Solihull Council faces hard choice over housing

THORNY ISSUE: The loss of part of Babbs Mill triggered
numerous protests by local residents

SOLIHULL Council should take the “crunch” decision to develop green belt sites rather than continue to cram homes into built-up areas, the borough’s longest-serving councillor has said.
Coun John Windmill, leader of the Lib Dem group, said the local authority was caught between a desperate need for more homes and local opposition to new estates.
Addressing a cabinet meeting this month, he noted that the borough had few brownfield sites, such as old industrial sites or waste ground, to choose from.
This left a clear dilemma as to whether to allow more housing in densely-populated neighbourhoods – with the likely loss of sports fields and parkland – or carve up parts of the green belt, which makes up around two thirds of Solihull.
“You can put so much density into an urban area that the quality of life is destroyed for those that are living there,” said Coun Windmill, a long-serving member of the planning committee.
“It is more realistic...that, here and there, with land of lower value in the green belt we do allow housing.”
His comments came in a debate in relation to a government report which specifically looks at how to address the nation’s mounting housing crisis.
It could be argued that both options would be controversial in North Solihull; areas of green belt, including parts of the Cole Valley, were eroded during the Regeneration, while the development of part of Babbs Mills Park drew significant opposition.
Leader of Solihull Council, Bob Sleigh, acknowledged that the White Paper prepared by ministers posed a number of question as to what was required of the council and said there was “confusion” in some areas.
Coun Tim Hodgson (Green, Shirley West) said: “In an area like the West Midlands you can see the needs of younger people finding it so difficult to get on the housing ladder.
“That is especially acute in areas like Solihull where the house prices are so expensive.”
The discussion comes amid renewed concern that closer collaboration between the region’s councils will put more pressure on Solihull to make land available to help meet the housing needs of neighbouring areas such as Birmingham.