Solihull Council’s planning committee has moved to approve the reserved matters for a development of up to 250 homes on land at Pheasant Oak Farm, Hob Lane, close to Berkswell Windmill. The outline consent for the scheme, promoted by Barwood Development Securities Ltd, was granted previously; councillors were considering the more detailed proposals for layout, scale, appearance and landscaping.
What the scheme includes
Council papers show the application includes housing for sale alongside provision for affordable homes targeted at social rent and shared ownership. The developer also plans a range of on-site open space and measures intended to improve connectivity with the adjacent village.
- Homes: up to 250 dwellings
- Affordable housing: social rent and shared ownership units included
- Public space: children’s play areas, a community orchard and ecological planting
- Access: pedestrian and cycle links proposed from Waste Lane and Windmill Lane
- Drainage: sustainable drainage system proposed
A council spokesperson said officers were recommending approval of the reserved matters subject to conditions.
“A Friday night planning committee is highly unusual and seems to be a deliberate ploy to avoid public comment and democracy,”
The remark above came from Jeanette McGarry, custodian of Berkswell Windmill, who has voiced concern about the timing of the meeting and the potential impact of the development on the windmill’s operation. She said campaigners would attend the hearing and asked for retention of green space at the nearby junction of Windmill Lane and Hob Lane.
Timing and local context
Members of the Friends of the Berkswell Windmill and other local residents have questioned why the planning committee was arranged for a Friday evening — an uncommon slot for Solihull’s planning meetings. The council explains the extra meeting in July was scheduled to cope with a backlog of applications and that the chosen date was the only available slot in the civic calendar.
The site had been identified for housing in the now-withdrawn Local Plan Review, although the emerging local plan has not yet allocated sites. That background makes the reserved matters decision important for the pace of housing delivery in the borough and for local infrastructure planning.
Practical implications for residents
| Issue | Detail |
|---|---|
| Transport links | Pedestrian and cycle connections to village lanes proposed to improve access |
| Green/open space | Play areas, orchard and ecological areas included in the scheme |
| Heritage concerns | Local group fears development could affect windmill operation and setting |
With planning officers recommending approval, the decision to grant final sign-off on reserved matters brings the scheme a step closer to delivering homes. Opponents of the development will continue to press the council for mitigations to protect the windmill’s setting and for retention of specific green spaces, while supporters argue the scheme contributes to local housing supply and includes community benefits.
Further updates will depend on any conditions attached to the approval and on subsequent applications, such as reserved matter tweaks or detailed planning submissions, which would set out the final appearance and landscaping of the site.
