Knowle Society Forum

What do you think about the proposal to widen all the paths in Jobs Close (Knowle Park) except the newest one, so that they can be split by white-lining into pedestrian and cycle lanes. Currently the by-laws prohibit cycling in the park; should this be revised to provide cycle routes as an alternative to driving? Will this address the concerns about collisons that more vulnerable pedestrians might have? Is further encroachment into the grass justified or desirable?

We have eight public car parks in Knowle but what and where are they - at present there are no generally accepted names? There have been suggestions that they should now be given names but this rouses strong passions, what would you like them to be called?

1 - Linked to the precinct is the car park often called the ‘Tesco’ car park but is that a good long-term name, suppose Tesco were to be taken over one day? What about the Precinct Car Park or the Shoppers’ Car Park - but aren’t all car parks used by shoppers? What do you think?

2 - Opposite car park 1 above, is the car park behind the Village Hall.

3 - The newest car park is the one next to car park 2 and on the side of the Village Hall

4 - Opposite the front entrance of the Village Hall is the third car park that could be named ‘The Village Hall Car Park’ but clearly there are three contenders for this title and something different may be needed.

5 - This car park entered from St John’s Close leads to the passageway to the High Street and is the one that is often blocked by delivery vehicles for Tesco’s One-Stop shop on the High Street.

6 - For Primary School parents and Church members the large car park at the rear of the Greswolde Hotel service road is variously known as the School Car Park or the Church Car Park depending on the day or the week or school term-times. This long-stay car park is heavily used for shop and office staff as well.

7 - A little known small car park off Lodge Road and opposite the Plume Service Station has no obvious name today.

8 - The area taken out of Jobs Close (Knowle) Park at the bottom of the hill on Longdon Road is intended for Park users. This should be the easist to name.

Do you favour names of famous local people or places, names that relate to nearby buildings of significance like the Village Hall or would you just give them numbers 1-8? What names would you suggest? 

That central area of grass, maybe with a low surrounding picket fence, is very much a part of the romantic image that defines an English village in our minds and conjures up Miss Marple on a bicycle waving to friends as she passes the green on the way to her cottage. But do we have a Green in Knowle and just which area is it?

The area of grass by the church on which the Knowle Society’s Millennium Post stands is sometimes known as The Square but is not recognised as such postally. Some call this the vllage green and perhaps it is the most central area.

Bus companies refer to the area of green (that was once much larger) where the bus stop and former toilet block is located as Knowle Green but do locals call it that?

Finally we have the larger area of grass, trees and shrubs that centre St Johns’s Close and until the 1960s was fields. Is this area the Village Green or just another green in the village?

What do you think?

Have your say on the recycling facilities available in Knowle and planned for the Autumn of 2008 (doorstep glass collection). Do you use them? Can you understand what is wanted in the containers? Are there enough facilities? Are there any improvements that you can suggest? Are you confused by different types of plastic or don’t you care to find out? Do you have a more radical view?

During June 2008 local publicity will appear on a possible new project to redevelop the existing bus shelter, old toilet block and surrrounding landscaping at the roundabout junction of the Warwick Road and Staion Road in Knowle. This is a project initiated by The Knowle Society and being explored by The Knowle Society, The Rotary Club of Knowle & Dorridge and Solihull Council on whose land the existing facilities are sited.

You are warmly invited to give your views as it is very much a community project - this web forum is one place where you can make your views known.

Several proposals have been considered for a marina on the Grand Union Canal in Knowle (as at May 2008 these include Kixley Lane, Jacobean Lane and Stripes Hill) the latter two having had or proposed public meetings to show the outline plans. This is potentially the largest project to hit Knowle since the growth of the new estates and has an impact on green belt land and traffic.

Which site do you prefer or would you oppose the idea whatever site is proposed? Do you see this project as an appropriate and attractive amenity - perhaps better than more housing estates, or a blot on the landscape? Can the traffic be accommodated safely or will the movements be too small to be a concern? If it is approved what if any limitations should be placed on the type of facilities to be allowed on the site and what additional steps should be taken to ameliorate the environmental, ecological and visual hazards?

The Knowle Society is keen to have your views on this very important matter.