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ID sylw: 108103

Derbyniwyd: 05/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Liz Wood

I am writing to express my deep concerns regarding the proposed C1 development and the additional “call for sites” put forward for the Lapworth/Kingswood/Rowington area. These would place overwhelming pressures on what are currently small villages, in particular because of the lack of infrastructure in these areas. Large investment would be required in terms of roads, schools, doctors’ surgeries and utility supplies which would surely be easier to accommodate if additional housing were sited closer to existing larger towns already better serviced by these.

The road infrastructure around Lapworth and Rowington is not compatible with a large increase in vehicles as would be inevitable with the numbers of houses proposed.
The section of Old Warwick Road through Lapworth, adjacent to the Boot is also prone to flooding, and is often contaminated by sewage as reported on several occasions, when the drainage is unable to cope and runs off into adjacent water courses.

Lapworth village only offers limited amenities – there is a small village shop, a post office open limited hours and hairdressers. For the majority of shopping needs, it is necessary to travel at least 2 miles, but for most requirements it is necessary to travel more than 5. Whilst there is a train station at Lapworth, this line is already running at capacity, carrying a lot of freight and with insufficient rolling stock available to increase passenger trains stopping there. There is only parking for 16 cars with no space available to extend this. In addition, access to northbound trains is limited as there is only a pedestrian footbridge to reach this platform. Buses are very infrequent, and the use of bicycles is positively dangerous when having to share narrow roads with other traffic.

The villages do not have a gas supply, and already experience issues with the current electric supply which can only worsen with significant increased demand.

There is currently only one school, a primary, to serve this area, which would be unable to take large numbers of extra pupils. In addition, older children already have to travel some distance for their schooling and a large increase in numbers would necessitate many more car journeys, particularly at already busy periods on congested local roads.

At the present time, there is only one GP practice to serve the local community and it is already running at capacity.

Whilst appreciating some need for additional housing, developing an area hitherto largely designated as Green Belt does not seem to tally with a more general widespread recognition of a need to encourage rewilding and protection of our natural environment, especially when there are “brown” sites which could be considered and fully utilised beforehand.
Until such time as there are major improvements in the village infrastructure, I therefore feel any development around the village should be concentrated on the smallest sites.