250-home housing development at Wellsmead London Road Canwell Sutton Coldfield

“This application seeks outline planning permission for the demolition of no.59 Church Road (and associated buildings) and the construction of up to 250 dwellings, associated access, drainage, green and blue infrastructure, ground remodelling and ancillary infrastructure.”

“All matters save access are reserved for subsequent approval. The site will be accessed via a single vehicle access from Church Road. The proposed access will be in the form of a priority T-junction with new footway provisions on both sides of the site access road. The access has been designed to accommodate a 10metre radii to enable the access and egress of larger vehicles.”

“The site comprises a mix of arable and pastoral farmland, along with the former Strawberry Fields farm outdoor cafe and no.59 Church Road. The boundaries of the site are formed by native hedging and hedgerow trees where it bounds agricultural fields, with garden hedging and fencing to the boundaries with residential properties.”

“The site is washed over by the West Midlands Green Belt and is mainly within Flood Zone 1 with an area of Flood Zones 2 and 3 within the site, associated with a stream running across the western part of the site.”

“APPROVE: subject to conditions and the satisfactory completion of a signed S106 Agreement made under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to secure the following:”

“Affordable Housing • Highway Improvements • Travel Plan • Provision of Open Space • Allotments • Off-site Sports Contribution • Cannock Chase SAC Financial Contribution…”

“The report concludes that the application of policies relating to the areas or assets in footnote 7 would not provide a strong reason for restricting or refusing development and as such the site is considered grey belt. Moreover, its residential development would not undermine the purposes (taken together) of the remaining Green Belt across the area of the plan.”

“The Council can only currently demonstrate a supply of 3.5 years of housing land against its local housing need, as the Council lacks a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites there is a demonstrable unmet need for the type of housing proposed and paragraph 155(b) is therefore satisfied.”

“Burntwood Town Council- Strong objection. There have been numerous housing developments without any infrastructure improvements in terms of doctors, dentists, schools, public transport etc and on the basis of this and that the land is designated as Green Belt (with the exception of agricultural use, the Town Council will not support any development in the Green Belt) any development in this area should be refused.”

“The site is located outside of an existing settlement and is within the Green Belt. Therefore, Core Policy 6 and the NPPF's Green Belt (specifically paragraph 143, 153 and 155) would apply; with regards to NPPF paragraph 155 (a), and determining whether the site is considered 'grey belt', the applicant has submitted an assessment which concludes that the site's overall contribution towards Green Belt purposes (a), (b) and (d) is not considered to be significant.”

“Kerry Challoner (Planning and Development Manager) presented the report to committee.”

“RESOLVED: approved in line with officer’s recommendations.”