Meriden Gap

The Meriden Gap is a mostly rural area in the West Midlands, England, between Solihull and Coventry. It is a part of the wider West Midlands Green Belt, separating Coventry from the large West Midlands conurbation, which includes Birmingham and The Black Country.

The 'Gap' takes its name from the village central to the area, Meriden, although the largest settlement is the small town of Balsall Common. The highest point lies at {{convert|185|m}} above sea level on the northern edge of Boultbee’s Wood north of the hamlet of Eaves Green, close to the West Midlands-Warwickshire border.{{fact|date=May 2025}}

Most of the Gap is in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, a small area is in Warwickshire, and some of the northeastern part is in the City of Coventry limits. Other villages and hamlets in the gap include Hampton-in-Arden, Berkswell, Barston, Temple Balsall, Eastcote, Bradnocks Marsh, Millison's Wood, Eaves Green, Four Oaks, Fen End, Pickford Green and Corley Moor.{{fact|date=May 2025}}

The Gap is largely in the Meriden parliamentary constituency.{{fact|date=May 2025}}

Urban pressure

The planned expansion{{Cite web |url=http://www.bhx.co.uk/page.aspx?type=T0NaZj9WNoU=&id=gIjx8gqnTxk= |title=Master Plan Consultation - Birmingham International Airport |access-date=2007-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630141713/http://www.bhx.co.uk/page.aspx?type=T0NaZj9WNoU=&id=gIjx8gqnTxk= |archive-date=2007-06-30 |url-status=dead }} of Birmingham Airport outlines the need for construction on the greenbelt to allow the expansion to happen. Despite opposition{{cite web |url=http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk/campaigns/aviation/birmingham.htm |title=The Woodland Trust - campaigns - petition against airport expansion |accessdate=2007-05-23 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927190156/http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk/campaigns/aviation/birmingham.htm |archivedate=2007-09-27 }} to the expansion plans, the proposal was granted approval. A motorway service area between Junctions 3a and 7 on the M42 motorway has been proposed on several occasions.{{cite web| url = http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/solihull-services-motorway-station-planned-9667126| title = Solihull Services motorway station planned to attract 80,000 vehicles a week – Birmingham Live| date = 16 July 2015}}

References

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Category:Areas of the West Midlands (county)

Category:Geography of Warwickshire

Category:Geography of Coventry

Category:Geography of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull