BASE HEADER

Yes

ID sylw: 106551

Derbyniwyd: 26/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Hunningham Parish Council

SWLP Site 569 (Weston under Wetherley South)
In relation to Site 569 (Weston under Wetherley South), it is difficult to understand why this site remains under consideration for the Local Plan as it meets few of the criteria for acceptable development set out in the draft plan.
It does not form part of a proposed Strategic Growth Location, nor does it fall within an identified potential New Settlement Location.
Its HELAA part B ‘harmfulness’ score of 55.27 is well above the mean (44.72) of the 672 sites considered.
Although the HELAA rates the employment prospect of the proposal as AMBER, the actual conclusion of the Employment Land Study (Iceni Projects 2024, App 1, p.201) was that the site was ‘not suitable for employment use on its own’, although ‘some employment land could be provided if a residential development is pursued’. This study also highlighted the proposal’s ‘low-medium market attractiveness’ and ‘poor accessibility’.
The proposed development site is very extensive (92ha). A residential development on this scale would dwarf the adjacent village of Weston under Wetherley and could not possibly be viewed as an extension to an existing settlement.
Intrusion into the Green Belt
The site lies wholly within the Green Belt. Although some development within the Green Belt may be acceptable, a proposal on this scale here would represent a major extension of urban sprawl eastwards from Leamington of the kind Green Belt policy is designed to prevent. It would represent an unfortunate precedent, creating a significant bridgehead for large-scale development beyond the sensible limit for the spread of Leamington now being set by the line of HS2.
Where development within the Green Belt is permitted, it should be as a result of careful consideration and directed towards a particular well-defined purpose. The purpose/rationale for this proposal is, in contrast, notably vague. Its HELAA proposed uses cover the full range from ‘Housing/Residential’, ‘Employment/Industrial/Commercial’, ‘Retail’, ‘Leisure/Community’, to ‘Open space/Biodiversity/Green Infrastructure’. The intention would appear to be primarily to gain planning permission for any purpose that will provide a development capital gain for the landowner, Warwickshire County Council. This is not an exceptional factor justifying development in the Green Belt
Loss of significant agricultural land
This development would involve the loss of 92ha of agricultural land along with the associated farming employment opportunities. The land has added significance as the two farms involved form part of the Warwickshire County Farms and Smallholdings Estate. Although the Estate is seen partly as a source of potential capital receipts, the ‘key purpose of the Estate is to provide an entry into the [farming] industry for young aspiring farmers and to provide opportunities for rural enterprise. The Estate contributes significantly to the county in terms of promoting sustainable rural communities, biodiversity, local food production and the protection and enhancement of the Warwickshire landscape (Warwickshire County Farms and Smallholdings Strategy 2010-2025, Foreword).
Inadequate local infrastructure
The proposed development area has poor transport links. Despite HS2 passing within 600m the nearest railway station is Leamington (6km) and local bus services are extremely limited. The development would therefore rely on road vehicles and result in a large increase in local road traffic.
The main road into the site from the south, from the Fosse Way and M40, runs across the River Leam over the medieval Hunningham Bridge, a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The bridge is single-track, unsuitable for large delivery or construction vehicles and vulnerable to traffic damage. Because of the narrowness of the bridge and the need for specialist heritage masonry repairs recurrent vehicle damage results in complete closure of the road lasting weeks or months. Of the next nearest Leam bridges, Offchurch Bridge is regularly closed by flooding, and Eathorpe Mill Bridge is also unsuitable for large vehicles and reached along narrow country roads.
The local sewage treatment system is already under strain. The local Weston-under-Wetherley Sewage Treatment works recorded 25 spills of untreated sewage into the River Leam lasting a total of 277.78 hours in 2023, and 26 spills lasting 249.02 hours in 2022 (theriverstrust.org/key-issues/sewage-in-rivers, Permit S/12/26152/R).
Risk of flooding
The HELAA assessment seems to understate the risks to the site from flooding. In addition to the regularly flooded areas in the south-east corner by the River Leam within Flood Zones 2 and 3, there are also areas susceptible to surface water flooding scattered across the site, including areas adjacent to existing buildings. With climate change bringing heavier rainfall this situation will only become worse. Development here would inevitably increase run-off into the Leam exacerbating flooding problems downstream.
Landscape and heritage
The site lies within the rural landscape of the valley of the River Leam, an area characterised by farmland, occasional areas of woodland, interspersed with small villages and individual farms. The area is popular with walkers, cyclists and horse riders who come from surrounding towns to enjoy its rural character and amenity. A development of this scale would represent a quite alien intrusion into this valued landscape. It would dwarf the adjacent existing village of Weston under Wetherley, and would be very prominent in views from the southern side of the river valley, particularly, for example, in views along the Hunningham to Offchurch Road.
The Scheduled Ancient Monument of Hunningham Bridge would faced a much increased risk of physical damage from increased traffic and its rural riverine setting would be marred by intrusive development to its north west.
For all these reasons this site (569) should not remain in consideration for the Local Plan.
Hunningham Parish Council