This week, Solihull Council has been at the centre of a range of significant local decisions, from planning battles and heritage projects to new strategies for tackling environmental crime. Key developments include a major refurbishment for a historic pub, a fresh crackdown on illegal waste dumping, and continued debate over housing on protected Green Belt land.
Road Safety Progress and Planning Disputes
New data presented to the council's scrutiny board reveals a positive trend in road safety, with nine fatalities recorded between 2022 and 2024, including zero in 2023. However, a council report warns that the current rate of reduction in serious collisions is unlikely to meet the ambitious target of a 50 per cent reduction by 2030.
In planning news, a government inspector has backed the council's decision to refuse a house extension on Widney Road in Bentley Heath. The inspector ruled that the proposed first-floor side extension and gabled roof would create excessive bulk and massing, harming the character of the semi-detached property and the wider street scene.
Environmental Enforcement and Sport Expansion
Councillors have backed a new strategy to combat fly-tipping after 3,024 incidents were reported in 2024-2025. Although this marks a year-on-year decrease, the figure remains high. The crackdown will focus on improved incident recording and the potential use of covert and overt cameras to catch and prosecute offenders successfully.
In Shirley, the David Lloyd Solihull Cranmore gym has received planning permission to convert two existing tennis courts into three new padel courts, capitalising on the sport's surging popularity. The approval was granted with conditions after a noise assessment found the floodlit facilities would not adversely impact nearby residents.
Green Belt Development Faces Stiff Opposition
A proposed development for 133 homes at Oakes Farm in Balsall Common is meeting significant resistance. The local MP and a ward councillor have submitted formal objections, arguing the high-density plan is out of character with the semi-rural area. Critics contend that the potential damage to the Green Belt outweighs the developer's case for building.
Finally, in a win for local heritage, planners have granted listed building consent for a significant revamp of the historic Mason Arms pub on Solihull High Street, which dates to the 1700s. The approved plans include internal alterations like new flooring and partitioning, plus external changes such as a new fixed seating area and pergola in the garden.
