A planning inspector has intervened granting permission for 80 homes refused by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC).

Meriden and Solihull East Saqib Bhatti MP, local councillors and villagers had objected to developer Roscon Group's plans to build 80 homes on land in Hockley Heath on the borough's green belt.

The developer originally applied for outline planning permission for the homes on 2.25 hectares of land off Stratford Road in the village in July last year.

The applicant also asked for permission to demolish two homes – 2210 and 2212 Stratford Road – to form new access to the site.

In a public consultation 85 letters of objection were submitted to the authority before the scheme went in front of the council's planning committee last December.

At that meeting Stuart Swinton, who said he was representing residents, told planners they were "deeply concerned about the tsunami of development proposals in the village".

And he said there had been flooding issues in Hockley Heath "for many years" showing a slide featuring pictures of flooding in September.

Planning agent Donna Savage said the scheme was "policy compliant" and highlighted there had been no technical objections on highways or drainage grounds.

The authority refused the application after eight councillors voted against, with the official reason for refusal being the flood risk and the scheme would fail to have "very special circumstances" needed to allow building on the green belt.

Roscon Group appealed the refusal with planning inspector K Townend making a site visit in June.

In an appeal decision the inspector wrote: "Flooding is an existing problem and a result of ineffective sewers in the road.

"The demolition of the two existing dwellings would remove what currently outflows from these houses into the system.

"Furthermore, the surface water from the development would be attenuated on site and the final outflow is proposed to be connected to a drainage system in Rashwood Close and School Road, which has been confirmed as having capacity for the proposal.

"This proposed connection would take the water away from Stratford Road. The development would, therefore, result in betterment."

The inspector added the proposal would not be inappropriate development in the green belt.

In a separate decision the inspector also ordered the authority to pay appeal costs.

In a damning assessment the inspector said: "Planning permission was refused on flood risk and infrastructure grounds which were not related to the proposal.

"This amounts to unreasonable behaviour by the council.

"The applicant has had to appeal the refusal and commit resources to the hearing to ensure the proposal would be acceptable.

"Ultimately, the council has prevented development which clearly should have been permitted.

"The applicants have incurred unnecessary expense.

"A full award of costs is justified and should be granted."

To view the full planning application, click here.