Parts of Solihull like ‘God’s waiting room’

PARTS of Solihull are becoming like ‘‘God’s waiting room’,’ amid speculation another key site could be turned into a retirement complex.

Suggestions of more care plans for the former Morrisons supermarket, in Stratford Road, have added to anxiety.

Public concerns about the large number of care complexes for the elderly in Shirley were discussed at this week’s full council.

Locals say a flurry of developments are creating parking issues, putting a further squeeze on the likes of GP surgeries and limiting options to build more affordable homes.

Cllr Maggie Allen (Green, Shirley West) said she was asked about the future of the Morrisons site by a resident who was moving to the area and he’d told her Shirley was being likened to “God’s waiting room”.

“Now that is because of all of the retirement apartments and the extra care that is really overworked in Shirley and has put an extra pressure on the health services.”

Speaking after the meeting, she said: “You have got the Shirley care village – the 13-storey thing right on the Stratford Road, the gateway to Shirley as we call it. And then all down to the motorway there are care villages and care homes dotted around.

“People really are very proud of Shirley; lots of people love being there and there’s a lot of community stuff going on with the Friends of Shirley Park and other things... and people don’t want that reputation [for the area]. They want homes their children can live in... we know there is a great shortage of affordable housing.”

Developers have repeatedly told planners that there is a clear demand for facilities to serve Solihull’s ageing population. A previous study suggested that the number of over 85s had increased twice as quickly in the borough as in the UK overall.

And by 2036 it is predicted that one in 20 Silhillians will fall into this age group.