Royal Mail's fear that 3am starts would cause problems for Shirley housing plan

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The postal service has 'significant concern' to plans to build seven new homes on a garage site near its Stratford Road base, fearing this could result in restrictions being placed on the site.

Royal Mail has warned against building new homes directly opposite its Shirley sorting office, where work gets underway from 3am.

The postal service is revealed to have "significant concern" about a set of seven homes going up next to its Stratford Road premises, where activity starts in the early hours each day.


It had made a formal objection to the development, which will be considered by Solihull's planning committee on Wednesday (October 30).

The scheme has actually been brought forward by the council itself, with the intention of demolishing an old garage block to make way for two pairs of semi-detached homes and a row of three terraced houses.

However, Royal Mail has made clear that the plans for Halifax Road had caused it concerns, with apparent fears of conditions being imposed on the business to protect future occupiers from noise and light.

Its objection said: "The proposed development is not compatible with the delivery office and established use."

Despite the call to throw out the plan, council officers said the scheme would allow an "unkempt" lock-up to be redeveloped and have recommended that councillors should give the go-ahead.

The Halifax Road plot was one of several garage sites that the council had earmarked as good opportunities for new housing.

The local authority has a rather limited supply of land on which it can build properties itself, but certain plots were seen as an ideal opportunity because the garages there were redundant or had become a magnet for anti-social behaviour.

Although opposition councillors have been pressing the Conservative-run council to identify options for more expansive developments.