BASE HEADER

Yes

ID sylw: 108249

Derbyniwyd: 22/06/2025

Ymatebydd: Church Commissioners for England (‘The Church Commissioners’)

Asiant : Bidwells LLP

The Church Commissioners for England are the landowners for the part of the allocation that lies immediately north of the adopted allocation for the Long Marston Airfield Garden Community within the main body of E1. This land holding is also directly north of the current application pending determination under reference 23/01794/OUT, submitted by CALA Homes for 3,100 homes. Further south lies the Meon Vale which is under construction with provision of over 1,000 homes in total, and 500 within their northern parcel.

We cross refer to the Vision for Long Marston which is submitted alongside this representation. The Vision makes a positive case for the expansion of the existing Garden Community and explains through reference to the Strategic Objectives of the South Warwickshire Local Plan Preferred Options Consultation, how the site can be brought forward in support of the delivering the Vision of the Draft Plan.

The Long Marston New Settlement Option already contains existing or committed physical and community infrastructure; there is a substantial level of employment with the potential to achieve a high level of self-containment; there is a landscape presence that is unlikely to be significantly different from that already considered acceptable; and finally, a set of principles contained within an SPD that allows for landowners to coordinate their response to an allocation at Long Marston.

There is also a strong delivery case in support of site E1. As an enlarged Garden Community, E1 can help leverage existing and planned investment, particularly the potential future delivery of the Stratford Western Relief Road or alternative transport strategy identified by the Councils, and a continuous footpath and cycleway along the former Stratford to Honeybourne rail line (known as the Stratford greenway) which will serve as a regional leisure/tourist attraction between the site and Stratford Upon Avon.

Moreover, 10,000 homes within the wider E1 site would create a self-sustaining new town with a comprehensive range of viable facilities and strategic employment as well as substantial investment in active and sustainable travel choices.

The substantial planned investment that is already committed at Long Marston is a significant attribute of the proposed new settlement location which makes it the most suitable and appropriate option for allocation in the draft Plan, and we would respectfully ask the Councils to review their evidence and align with the clear sustainability benefits of Site E1.