BASE HEADER

No

ID sylw: 106449

Derbyniwyd: 20/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Mr Robert Smith

This is the most ludicrous proposed site for a housing development and appears to have been put forward with the objective of financial gain for the land owner and development team, with absolutely no thought to the practicalities of anyone living within the proposed development, or in the surrounding. I have detailed my objections within this document with the following subject headings:
1. Roads and Infrastructure- The road infrastructure surrounding the proposed B1 site is completely inadequate to take even 100 more dwellings, let alone the proposed 8000 new dwellings. A complete overhaul of ALL roads around the development, link roads, and main junctions further afield would be required from the outset (before any dwellings are built) for this to even be considered a potential future site for development
2. Cycling - Cycling on the roads will be dangerous – it is already unsafe, but with 8000 more dwellings it would be suicidal. There was talk that a huge cycle path would be created as part of the proposed B1 development to run from Hatton Station all the way through to Warwick. Whilst this is a nice idea and probably ticks boxes for their sustainability strategy, in reality the cycle path needs to cut under VERY low and difficult arched canal bridges and narrow areas that cannot be widened.
3. Railway- Hatton Station is not a suitable railway station to build a new town around. The services to and from Hatton Station from anywhere are extremely limited. The station has no facilities and is unsuitable for users that cannot use stairs as the only way to access platforms 2 & 3 is via the footbridge. A complete redevelopment of Hatton Station from the outset (before any dwellings are built) would be required for this to even be considered a potential future site for development.
4. Social Housing - The location of Hatton station or the B1 proposed site is not suitable for social housing. Train services are extremely poor and extremely expensive – there is also no way of crossing the track other than via the footbridge, so people with disabilities would struggle, or find it impossible to use the service. With no main supermarkets within walking distance, a train journey leads to a cost of circa £10 to every shopping trip, and also due to the poor train times, means a round-trip to Dorridge or Warwick can take 4 hours or more. There are no other conveniences nearby. There is also no other employment opportunities nearby – so to build social housing on this site, would be to further isolate people possibly already in a vulnerable position.
5. Greenbelt- Proposed site B1 is greenbelt land that has always been actively used for agriculture, providing valuable food for our country. This should not be used for a housing development when there are other proposed sites within the SWLP that encourage the recycling of derelict and other urban land – for example the development of areas around Wellesbourne airfield and other brownfield sites that should be allocated and used first, before considering greenbelt as an option. Whilst there are brownfield and other non-greenbelt locations, proposed site B1 should be excluded from the preferred options, and excluded from any future development options.
6. Village Life- People move to villages purposefully to live a quieter life away from noise, light pollution, heavy traffic, crime etc and to a place where they can raise children in a slower pace of life, walking, cycling, dog walking etc, without the fear of heavy traffic or crime. Building a town of 8000 dwellings not only takes that away from the occupants of the mere 100 dwellings at Hatton Station, but also takes it away from the occupants of all surrounding villages and hamlets nearby including Shrewley, Little Shrewley, Pinley Green, Hatton Green, Yew Green, Haseley, Littleworth, Wolverton, Norton Lindsey, Claverdon, Langley, Rowington, Lapworth and many more surrounding areas.
7. Employment - There is very little, to no, employment nearby. The developers proposal leads to deceive the local government within its proposals stating there is adequate employment within the area through Hatton Country World and Hatton Technology Park. The reality of the situation is that everyone will need to travel to their place of employment which will have a greater impact on the environment as well as local transport infrastructure. This could also potentially lead to a pocket of deprivation should travel not be an option for occupants within standard and social housing within the proposed new development.
8. Better Sites- Hatton Park has already been developed and had extensions to that development. This has already put a significant stress on the rural setting, wildlife, and countryside, around Hatton as well as put a stress on local infrastructure.
Sites such as E1, G1, F3, F2, F1 & X1 offer significant scales of development without encroaching on greenbelt, which should be a last resort as per the NPPF
Sites such as G1, F3, F2, F1, A1, A2 & X1 have much better existing road infrastructure
Sites such as F3, F2, G1 & E1 contribute less to what would be deemed as urban sprawl (if they were greenbelt).