Sutton Coldfield residents unhappy with new development

Sutton Coldfield residents unhappy with new development

Rhi Storer - Local Democracy Reporter | Friday 17th June 2022 12:39pm

Emergency vehicles could face a “double bottleneck” and parking troubles at a site for seven new houses, according to residents in Sutton Coldfield.

Unhappy neighbours in Whitehouse Common, north east of Sutton Coldfield town centre,  have called the potential development as “very concerning” for emergency vehicles.

The proposed application, to demolish 4 Carlton Close and replace the dwelling with seven detached houses, was discussed at Birmingham city council’s planning committee this week.

Councillors heard the new houses will be semi-detached single garage buildings, with tandem parking spaces and private rear gardens.

The design of the houses would be a “contemporary design” with a “pitched roof”, according to documents presented at the planning committee.

A total of 222 letters of rejection, including two petitions, were received by Birmingham city council. While the council noted some were “duplicates or repeats” of concerns following design alterations, residents in Sutton Coldfield believed the development would have an “adverse” impact on the local community.

Other objections were recorded by West Midlands fire service over the height of the houses. The Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield council also objected on the grounds of over-intense use of land, increase in congestion and traffic, and loss of privacy.

John Vickers, a resident of Bedford Road, said he and other residents believed the council had “ignored” their objections on highways.

“The application is for seven, four or five bedroom houses, up to three stories high, and accessible through  turning points on to our road. The developer has consistently failed to identify the height and they will be the only three storey houses built in the locality.

“Refuse to the location that has been added against six Carlton Close because there is insufficient space for individual slots. Our own parking spaces are inadequate for the size of cars nowadays, as identified by our highway objections.

“From safety we’re very concerned that the final application attached has so little objections from highways. Road traffic on road parking, and difficulty for emergency vehicle access, have all increased in recent years, particularly from the impact of Good Hope hospital.”

But planning officers at the council said the application will create “generous plots” and that new plans had been developed to placate concerns from West Midlands fire service.

The planning application was approved.

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