BASE HEADER

No

ID sylw: 108150

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Verena Telling

I would like to object to site E1 Land around Long Marston being considered as a suitable site for future development in the SWIP consultation paper.

The B4632 is already heavily congested and this is before the further 3,500 houses that planning permission has already been given (with conditions) have been built at the old Long Marston airfield site.

There are no major roads south of the river to adequately route the substantial uptake in cars and heavy vehicles which will predominantly wish to be traveling north. We only have 2 bridges crossing the river, both of which route traffic through Stratford town. The extra development of the Long Marston site will only exacerbate these already heavily used routes. I understand that the estimated £250,000 plus cost to build a third bridge west of Stratford is economically unviable and even if the money was found and the western relief road was built, the route chosen will only funnel the traffic into equally congested roads north west of the town.

Reopening the train route from Honeybourne to Stratford has also been suggested. Again a very expensive option for a single track and thus a limited service. I am sure the train will appeal to a small number of people, but the reality is residents will still need to drive to the stations and with the hassle and inconvenience of going to and from stations and the time taken to do so, the majority will still choose to drive.

It’s also worth taking into consideration that there is already a regular bus service into Stratford and onwards. Bus stops are conveniently placed within walking distance of the majority of residents in the villages and towns and offer a good alternative to using your car. But sadly this regular and efficient bus service is already under used, with many busses running with very few passengers. If locals are not keen to avail themselves of an existing excellent public bus transport service, it’s very difficult to see why a train service will offer anything extra to encourage use by residents. Sadly I believe that reinstatement of the Honeybourne link will be of more use to through traffic, ie linking GWR and Chiltern Railways, than satisfying local need.

This still leaves the problem of heavy vehicles. Extra housing and commercial activities will inevitably result in a huge increase in heavy vehicles journeys, most of which need to cross the River Avon somehow or other.

The only logical areas in my opinion for future development is to consider sites north of Stratford town and to those areas that already have good links to major roads and the motorway network.

Therefore I would like to propose the following sites for consideration as being more suitable for future development. All are very close to existing road infrastructure, schools and railway stations and thus the extra traffic generated will inconvenience the least number of residents.

1). C1 Land south of Kingswood.
2). G1 West of Knightcote.
3). X1 Leamington & North of Wellesbourne.
4). BW Wilmcote & Bearley