BASE HEADER

Yes

ID sylw: 108652

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Kiely Bros Holdings Ltd

Asiant : Pegasus Group

CROFT FARM, BANBURY ROAD CV37 7NF
11.1.
Pegasus Group is promoting land at Croft Farm, Banbury Road, Stratford for residential development, with potential to deliver up to 2,200 homes, Including a provision of community and social infrastructure, Community Shops, Schools and a drainage strategy, on behalf of Kiely Bros Holdings Ltd. The accompanying Vision Document (see Appendix 1) demonstrates how the Site could accommodate an allocation.
11.2.
The Site has been submitted and analysed through the call for sites exercise: Warwickshire Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) and is identified on the Councils’ interactive maps (South Warwickshire Local Plan (arcgis.com) with Site ref: 70. The site sits 0.64 kilometres southeast of Stratford-upon-Avon and an allocation for residential development is strongly supported. The Site also falls within Priority Area 3, highlighting that it is a preferential location for growth under the selected ‘Sustainable Travel and Economy’ spatial strategy.
11.3.
This section begins by setting out the Site’s context, prior to outlining its development potential and providing a summary of the work which has been undertaken to date to support the Site’s promotion. Assessments of the Site within the evidence base, namely in the South Warwickshire Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) and Preferred Options Sustainability Appraisal, are then considered. are then considered. Overall, it is demonstrated that this is an optimal and sustainable location for growth, which the Councils should allocate for residential development in its entirety.
Site Context
11.4.
The land comprises of agricultural fields and the Site’s has an area of 105 ha. The fields within the boundary are divided by hedgerows and intermittent trees and the Site gently slopes from the south towards the northeastern corner. The 51m contour sits to the western site boundary, the 45m contour to the North East.
11.5.
The main existing access point is from A422 Banbury Road. There are some direct access points along Banbury Road which are currently used for agricultural purposes. In addition, there is a small road (Boundary Lane) within the Site’s boundary which runs which runs north to south from Banbury Road. 11.6.
The Site is currently used for agricultural purposes however, there are a number of existing buildings distributed across the centre, southwest, and west parts of the Site. The existing buildings within the Site are proposed to be retained and enhanced. There are some current low level power lines serving the existing dwellings however this are expected to be replaced or upgraded as part of any future development.
Site Constraints and Designations
11.7.
The Site is not located within the Greenbelt.
11.8.
According to the Government’s Flood Map for Planning, the Site is located within Flood Zone 3 in the north, south and eastern parts and is therefore at a risk of surface water flooding. The high-risk flooding areas are located within the existing River Avon ditches within the Site and run south to north. These would be excluded from any potential future development but will form part of the natural enhancement of the site, with new nature trails and open access, with potential to materially enhance BNG. There is an existing Public Right of Way running through the centre of the Site, running east to west.
11.9.
Directly adjacent to the east of the Site lies an area of ancient woodland. Any future residential development will be set back from the woodland to ensure no harm arises. There are two Grade II listed buildings within the centre of the Site, which include the stables and attached outbuildings immediately southwest of the Croft’s farmhouse (List Entry Number: 1204073) and the Crofts Farmhouse (List Entry Number: 1187758). The Grade II listed buildings will be retained and enhanced as part of any future development.
Development Potential
11.10.
The Vision Document has been prepared to illustrate how a high-quality, sustainable and landscape led residential allocation could be achieved.
11.11.
The document demonstrates how a residential led masterplan, would enable delivery of new homes, centred around a Central Hub, which would include complementary infrastructure. Including small scale retail provision, a Village Green, a potential Primary School site, and Retirement Village. These would work with the existing Listed Buildings at Croft Farmhouse, such that they become an integral feature of the overall proposal, rather than an adjunct to it. 11.12.
The Vision Document addresses matters of technical delivery, including incorporation of features such as a sustainable drainage strategy, ecology enhancement and Biodiversity Net Gain provision, and an accessibility strategy, to the three proposed allocation phases.
11.13.
As noted elsewhere, the site is well related to Stratford upon Avon, and will be more so, should the Strategic Growth Area 19 be progressed to full allocation. There is a good bus service already along the A422, which services both Banbury and Stratford. It would be expected that enhancements to this service, including new bus stops and associated infrastructure, would be delivered in conjunction with any development, and/or the progression of the SG19 SGA.
11.14.
Croft Farm, has genuine potential as an allocation which could deliver an exemplar development, working with both the site’s heritage and landscape features to create a unique sense of place and character. Such a scheme would work especially well in conjunction with progression of the neighbouring Strategic Growth Area.