BASE HEADER

This feedback on the District Plan relates to the Category 2 villages, and in particular to Norton Lindsey, where I reside.
It is not possible for me to make any comment on the basis of the District Plan, whereby the level of growth is stated as necessary. This clearly depends on many factors, and the assumptions behind this level are only stated in general terms. Suffice to say that between now and the plan projected date of 2029, some of these factors could prove incorrect (indeed are almost bound to prove so), and others may be overtaken by events (for instance a major development opportunity or actual development at present unforeseen).
Therefore, these comments relate largely to the implementation, and specifically the "preferred options" for distribution of sites for housing.
Included in the total of 8,350 are "about 350" in category 2 villages, and although not stated in the plan, it is our understanding that some 80 - 100 are proposed for Norton Lindsey.
The effect of such housing on the existing village would be dramatic. It is difficult to see how such a change in this village (and presumably in other Category 2 villages) could possibly be seen to be consistent with the statement "to make Warwick District a Great Place to Live, Work and Visit" (your caps, not mine!). At present there is wide choice in the area of rural or urban living, and this would be progressively destroyed by these proposals. There are essentially two main roads in Norton Lindsey, and such proposals would generate new traffic of some 100 vehicles per day, since the village itself has none of the facilities that might be expected by such new residents. (see below).
In particular, as has been noted elsewhere, the village of Norton Lindsey (which, incidentally is not even wholly within Warwick District - some parts being Stratford District), has no shop, no post office, only a very restricted bus service (and none to Warwick), no doctor, no cabling for fast telephone, television or broadband, and only one, now ful,l School.
The proposal therefore to build such houses in this location (with no accompanying proposal to upgrade facilities - which would in any case further despoil the existing environment) seems gratuitous. The proposed number of houses could easily be accommodated within any or all of the larger proposed developments, which will in any case need to be provided with new facilities as outlined above. The addition of the small number of houses proposed for category 2 villages amongst the larger proposed developments would not significantly impact either size, nature nor required facilities of those developments.