Parking problems are causing residents a major headache in Berkswell and Balsall Common, with a lack of spaces available outside homes and roads being clogged up by commuters.
A number of concerns about the difficulties being reported in the villages are raised in the latest draft of the Berkswell Neighbourhood Development Plan.
The document reveals that residents in the heavily rural community are highly reliant on cars, with almost two thirds of households in the parish area owning two or more vehicles.
Berkswell Parish Council, which has authored the plan, wants to see stricter requirements on the spaces created in new developments, amid concerns that a lack of parking increases the number of vehicles obstructing pavements.
The plan also supports expanding the facilities at Berkswell Station, given that the existing car park is usually full and that dozens of cars are being left on surrounding streets - sometimes in dangerous positions.
Andrew Burrow, a parish councillor who has led the team compiling the plan, said the document sets out a number of policies, with an emphasis on dealing with the "serious issues" around pavement parking.
"For people in mobility scooters, wheelchairs, parents with buggies, these parked cars are a nightmare, not to mention for people with restricted vision," he said.
The plan suggests that there should be two spaces available for new homes with one or two bedrooms and an extra parking space for every additional bedroom thereafter.
Solihull Council has said that while the document's wording does acknowledge this wouldn't always be possible, there were still concerns that the requirement could prove "excessive."
Cllr Ian Courts, cabinet member for managed growth, discussed the issue at his decision-making session on Wednesday.
"Parking needs to be looked at, but I'm not sure this is the best way of doing it."
Cllr Glenis Slater, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, suggested that work could be done to improve public transport links; infrequent bus services and the lack of a direct rail link to Solihull mean many residents have to drive.
To assess the difficulties being reported around the station, another key issue covered in the plan, residents conducted a 12-day traffic survey in January this year.
They found as many as 47 vehicles were being parked along nearby Hallmeadow Road.
The plan said: "Parking for the station now also takes place in nearby Station Road on a bend in the road opposite the Brickmakers Arms.
"Car parking is often inconsiderate and includes parking on grass verges and/or potentially dangerous parking on the roundabout junction or on the bend on Station Road."
Cllr Burrow said that the Hallmeadow Road parking was less of a concern at the minute because the route was lightly used, but increased activity during the HS2 construction process could add to difficulties.
He added that there was "anecdotal" evidence that the station was often used by people from outside the area to attend events at venues such as the NEC, adding to the number of rail users parking at Berkswell.
Neighbourhood Development Plan factbox:
- The Neighbourhood Development Plan is designed to shape planning policy in the parish area (covering Berkswell village and a sizeable chunk of Balsall Common) up until 2033.
- It will ultimately be referred to an independent examiner and finally be put to a public vote before it can be adopted.
- The parish council, which started worked on the document last summer, is keen to get the plan finalised before any changes to parish boundaries, arising from a separate governance review, come into effect. These would be expected next spring.
- The document is currently out for public consultation, with residents having until July 31 to give their comments.
