BASE HEADER

No

ID sylw: 106124

Derbyniwyd: 21/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Diane Bird

I am writing to formally register my objection to the potential development of a large new settlement at Hatton on site B1 including the areas around Hatton Park.

There is insufficient justification /demand for this volume of housing in this area
There is not local demand for anything approaching this level of housing. I have been told that some of the justification for building more homes than we need locally is the overflow demand from Coventry. Presumably the Coventry overflow, even if they chose to live in Hatton, would have family or work connections back in Coventry. The Hatton train line does not go directly to Coventry (it would require a slow journey via changing train at Leamington). Therefore excess road traffic will surely be created, as people would not opt to travel by train to Coventry from this location. This negates much of the speculative benefit of siting a new settlement near Hatton Station.

Loss of Green Belt, when non green belt sites are an option
This site is green belt. There are not exceptional circumstances that would justify removing this site from green belt, when other non green belt sites are an option.
Loss of agricultural land and the negative impact of that on food security
Significant parts of the potential Hatton settlement are on actively farmed land. Surely maintaining food production will be increasingly important in the future.

Loss of wildlife habitat and wildlife corridors

Can the health infrastructure cope?
Obviously such a large settlement would require significant infrastructure development, such as schools, supermarket, and GP surgery which I assume will be included in the plans. I have concerns though as to whether hospital capacity will be addressed, as Warwick hospital is on a site with very limited scope for expansion. Warwick hospital declared a critical incident only recently when it was operating at capacity.

Road infrastructure difficulties
The current road infrastructure would need significant upgrading to cope with the dramatic increase in traffic. The A4177 and Stanks island with the A46 would need major improvements and the A4189 and Longbridge island would also need major improvements.
If the employment site SG07 were to also go ahead adding many lorries to the traffic at A4177/A46 then these problems would be even greater.

As a Hatton Park resident, who has just experienced one year of relatively minor roadworks on the A4177, with the traffic issues that created, I am acutely aware that the A4177 is the ONLY way on and off our large estate for all residents. So extra consideration would be needed as to if/how the A4177 could accommodate the extra traffic.

Negative impact on the historic town of Warwick, with potential for traffic gridlock
It seems highly unlikely that a new settlement, whilst coming close in size to a small town, will benefit from being built with the full facilities of a town, therefore this will cause significantly more traffic into neighbouring Warwick. The nature of Warwick with its historical town walls and buildings, and the river through it may make it impractical to accommodate significantly increased traffic flow, without negatively affecting the feel of our lovely town.