Lorely Listens

Written by Lorely Burt and published in Solihull Times on Wed 21st Jun 2006

A small bombshell was quietly dropped in the form of an advert appearing in the pages of a local paper over recent days. I hadn't spotted it because I don't scan the public notices as a rule. If there's any planning matter which is going to affect the lives of people in Solihull I generally get it from the planning application list.

In the advert, the council gave formal notice of their intention to sell off parts of Shirley Park to make way for the Heart of Shirley Development.

I looked on the council's website which can be found at www.solihull.gov.uk for more details, and the importance of the announcement slowly sunk in. This was the Council's advertisement for the sale of nearly three acres of Shirley parkland, including the ancient Oak Circle.

In some respects this public notice is a formality. It paves the way for Shirley Advance to buy the land which will be make way for the Asda superstore and the rest of the proposed Heart of Shirley development.

And I know people in Solihull have all shades of opinion over this development and my job as MP is to represent everyone. But I cannot help the feeling of indignation that we are concreting over trees and parkland which have existed unmolested for the enjoyment of many generations of Silhillians, but which we now see fit to destroy to make way for a superstore.

The park belongs to the people. Before it is sold off in our name we should be formally asked through a referendum.

So I'll be writing my own letter of objection to this sale. If you wish to write too, you should address your objections to: Katherine Kerswell, Chief Executive, Solihull MBC, PO Box 18, Council House, Solihull, West Midlands, B91 9QS, to be received by no later than 21st June 2006. Let the council know what you think