BASE HEADER

No

ID sylw: 108514

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Emily and Andrew Cox

2. Site X1
Inappropriate Location and Scale
• Site X1 represents an inappropriate intrusion into open countryside that
conflicts with established settlement patterns and boundaries
• The scale of development proposed would fundamentally alter the character of
surrounding settlements and create unsustainable pressure on local
infrastructure
• The site's development would contradict the spatial strategy of focusing
development in the most sustainable locations with existing infrastructure
capacity
Strategic Gap Erosion
• Development of Site X1 would significantly erode the strategic gap between
existing settlements, contrary to Policy DS13 of the adopted Warwick District
Local Plan (2011-2029) which specifically aims to protect the character and
identity of settlements by preventing their coalescence.
• The site forms part of an important visual and functional separation between
communities that would be permanently compromised by development.
Direct Contradiction to Existing Plans
• The development of Site X1 directly contradicts the principles established in the
Barford Neighbourhood Plan, formally adopted by Warwick District Council in
2021, which identifies this type of land as a "valued landscape" to be protected
from development, with 92% of residents supporting this designation during
consultation.
• The site's development would undermine the community-led planning process
that produced the Neighbourhood Plan, reducing public confidence in the
planning system

Infrastructure Deficiencies
Transportation Network Limitations
The existing road network in the vicinity of Site X1 is already operating at or near
capacity, with particular concerns including:
• The local highway network experiences significant congestion during peak
hours, with key junctions operating beyond design capacity according to the
Strategic Transport Assessment.
• Junction capacity issues would be exacerbated by additional traffic from the
development, with limited scope for meaningful improvement due to physical
constraints.
• The site's location would necessitate car journeys for almost all daily needs,
contradicting sustainable transport policies and climate change commitments.
Utilities and Services Under Pressure
• Water supply infrastructure is insufficient for major development, with Severn
Trent Water's Resource Management Plan identifying the area as a "water
stressed zone" with limited capacity for additional connections.
• Wastewater treatment capacity is severely limited, with local treatment works
operating near permitted capacity according to the Water Cycle Study.
• Healthcare services in the area are already stretched beyond capacity, with
local medical centres operating above recommended patient-to-GP ratios and
no physical capacity for expansion on their current sites.
• Educational facilities have limited capacity for growth, with local schools
already at or near capacity and limited options for expansion.

Environmental Constraints
Biodiversity and Wildlife Impacts
• Site X1 contains or directly impacts significant ecological assets:
o The site includes known wildlife corridors that provide essential
connectivity between designated habitat areas.
o Comprehensive ecological surveys in the vicinity have documented
multiple protected species including bats, great crested newts, and
priority bird species that would be threatened by development.
o The Habitat Regulations Assessment raises concerns about potential
adverse effects on nearby protected sites through increased recreational
pressure, water quality degradation, and air quality impacts.
• The site contains irreplaceable habitats:
o Ancient and veteran trees are present within or adjacent to the
development area, representing irreplaceable habitats that cannot be
mitigated through new planting.
o Mature hedgerows with significant ecological and historical value would
be fragmented or lost.
• Water quality issues pose significant concerns:
Development would increase surface water runoff into local
watercourses already failing to meet "good ecological status" under the
Water Framework Directive.
o The site's development risks pollution to groundwater resources in an
area identified as having high groundwater vulnerability.
Landscape Character and Heritage
• The distinctive rural character of the landscape would be fundamentally altered
by development:
o The Warwickshire Landscape Character Assessment identifies this area
as having high sensitivity to change that would be irreparably damaged by
development.
o The site contributes significantly to the rural setting of nearby historic
settlements
• The setting of heritage assets would be compromised:
o The development would adversely affect the setting of multiple listed
buildings and non-designated heritage assets in the vicinity.
o Important views and vistas that contribute to the area's distinctive
character would be permanently lost.
Agricultural Land and Soil Quality
• Site X1 includes significant areas of high-quality agricultural land (classified as
Grade 2 and 3a under the Agricultural Land Classification system) which
represents some of the best and most versatile farmland in the country.
• The National Planning Policy Framework emphasizes the importance of
protecting such high-quality agricultural land, which once developed is lost
forever as a food production resource.
• At a time of increasing food security concerns and with Brexit implications for UK
agriculture, the loss of prime agricultural land is particularly concerning.
Climate Change and Flood Risk Considerations
• The site includes areas at elevated risk of flooding:
o Parts of the site lie within or adjacent to Flood Zones 2 and 3 as identified
in the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment.
o Climate change models predict increased rainfall in the region by 15-20%
during winter months by 2050, making flood-prone areas even more
vulnerable.
o Surface water flooding is already a documented issue in parts of the site
and surrounding areas.
• Development would increase carbon emissions:
o The car-dependent nature of the location would generate significant
additional vehicle movements, contradicting climate emergency
declarations by both district councils.
o The carbon embodied in the greenfield land would be released,
representing a loss of natural carbon storage capacity estimated at 30-50
tonnes of carbon per hectare.

