Neighbourhood Forum

 

WHAT will the ANALYSIs cover?

 

Background

 

Solihull Council proposes building on two large sites at Hampton Road (300 houses) and the 'Arden Triangle' (750 houses).   Both sites are Green Belt.  Residents and businesses want to know the impact this scale of development would have on Knowle, Bentley Heath and Dorridge in terms of:

 

a) transport infrastructure and

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b) quality of landscape and green environment around our villages. *

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The Neighbourhood Forum is seeking to respond to these concerns by commissioning independent consultants to provide independent analysis/advice.  We have already prepared briefs for both a transportation and a landscape character assessment, with scope covering impacts across KDBH - not just the two individual sites.  At least 3 consultants have been invited to tender for each piece of work.  We are now in a position to appoint consultants, should funding become available.

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Forum meetings attendees have indicated that they would be willing to contribute to the cost of this consultancy work and agreed that we should seek donations to fund the work.  From quotations received, we anticipate the total cost will be in the order of £10,000 - £12,000 for the two commissions.  Note: some of the work may be phased if sufficient funding is not immediately available.

 

We have summarised the two study briefs below to show how the money would be spent.   Output will inform both preparation of Neighbourhood Plan policies, as well as providing 'evidence' based responses to the Council’s development proposals, including preparation of Concept Master Plans for the development sites.

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*  Residents have also asked for more information on the viability of the proposals with particular regard to whether the proposed community benefits (including new schools, sports facilities etc) can be delivered.   Any work on this is pending the outcome of the two priority studies, described below.

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Study 1: Landscape Character Assessment

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The aims of this study are to ensure that:

 

1. If there is to be development on Green Belt land in KDBH, the impact on the landscape character is minimised and not lost by the development
    

2. New development brings landscape enhancements with improved public access to the countryside.

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Work required includes:

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• A desk based review of published evidence of the landscape setting of KDBH
   

• A critique of how this has been applied by the Council in promoting the housing allocations
   

• A detailed assessment of the landscape quality and impact on character of the proposed housing allocations in KDBH, including impacts on vistas
   

• Advice on how adverse impacts could be mitigated

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Study 2:  Transportation Assessment

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The aims of this study are to ensure that:

 

1. if there is to be housing development and new leisure learning and community facilities built, levels of congestion do not increase above current levels, and existing parking problems are not added to as a result
    

2. new development during the Plan Period brings improvements in provision of parking (on and off street) and improved road or junction layout or design in places where congestion builds or safety is compromised.

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The scope of work includes:

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• If the Arden Triangle and Hampton Road sites were to be redeveloped: 

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a)  a prediction of increases in volumes of road traffic in KDBH Area

 

b)  a prediction of the likely impact on road traffic volumes and levels of congestion within Knowle village centre and its immediate vicinity

 

c)  an assessment of the likely impacts on Dorridge, in particular parking demand at and around the station

 

d)  an assessment of the problems that these impacts will cause for road users in KDBH and the effect these will have on residents’ living conditions

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• Assess current parking demand in Knowle as against current on and off street capacity in Knowle, and how the existing parking capacity in Knowle is used. 

 

• Assess future parking demand v. capacity in Knowle village.

 

• Suggest possible solutions to address the gap between parking capacity in Knowle and demand for parking 

 

• Advice on options that may provide possible long term solution to the parking problems and the need for increased off street parking capacity in Knowle

 

• Suggest highway improvement measures that would alleviate problems anticipated from projected increases in road traffic volumes, particularly arising from the proposed Arden Triangle & Hampton Road developments.

 

• Suggest measures to alleviate parking problems (on street and off street) associated with Dorridge Station.