- Meriden and Solihull East MP meets with Hockley Heath residents expressing his concern at plans to build on greenbelt land
- Mr Bhatti argues Government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is not fit for purpose
On Thursday 17 July 2025, Saqib Bhatti MBE, Member of Parliament for Meriden and Solihull East, met with Hockley Heath residents to discuss proposed developments in and around the Hockley Heath area. The action group compromises some 185 members and seeks to preserve the area’s green spaces, natural environment and history.
Saqib has made protecting the greenbelt in Meriden and Solihull East one of his top priorities since being elected in 2019. Following the General Election in 2024, he has raised numerous objections to the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework which puts huge pressures on rural areas.
Solihull Brough is seeing its housing targets increase from 866 to a 1,317. This is in stark contrast to Birmingham which is seeing its housing targets drop to 4,974 from 7,714. More broadly, the Government’s current housing targets mean development targets in London are being cut by 11 per cent and 55 per cent in Coventry.
As a longstanding champion of his constituency’s historic greenbelt, including the Meriden Gap, Saqib has urged the Government to consider whether building on green spaces, whilst simultaneously cutting targets in urban areas is a sensible policy. He has raised these issues directly in Parliament, including in a Westminster Hall Debate on Rural Housing Targets back in January.
Saqib has been contacted by dozens of constituents about the impact of development in Hockley Heath. In addition to attending a meeting last week, Mr Bhatti joined residents, Parish Councillors and Borough Councillors at a meeting in February of this year.
Commenting after the meeting, Saqib said: “I was pleased to meet with local residents at a meeting hosted by Hockley Heath Parish Council, to express my deep reservations about the proposed developments around Hockley Heath. This follows a meeting I attended in February, earlier this year.
“My constituents in Hockley Heath and I, are in lockstep in our belief that these planning proposals could have a significant impact on the local greenbelt. We also agree that the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework is gravely unfair – putting enormous pressures on rural communities whilst leaving urban areas like Birmingham criminally undeveloped.
“I will continue to work tirelessly with my constituents to protect our precious greenbelt, preserve our natural environment and ensure that the people of Hockley Heath are treated fairly and with consideration.”