Questionable Housing Need
Demographic Projections
• The Office for National Statistics has revised its latest projected rate of
population growth for the UK down from earlier forecasts, with the 2022-based
projections showing a 7.3% increase rather than the earlier 15.8% forecast.
• Much of the projected population increase is in older age groups, with a 43%
projected increase in residents over 75 by 2043, suggesting a need for specialist
housing rather than large-scale general development.
• Internal migration patterns indicate a shift away from rural areas towards urban
centres that offer better services and employment, as documented in the
Housing Market Assessment.
Housing Market Analysis
• Current housing stock in South Warwickshire includes significant numbers of
vacant (2.7%) and second homes (3.1%) according to the latest Housing Stock
Survey, suggesting that better utilisation of existing stock could address some
housing need.
• Housing affordability remains a key issue, but evidence from the Affordable
Housing Viability Assessment suggests large-scale market housing development
does little to improve affordability.
• Recent developments in the area have consistently failed to deliver the
promised affordable housing percentages, with actual delivery averaging 22%
against targets of 35-40%.
• The Barford Neighbourhood Plan conducted a detailed housing needs
assessment which identified a limited need for just 10-15 additional affordable
homes and a small number of smaller market homes for downsizing, rather than
large-scale development.
Economic Considerations
• Job creation in the area does not match the scale of proposed housing growth,
with the Economic Development Strategy forecasting just 0.8% annual
employment growth.
• Many new residents would likely commute out of the district, creating dormitory
settlements rather than sustainable communities, as evidenced by current
commuting patterns showing 40% of residents working outside the district.
• Small and medium-sized businesses in the area report difficulty expanding due
to various factors, suggesting limited employment growth potential according to
the Business Survey.

Case Studies: Relevant Development Impacts
Bremridge Close Development, Barford
• This relatively small development (29 homes) resulted in significant unexpected
impacts:
o Traffic congestion at nearby junctions increased by 37% during peak
hours
o School capacity was immediately exceeded, requiring temporary
classroom installation
o Surface water drainage problems emerged in heavy rainfall events,
affecting existing properties
o The promised affordable housing component was reduced from 40% to
25% during the planning process
o Biodiversity monitoring showed a net loss of habitat value despite
mitigation measures
Similar Development Sites in South Warwickshire
• Other comparable developments in South Warwickshire demonstrate the risks
associated with Site X1:
o Healthcare services became overwhelmed with new patient
registrations, increasing average wait times for GP appointments from 5
to 14 days.
o Local road networks experienced significant congestion at peak times,
with junction delays increasing substantially.
o Character of historic village centres was compromised according to
Conservation Area Reviews.
o Wildlife corridor disruption led to documented decline in bat activity and
other wildlife compared to pre-development baseline surveys.
o The promised integration of new communities with existing settlements
often failed to materialise, with distinct social separation emerging.
Alternate Approaches
Rather than pursuing the fundamentally flawed development of both Site X1 and Land
on the East side of Church Lane, Barford, sustainable alternatives include:
1. Respect for Adopted Neighbourhood Plans: The Barford Neighbourhood Plan
exemplifies a community-led approach to identifying appropriate small-scale
development sites within existing settlement boundaries that respect local
character and meet genuine local needs.
2. Focus on Brownfield Regeneration: The South Warwickshire Brownfield
Register identifies 37 sites with the potential for 1,842 homes, which should be
prioritised before considering greenfield development at locations like Site X1.
3. Urban Densification: Opportunities exist to sensitively increase density in
urban areas with existing infrastructure, particularly in Leamington, Warwick, and Stratford town centres, where accessibility to services and sustainable
transport options is higher.
4. Infrastructure-Led Development: Any significant new development should
follow the "infrastructure first" approach outlined in the Infrastructure Delivery
Plan, ensuring that transportation, healthcare, education, and utilities capacity
precedes, rather than follows, housing development.
5. Respect for Environmental Constraints: The Natural Environment Strategy and
local Neighbourhood Plans both emphasise the importance of respecting
environmental constraints and protecting the distinctive character of the area.

Conclusions
The proposed development of Site X1 represents an unsustainable, inappropriate, and
harmful approach to meeting housing needs in South Warwickshire. The evidence
presented demonstrates conclusively that this site faces significant constraints that
make it unsuitable for development. The existing infrastructure is inadequate, with
limited potential for enhancement; environmental constraints are substantial and
include irreplaceable natural assets; and the actual housing need, when carefully
analysed, appears less urgent than often portrayed.
Furthermore, the proposal contradicts established planning principles and
democratically adopted local plans, which represent the clearly expressed wishes of
local communities. Recent experience with similar developments in the area provides
clear evidence of the negative impacts that would result.
I strongly urge the rejection of the proposed development at Site X1 and the adoption of
more sustainable, appropriate approaches to meeting genuine housing needs in South
Warwickshire.