Shirley Conservative councillors and Julian Knight, Parliamentary Candidate for Solihull have reacted with fury at the decision of the Planning Inspectorate, based in Bristol, to allow the building of a fast food restaurant next to Shirley Heath Primary School. They have also awarded partial costs against the Council. The site is the Etrinsic Building on the Stratford Road, diagonally opposite Shakespeare Drive.
Local Councillor Peter Doyle said “I am shocked and angry at the Inspectorate’s decision. To allow a fast food restaurant to be built between a school entrance and undertakers is wrong. I worry that the school’s work on obesity will be undermined and that hard pressed parents will be pressurized by their children to buy fast food. I also think that it will create road safety dangers. In particular I feel that the quality of life of residents who live near this site will be damaged.”
Councillor Gary Allport said “I attended the Inquiry every day, of the four days, and spoke against the application, and also supplied figures on childhood obesity and employment levels to the inspector. I am very disappointed by this decision. After the enquiry closed, I made further submissions to the Inspectorate at the request of the Inspector, as did other people.”
Julian Knight, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Solihull, and longstanding campaigner for Shirley, said: “This is outrageous, ignoring the concerns of the families of Shirley puts the whole planning appeals system into disrepute. If elected as your MP, I will introduce a Private Member’s Bill to stop fast food giants such as KFC from appealing decisions to prevent them from opening outlets next to our schools.”