CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a ‘garden village’ of 1,800 new homes between Wythall and Earlswood station have been revealed.
London Collective, a network of built environment experts and creatives, has published plans on its website here to build the homes, a primary school and space for local and independent retailers in a space dubbed ‘Fulford Green’.
Set either side of Rumbush Lane, the website says the village will be ‘net zero carbon ready’ and will be created with ‘reasons not to drive, enabling people to live locally with a primary school, farm shops, great internet and open spaces’.
However it will be close to both the A435 at Beckett’s Island and the M42 and is likely to increase traffic on those two thoroughfares as well as Station Road in Wythall.
The prospectus says it was commissioned by Summix, a property company specialising in development projects, to create a vision for a 21st Century new community at Fulford Green in Solihull.
London Collective say: “Fulford Green will have homes for rent, for sale, for later living as well as affordable homes for local people, particularly shared ownership and starter homes for local young people to help them get on the housing ladder.
“They will be net zero carbon ready, meeting the highest environmental standards, but so much more is needed to make it truly sustainable.”
The farmland where Fulford Green would sit is on a site which was submitted in the Solihull Council’s Call for Sites in 2016 but was not considered or put into the Local Plan.
The concept of Fulford Green has received a lukewarm reception from Solihull Councillor Ken Hawkins, who also holds that authority’s cabinet portfolio for environment and infrastructure.
He said: “This proposal does look on paper to be a very interesting garden village but I cannot accept this as it stands into our Local Plan.
“If this is added to the Local Plan by the planning inspectorate I will expect something to go.
“We cannot have another site with 2,000 more home in that part of the ward.
“I recognise the aims of the project with it being near a railway station. We do know the reliance on cars would be substantial.”
Councillor Hawkins added the site would not be included in Solihull’s September’s Local Plan public consultation.
For a view of the plans, visit: https://ldn-collective.com/insights/fulford-green-a-21st-century-garden-village/
