Council pours cold water on Marston Green "bail hostel" rumours

RUMOUR MILL: Plans were submitted last month to turn the
wine lodge into a 12-bedroom dwelling. Picture: Carl Baker

RUMOURS that a Marston Green shop will be turned into a “bail hostel” have been quashed by Solihull Council’s planning officers.

Close to 200 residents objected in just over week, following reports that plans had been lodged to convert the Ye Olde Wine Lodge, in Elmdon Road, into a home for offenders.

This caused a storm of criticism on social media, with locals fearful that “drug addicts” and “low lives” would be staying just a stone’s throw from the village junior school and retirement housing.

Fears were fuelled by the fact that last month’s application, to turn the business into a 12 bedroom “multi-occupancy” dwelling, did not state the purpose of the premises.

But at the weekend, Bickenhill Parish Council insisted they have spoken to the borough council and officers there are adamant that the application is not for a hostel.

Despite these reassurances, there remain concerns about the loss of a long-standing village business and the fact that extra dwellings would increase traffic at an already “dangerous” junction.

John Waggott, among those to comment on Solihull Council’s website, said: “This is a totally unsuitable development for the old centre of Marston Green.

“12 bedrooms with inadequate parking in what is already a busy location with the library and the welfare clinic.”

Sarah Neve added: “A potential 12-24  additional parked cars is ludicrous and a real safety issue.

“This will become even worse as the numbers of vehicles using Elmdon Road and Land Lane  dramatically increases as more of the properties on the new Moat House Fields are finished and people move in.”

While Councillor Bob Sleigh (Con, Bickenhill) said the application had caused “considerable public concern” and was inappropriate irrespective of the intended use.

Plans for the site are available to view here. Residents have until June 23 to comment on the application, which is likely to be considered by Solihull Council later this year.