A COMMUNITY group opposing greenbelt development held a demonstration on Shirley village green to warn against the loss of ‘precious’ green space.
South Solihull Community Group (SSCG) held a ceremonial event at Shirley village green on Sunday, July 15.
The group hailed this as a symbolic demonstration for preserving green space and the first time the village green has been recognised in the community.
There was fun for all the family as campaigners brought their picnics and enjoyed the sunshine, playing games on the green.
The group says the event was well attended and has helped to raise awareness of the proposed Local Plan developments which would threaten the future of green spaces in Shirley.
The council’s Draft Local Plan is a blueprint for which areas of the borough will be used for housing, employment and other uses up to 2028.
Residents in Shirley remain concerned about the loss of the local greenbelt area between the Blythe Villages (Shirley, Cheswick Green, Dickens Heath and Tidbury Green).
In particular, residents are calling for the removal of the disputed site 13 from the development plans which they say is land which has particular benefits for the local residents.
They say it will have a proportionately greater number of houses built on it than other areas and has called for Solihull council only to develop site 11.
Resident campaigner and group official, John Green, said: “The fight for site 13 goes on and it is the whole Blythe Village area that needs to be looked at again by the council because of the disproportionate amount of housing planned for this area.
“The Local Plan will be out for consultation again in the Autumn and we have done a lot of work comparing the various wards and the proposed developments and it does seem the Blythe Villages are being treated unfairly.”
The group says that although the green in Shirley was established some time ago it has never really been recognised formally as the Shirley village green.
The group are also keen to boost usage of the village green to make it more difficult to deprive the community of a play and exercise hotspot if house building did occur.
