The Centres

North Arran Way Village Centre

Arran Way Shops An artists impression of North Arran Way Village Centre

What is happening?

The North Arran Way Village Centre will be situated in the heart of Smiths Wood.  The new Village Centre will include a new primary school, community facilities, a new high street with high quality public realm, a new retail parade which will encompass a mix of services, residential properties, enterprise space and health care facilities. The adjacent surrounding environment will also be home to 140 new houses, bungalows and apartments.

The new Village Centre will be developed in separate phases:

The New Primary School

The new Kingfisher Primary School has gone through the full planning process and construction started on site in early 2008. The school contract has been awarded to Allenbuild Ltd and commenced in January 2008 with a proposed completion date of March 2009. The school building will incorporate a new two-form entry school and the Smith's Wood Parish Council community facilities. To find out more about Kingfisher Primary School click here.

Phase One

Phase One comprises a mixed use project that will provide a parade style development incorporating residential, retail and office floor space. It is anticipated that the planning application for this element of the village centre will be submitted in March 2008 with a proposed commencement date of late summer 2009.

Phase Two

Designs for Phase Two, (on the east side of the new high street) are now beginning to be taken through the design process. The phase is envisaged to include health care and enterprise and some commercial elements. Once the designs reach the correct stage they will be brought back to the local community for viewing and consultation.

High Street & Public Realm

A new high street access road with enhanced public realm and public art spaces will be constructed between Kingfisher Drive in the north and Windward Way to the south to provide access to the new facilities, shops and school.

What is happening?

The whole of the North Arran Way environment has gone through an extensive design and consultation process, ensuring the outcome will be useable and workable but will also capture the vision and requirements of the local community. Thanks to local stakeholders and the community who have given extensive input and feedback throughout the design process and also thanks to Solihull Council's planning committee who have worked hard to realise the North Solihull Partnership vision, the £20million Village Centre was granted outline planning permission in 2007.

Between 24th and 28th September 2007, residents, local businesses and stakeholder groups were invited to view the detailed designs for North Arran Way Village Centre, Phase One and the new primary school.  A User Group Quality Audit and a Professional Group Quality Audit took place in early 2008 to ensure the proposed designs work well for all groups in society and all design issues have been given full consideration. Phase One of the North Arran, as well as the Public Realm will go in for detailed planning permission in 2008.