Former school site to be transformed into new homes for Solihull

A former secondary school in north Solihull is to be transformed into a new community of up to 175 homes thanks to a £3m investment by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and delivery by Solihull Council.

Despite the pandemic, the WMCA has continued to make a series of multi-million-pound investments to provide market confidence and put in place the building blocks required to drive the region’s post-Covid-19 economic recovery plans.

Without this critical WMCA investment, using housing and land funds secured from the Government, the Simon Digby scheme could not have proceeded.

Cllr Mike Bird, WMCA portfolio holder for housing and land and Walsall Council leader, said: “The West Midlands is being increasingly recognised as a national leader in the regeneration of urban land for new homes, communities and businesses. 

“The regeneration of these sites will play a critical role in the region’s economic recovery and help guarantee work for local firms while creating new jobs and homes for local people.”

This £3m investment is a further significant boost for the delivery of the Simon Digby scheme. It will be used to bring forward the majority of the site infrastructure, including a new access road from the Chester Road (A452), and acoustic mitigation measures.

The development, which will be well connected to the nearby Chelmsley Wood Town Centre and the future HS2 Interchange Station, is also an essential part of Solihull Council’s Local Plan. It forms part of the council’s UK Central Solihull programme, which supports sustainable and inclusive growth across the borough.

The Simon Digby scheme aims to see around 40% of the new homes classed affordable under the WMCA’s unique definition of affordability, linked to real-world local wages rather than property prices.

Cllr Ian Courts, Leader of Solihull Council and WMCA portfolio holder for environment and energy, HS2, added: “The vital funding we have secured from the WMCA will help us unlock the potential this development site offers and the potential to provide around 175 much needed new homes, many of which will be affordable, is an excellent opportunity for us.

“Building on the nearby Kingshurst Village Centre Regeneration, we’re committed to creating high-quality residential areas that promote a real sense of community.”