New village neighbourhood planned for Balsall Common

Hundreds of homes could be coming to Balsall Common in an ambitious plan to build a whole new village neighbourhood. The 970 proposed homes would sit alongside the HS2 line cutting through rural Solihull.

Plans were lodged with Solihull Council in July to build the homes on green space between Station Road and Waste Lane. The scheme would introduce a local centre including a care home/retirement accommodation, community buildings, a primary school and a pre-school.

Up to 40 per cent of the units on the 28-hectare site will be provided as affordable, which comes to 369 homes. The site would feature a range of housing types from one-bedroom apartments to larger four-bedroom detached houses.

Public space for a convenience store, a café, a leisure centre and a doctor’s surgery is included in the plans. Several new roads would be built including a T-junction off Station Road and a reconfigured Station Road/Hallmeadow Road roundabout to allow access.

To reduce the reliance on cars, plans involve the introduction of a so-called mini-mobility hub – essentially an interchange hub where different modes of transport (bus, rail, ride sharing etc) would connect the new neighbourhood to the rest of the borough. There would also be an emphasis on pedestrianised areas and a cycle network.

Documents claim houses will be carefully designed with generous windows from habitable rooms. The development is aiming for 34-35 homes per hectare, with a higher density toward the new local centre.

Harris Strategic Land is in partnership with Colchurch Properties to deliver the project. Balsall Common village would be to the west of the site while the HS2 line would run along the eastern side.  

Planning firm Pegasus Group is handling the application on behalf of the developer. It said: “The site provides an opportunity to create a new living environment of the highest standard, which reflects the local vernacular and contextual surroundings. The proposals will deliver an attractive, locally distinguishable and sustainable urban extension to Balsall Common, Solihull.”