Solihull planners have refused a proposal to build 80 homes in the village of Hockley Heath, responding to significant flooding concerns raised by local residents.
The Roscon Group had sought outline planning permission to develop a housing estate spanning 2.25 hectares of green belt land off Stratford Road. The scheme also included demolishing two existing homes at 2210 and 2212 Stratford Road to create access to the site.
During the public consultation, 85 letters of objection were submitted, including opposition from Meriden and Solihull East MP Saqib Bhatti. Residents voiced worries about the impact of the development, especially given ongoing flooding issues in the area.
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At the December 10 meeting of Solihull Council’s planning committee, Stuart Swinton spoke on behalf of the community, emphasizing their alarm at the rapidly expanding number of housing projects. “There are currently seven active planning applications totalizing approximately 523 new homes, which would grow the village by 65%,” he said. Swinton also highlighted the history of flooding in Hockley Heath, displaying photographs from a severe flood event in September.
Councillors echoed these concerns. Max McLoughlin described the site as “not sustainable,” warning the development would worsen flooding east of the village. Sally Tomlinson pointed out the village’s lack of essential services, including no pharmacy or doctors’ surgery, and an oversubscribed primary school. She criticized the application as premature, undermining an infrastructure-led plan for future growth in the area.
Defending the plan, Donna Savage, the planning agent, argued the proposal complied with policy and noted no technical objections had been raised regarding highways or drainage.
The discussion revealed conflicting opinions about flood risk assessments. Councillor Heather Delaney questioned why Severn Trent Water had not objected despite acknowledging drainage issues along Stratford Road. Chairman Councillor Bob Grinsell insisted drainage plans must be approved prior to any construction. In response, Oliver Monk, the council’s senior engineer for flood risk management, assured members that the development would not increase downstream flood risk, though his assessment relied heavily on computer modeling. Councillor Grinsell suggested that on-the-ground consultation with local ward councillors was also necessary.
Ultimately, a majority of councillors voted against the proposal, with eight voting to refuse and one abstaining. After seeking legal advice, the committee concluded that the flood risk concerns meant the applicant had not demonstrated the “very special circumstances” required for building on protected green belt land, leading to the official refusal of the development.