Village set for 110 homes despite green belt plea

20 hours ago

Sam GreenwayLocal Democracy Reporter

News image — The council was urged during a meeting to postpone making a decision but the committee said they had to make one

Getty Images A woman is inside a building and is wearing a white helmet, blue T-shirt and yellow and silver fluorescent jacket. She is holding a caulk gun which has a yellow body and a long white nozzle. — The council was urged during a meeting to postpone making a decision but the committee said they had to make one

Plans for a new housing estate made up of 110 new homes in a village have been approved, despite a plea to postpone any decision.

The houses will be built on Rumbush Lane, Tidbury Green, near Solihull, after outline planning permission was approved.

Solihull Council's planning committee was urged to hold off making a decision with the councillor for the area claiming it would see green belt land built on due to the lack of a local plan.

But the developers said their proposals would also see £4m spent in the area including benefiting a local football club.

Ahead of the decision, ward councillor Keith Green voiced his opposition in the meeting: "I want to be clear residents are not opposed to appropriate development, they recognise the need for new homes but they want them to be delivered in the right locations."

The council is currently in the middle of drafting their new local plan, to cover housing plans from 2026 to 2043, to guide where new homes, employment land and infrastructure will be built across the borough.

Gary Stephens, from planning agents Marrons, on behalf of the applicant, said agreeing to the plans would not prejudice or pre-determine any decision the council would make when drawing up the new local plan.

"The proposed development would result in an investment of over £4m into community infrastructure, schools, GPs and transport improvements," Stephens said.

Stantec/Solihull Council Illustrative site plan showing a proposed housing development on greenfield land beside an existing residential estate. The layout includes new homes, internal roads, landscaped areas, a football pitch, and a pond, with the development boundary marked in red. — The council approved the 110 homes for land off Rumbush Lane in Tidbury Green

Leafield Athletic FC were proposed to benefit from the cash, with some going towards a new football pitch, a car park and improving access.

Simon Birley, from the club, told the committee the investment would make a "massive difference" to them and secure their long-term future.

The chairman of the committee, councillor Bob Grinsell, said putting off their decision risked the application not being determined and the council having to pay costs.

"We have an application before us, we have to make a decision," he said.

The council's head of planning, Mark Andrews, said: "In an ideal world you may have a local plan that steers some of this development, but that is not where we are at the moment.