solihull Local Plan, adopted in 2013, can be viewed here

On Wednesday 9 November, volunteers came out in Hockley Heath to clean up and promote the local area as part of the Love Solihull campaign organised by Solihull Council and Hockley Heath Parish Council.

The day involved litter picking around the village, trimming back overgrown vegetation surrounding the war memorial and bus stops, bulb planting, cleaning signage and planting up new low level planters in an attempt to stop parking on pavements.

Love Solihull is an initiative that works alongside local residents to improve areas of the borough and to make greener, cleaner and more sustainable environments.

While many Hockley Heath residents do regularly carry out environmental work in their local neighbourhood, it is the first time they were joined and supported by Love Solihull.

Bulb planting was undertaken by pupils from Hockley Heath Primary Academy. Local businesses also mucked in to show their support, with the Wharf Tavern and Miller & Carter providing refreshments and somewhere to go to warm up. Employees from Tesco Extra in Solihull also came along to lend a helping hand.

Councillor Ken Hawkins, Cabinet Member for Environment Housing and Regeneration said: “The day was a positive success and it’s fantastic to be able to partner up with the Parish Council to enable local, good-hearted volunteers to do great work in the area.

“Not only is it good for the environment but the work done also has other benefits including increasing visibility of signage for visitors, reducing anti-social parking on pavements and engaging with young people.”

Councillor Assunta Maria Vernon of Hockley Heath Parish Council said: “On behalf of the Hockley Heath Parish Council I would like to thank the many volunteers and the Tesco Community Campaign team who turned out on such a miserable day.

“To Miller and Carter and the Wharf who provided much needed sustenance and hot drinks and lastly to the young members of our community from Hockley Heath Academy who planted bulbs in the recreation ground. Their work will be visible in the spring for us all to enjoy. I would describe the day as a great success; our first joint venture with the Love Solihull initiative.”

If residents would like to organise or get involved with any Love Solihull clear up events call 0121 704 6673 or email lovesolihull@solihull.gov.uk. For more information about Love Solihull visit www.solihull.gov.uk/lovesolihull. 

You may have seen in the recent newsletter, that a Neighbourhood Plan meeting is to be held at 7pm on Thursday 24th November 2016 in the Pavilion, Hockley Heath Recreation Ground.  If you have experience or expertise in this field, please come along and see how you can be involved in the future of your community.  For more information go to the Neighbourhood Plan tab at the top of the page.