A controversial plan to build 450 new homes in a Solihull village is facing renewed demands to be scrapped entirely, amid fears it could force three long-established sports clubs to close.
Two-Year Planning Stalemate Sparks Action
Local Conservative councillors have issued a joint call for developer Richborough Estates to withdraw its application for the major development on Tilehouse Lane in Dickens Heath. The proposal, first submitted in December 2023, has seen little progress in two years, leaving the future of vital community sports facilities hanging in the balance.
The scheme, referenced under planning number PL/2023/02656/PPOL on Solihull Council's website, includes the construction of hundreds of dwellings, affordable homes, new roundabouts, play areas, and associated infrastructure. A critical and deeply contentious element involves the demolition of existing sports pitches currently used by three clubs.
Historic Clubs Face an Uncertain Future
The land in question is home to Highgate United Football Club, founded in the 1940s, Wythall Wanderers Football Club, and Old Yardleians Rugby Football Club, whose history stretches back to the 1920s. Objectors, including Dickens Heath and Tidbury Green Parish Councils, argue that the plan provides no certainty over where these clubs would be relocated or to what standard.
In a letter to the planning agents, Star Planning and Development, Blythe ward councillors Ken Hawkins and Keith Green stated the lack of clarity was unacceptable. They emphasised the concern for younger residents who rely on these clubs.
"The loss of so many substantial sports facilities is a great cause for concern," the councillors wrote. "We seem to be nowhere near any progress as to where the clubs and pitches will be relocated to – and to what standard."
Developer's Response and Next Steps
In the planning documents, the agents for Richborough Estates acknowledge that alternative sites had not been publicly identified at the time of submission. They stated the developer has been working with council officers, the clubs themselves, and national bodies including Sport England, the Football Association, and the Rugby Football Union to find suitable locations for a new sports hub within Blythe ward.
However, the Local Democracy Reporting Service received no response when it contacted Richborough for a current comment. The application remains in a post-consultation limbo on the council's portal, with no date set for it to go before the planning committee for a decisive vote.
The councillors' intervention underscores a growing local frustration. "Withdrawal of the planning application will provide clarity for the many local residents and users of the sports clubs," they concluded, arguing it is now time to end the prolonged uncertainty.
