Solihull Town Centre Masterplan Has Been Taken to Cabinet

The Cabinet were presented with the refreshed Solihull Town Centre Masterplan Thursday evening, highlighting the process that has been undertaken in developing the Masterplan and providing an overview of the research engagement, analysis and evidence base that have informed the proposals within it.

According to the summary presented to Cabinet in the officer’s report the refreshed Masterplan has several changes within it, with the most significant that were noted being:

• The 2016 Masterplan identifies seven Areas of Change, which have been revised in the refreshed Masterplan to six Areas of Change.

• The removal of proposals and related references to relocate Solihull Train Station to the Monkspath Hall Road site.

• The removal of proposals relating to the planned extension of Touchwood in the ‘Heart of Solihull’ Area of Change.

• The amendment of proposals relating to the ‘Business and Commercial Quarter’ Area of Change as a result of the redevelopment of the former Magistrates Court as an Aldi supermarket.

• Updating of the Transport and Movement section of the Masterplan to reflect the progress that has been on the key town centre junction improvement scheme, and the principles and concepts emerging from the development of town centre Multi Modal Access Strategy.

Much of the proposed development involves the repurposing of existing buildings. Net development would therefore equate to:

• Circa 1,178 new homes.

• Circa 16,500 sqm office floor space.

• Circa 8,000 sqm retail, leisure, and active ground space.

To ensure that the Masterplan is used as a blueprint for future development in the town centre, on completion of the Local Plan the Council will seek to adopt the Masterplan as a Supplementary Planning Document.

Information obtained from SMBC directly from their report.