BASE HEADER

Yes

ID sylw: 108051

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Rainier Developments Ltd

Asiant : Pegasus Group

Pegasus Group is promoting land at Walton Road, Wellesbourne for residential development on behalf of Rainier Developments.

The Site is part of SG16. Inclusion of this SGL is strongly supported. The Site is within Priority Area 1, a preferred location for growth under the spatial strategy. The Site is on the eastern edge of Wellesbourne and comprises 2.65 hectares of land southwest of Walton Road. The site comprises an agricultural field with associated agricultural buildings to the northeast, and is adjacent to the settlement edge. It is bound by vegetation along the borders. The closest primary school is situated 0.85 kilometres to the north. The nearest secondary school is 7.0 kilometres to the southeast. There is an existing access point to the Site off Walton Road. This currently provides access to the agricultural buildings, but could be used as the site entrance as shown on the illustrative masterplan (Appendix 2). A technical note has previously been prepared and submitted (Appendix 3), confirming a suitable access arrangement can be achieved.

The entire Site is within the Severn and Avon Vales national character area, characterised by western mixed agricultural landscape and vales and valleys broad landscape typology. The site is not designated as or in close proximity to a Special Conservation Area, Site of Special Scientific Interest, National Nature Reserve, ancient woodland, Local Nature Reserve, Local Wildlife Site, Local Green Space or priority habitat. The site is within the Impact Risk Zone for Loxley Church Meadow SSSI. This could be addressed by suitable mitigation. There are other developed sites within the Zone, showing development in such areas can be acceptable. The Illustrative Masterplan shows how the site could accommodate circa 65 dwellings. The majority of the existing boundary vegetation could be retained and enhanced.

The site was assessed in the HELAA as ref 463. In Part B it scored 44.73. This score is average and should be considered favourably. Assessed against the SA Framework, the wider SGL has a major positive impact on Housing (Objective 9), positive impacts on Economy (Objective 13) and Flood Risk (Objective 2) – it is one of the best performing options for Flood Risk. Minor adverse impacts are identified in relation to Landscape (Objective 4), Cultural Heritage (Objective 5), and Pollution (Objective 6). It performs better than 9 other Strategic Growth Locations for Landscape, and 13 for Cultural Heritage, with minor adverse the best rating for any option.

The SA considers South of Wellesbourne among the worst performing for Biodiversity (Objective 3) because it is close to ancient woodland and Loxley Church Meadow SSSI. Given the distance from the Site to the SSSI (over 2.5km) and Wellesbourne Wood (over 750m), development of the Site would not have an adverse impact. On a site-specific level, an ecological survey will be carried out to assess ecological constraints, opportunities to deliver enhancements will then be established accordingly. The potential for development to deliver ecological benefits has not been acknowledged in the SA. The site in isolation performs better against Objective 3 than currently suggested. Assessment of the Site against other SA objectives has been undertaken:

1: Climate Change: The site would deliver circa 65 dwellings in a sustainable location, close to existing development, services and facilities, and public transport links. The Site would support delivery of 20-minute neighbourhoods to reduce travel to meet everyday needs as it would benefit from access to existing service and facilities in Wellesbourne.

2: Flood Risk: The site is entirely within Flood Zone 1. There are areas of surface water flood risk, predominantly parallel with Walton Road. This could be addressed by suitable design and sustainable drainage systems. Much of the undeveloped land particularly in the north of Wellesbourne is constrained by flood risk with significant areas of flood zones 2 and 3 present, associated with the River Dene and River Avon.

4: Landscape: The site is characterised by modern residential development on two sides. The Ettington Park development adjoins Walton Road, as does The Oaks, a small office development immediately adjoining the site. The Grange development locates open space towards Walton Road however this development is south of this Site. Beyond the Grange is agricultural fields. The Site would continue the existing build line along Walton Road as established by Ettington Park and The Oaks. The Illustrative Masterplan shows how the site could be designed with on-site open space to link to open space provided by the Grange. This would create coherent development and minimise landscape impacts through good design. A landscape note has previously been submitted to the Council with previous representations and the Call for Sites submission. This concluded that the site benefits from total enclosure on three sides. For the eastern aspect towards the River Dene, sensitively designed buildings which reflect the local character can create an attractive settlement edge.

5: Cultural Heritage: The site is not close to any designated heritage assets. The listed buildings and Conservation Area are concentrated around Bridge Street/Ettington Road, to the north-west of the site and separated by existing development. The scheduled monument and registered park and garden referred to by the SA are located north-east of Wellesbourne and are a significant distance from this Site.

6: Pollution: The site is not near to an Air Quality Management Area. The SA refers to the A429 as a potential pollution source. The Site is separated from the A429 by existing modern residential development so it is reasonable to conclude any mitigation required would be minimal and achievable.

7: Natural Resources: The Site would result in loss of agricultural land however this would be a minor due to the relatively small site size. The Site is within a Mineral Safeguarding Area however the site is relatively small and given adjacent residential development mineral extraction is unlikely to be acceptable in terms of residential amenity.

8: Waste: Household waster generated by development can be managed with provision of suitable recycling facilities for all households.

9: Housing Provision: The Site would deliver housing in a sustainable location. This would include affordable housing.

10: Health: Frequent bus services on Ettington Road provides access to hospitals. There is a recently developed doctors surgery within a mile of this Site. There is good access to leisure and recreation facilities within Wellesbourne with scope to provide on-site open space and connections to the public open space being provided by the Grange.

11: Accessibility and 12: Education: The existing bus stops on Ettington Road provide frequent services to Leamington Spa, Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon. These locations have train stations for onwards journeys, including to Birmingham. There are various local services and facilities in the local area, including a primary school. Secondary schools in Stratford-upon-Avon would also be accessible using public transport.

13: Economy: The site is well located to benefit from existing economic and employment opportunities associated with Wellesbourne which include the Distribution Park and the Wellesbourne Campus of the University of Warwick.