A huge new Knowle retirement village providing 170 care units for the elderly has been given the go-ahead despite campaigners' appeals there was no need for it.

Applicant C Coombs & Senior Living Ltd applied to knock the existing Stripes Hill farmhouse on the 10 acre site on Warwick Road down for the homes which would be aimed at over 65s.

Inspired Villages would operate the site and planned to create a community for retirees made up of bungalows, cottages, and apartments, with a variety of facilities available to residents.

Facilities included in a submitted planning application are a cafe, restaurant, meeting and activity space, swimming pool, gym, fitness studio, and treatment rooms.

Knowle locals living outside the retirement community would be able to use the fitness areas on a membership basis.

And a horticultural garden, community orchard, communal gardens and wildlife orchard were also included in the plans.

The application was for initial full planning approval for 48 extra care units including a village centre, and for outline planning permission of the remaining 122 extra care units with ancillary community space, gardens, green space, landscaping and all other associated works.

The plans went in front of Solihull Council's planning committee's latest meeting.

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The site where the proposed retirement village in Knowle would be built. Picture: 3DReid/Inspired Villages/Solihull Council

Planning officer Laura Taylor said there were a number of benefits to the scheme including: "The provision of space for older people allowing them to live within the community with different levels of care as required."

The officer added the proposal had been recommended for approval, subject to conditions and the signing of a section 106 agreement.

A public consultation saw 21 objections raising various concerns including overlooking and loss of privacy; traffic congestion; and that "the village cannot support such large scale development and will lose its identity".

During the public speaking section among the objections raised were the potential for four storey buildings and the location of the site.

And Knowle councillor Dave Pinwell said: "It (the officers' report) says there is a clear unmet need for this type of elderly accommodation in the borough based on most up to date evidence the council holds.

"However this evidence is so old it must have grown mold.

"Evidence gathered this month shows a market saturated with unsold properties in this category.

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"If we are to sacrifice a corner of our precious surrounding green belt, let it be for housing we do desperately need."

But Katherine Else, speaking on behalf of the applicant, said: "The need for extra care units has been clearly set out in the council's own evidence base.

"The masterplan, approved by (Solihull Council's) cabinet, identifies this site for residential."

In the debate of members committee chairman Councillor Bob Grinsell, highlighted the officers' comment that there is "demonstrable unmet housing need for the type of development".

Councillor Martin McCarthy then said: "The number of unsold properties gives me the impression there isn't a great deal of demand for people wanting to downsize into these kinds of properties."

Mark Andrews, planning officer, replied: "I'm not going to argue with research in terms of market circumstances at this current moment.

"As planners we have to look at the wider evidence in terms of strategic need, population growth, housing requirements the borough may face over 15-20 years."

Councillors initially held a vote on deferring but that was defeated by the chairman's casting vote after a tie.

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And when the final vote was taken the application was approved with five councillors voting in favour, one against.

The meeting was held at the Civic Suite on February 5.