SLP KDBH Extracts - Flipbook - Page 157
Knowle,
Heath
Dorridge
&
Bentley
The Settlement Now
675.
Lying around 3 miles south east of Solihull Town Centre, Knowle, Dorridge and Bentley
Heath (KDBH) is the Borough’s largest rural settlement with a combined population of
around 19,800 in some 8,000 households. It is inset in the Green Belt which separates it
from the main urban area of Solihull and the surrounding rural villages.
676.
Whilst Knowle, Dorridge and Bentley Heath are essentially three villages, the significant
post-war development in the area means that they are now physically and functionally linked
such that they form one built up area. It is not obvious where one village ends and another
one begins and there are strong links between each community as they share many local
services and facilities. However, each village has its own shopping provision, park, primary
school, community/village hall and churches which help to underpin the sense of individual
village identity.
677.
The historic medieval core of Knowle is centred on the High Street and the church of St.
John the Baptist, St. Lawrence and St. Anne, at the junction of two historic routes. This area
is protected by Conservation Area designation and includes 53 statutory listed buildings and
a number of locally listed assets. Knowle has a thriving and well used local centre with an
extensive range of shops, facilities and services.
678.
Similarly, development from the later Victorian and Edwardian periods around and near to
Dorridge railway station (Station Approach and Granville Road) also benefit from
Conservation Area status. The dated shopping parade in Dorridge has been redeveloped to
provide up-dated modern facilities and a new public realm that enhances the centre as a
whole. It includes food and drink outlets, small business, shops and services.
679.
Bentley Heath has a smaller range of shops and services providing more for the day to day
convenience needs of residents.
680.
Overall, the settlement benefits
from an attractive residential
environment with leafy green
streets, access to a number of
parks, open spaces and green
spaces within the area, and
links to the countryside
beyond. Green and blue
infrastructure is a valuable
attribute, with local wildlife
sites
and
local
nature
reserves, as well as the canal
which provides an important
environmental and recreational
feature.
681.
KDBH is served by four primary schools (including a Catholic primary school) and the Arden
Academy and Sixth Form Centre secondary school which has a current capacity of around
1,850 pupils. However, the recent housing developments in the area along with a fluctuating
birth rate, is creating pressure on primary school places.
19
1
191