IM Properties’ plans for one of Solihull’s most ambitious sustainable new communities has received a resolution to grant consent from the town council’s planning committee.
The planning application centred around 750 new homes to be built at the 260-acre Blythe Valley Park, a major, mixed-use business park located next to junction 4 of the M42 motorway.
Outline planning permission will now be issued by the council subject to a section 106 legal agreement, which is likely to generate circa £9.5m of additional investment in improvements to highways, footpaths and public transport.
As part of the approved plan, IM Properties will also look to add a further 1m sq ft of commercial space at the park. Provision for a 200-bedroom hotel and a care facility of up to 250 units, leisure and other uses of up to 40,000 sq ft is also included.
Lewis Payne, IM Properties’ development director, said: “We have worked tirelessly on this application, including extensive public engagement and believe the new scheme will prove a tremendous boost to Solihull and provide much-needed housing for younger families and first time buyers who want to find a home.
The new community will benefit from a largely undiscovered 122-acre country park, which will be extended to surround the new scheme.
IM Properties bought the park out of receivership for around £125m at the end of 2014. The firm also owns Mell Square shopping centre in Solihull and has invested £250m into the borough since 2014.
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