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Warwick District Council
Local Plan
Preferred Option 9: Loes Farm AKA Woodloes Park

Having recently been made aware of this proposed development I would like to strongly object to the proposed building of 180 houses with 40% of them being earmarked as affordable.

I purchased my property in 2006 with the understanding that it was positioned within Greenbelt land. My non working farm with its 4 acres of land was once part of the Loes Farm estate. I already suffer with one of my boundary lines running alongside the A46 Warwick Bypass with my other main boundary line running along the edge of the proposed development for approximately 0.28km meaning the impact of this 'Preferred Option 9' hits me more than anyone else in the area.

I have reviewed as many Warwick District Council reports as possible and have been lucky enough to be included in a strong local community consultation, which has the spirit to approach the so called 'Preferred Option 9' with a well thought out and common sense approach to the District Councils local plan goals.

My observations.

Greenbelt:
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that the Government attaches great importance to Greenbelts and that the fundamental aim of Greenbelt is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open.

Green Belt serves five purposes:
* To check the unrestricted sprawl of large built up areas
* To prevent neighboring towns merging into one another
* To assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment
* To preserve the setting and special character of historic towns
* To assist its urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land

The Greenbelt in Guys Cliffe - Loes Farm fulfils the 5 purposes of Greenbelt set out in the NPP Framework and therefore should remain Greenbelt land for ever. It prevents the unrestricted sprawl of Warwick north from merging into Leek Wootton and then ultimately Kenilworth. These policies help safeguard our countryside from encroachment.

It preserves the phenomenal setting and special character of Guys Cliffe (one of two Geological Designated Sites within Warwick as outlined in Warwick District Councils Green Infrastructure Study 2010) and is now the only remaining rural entrance to the County Town of Warwick.

I find that this proposed destruction of a significant portion of Warwick's Green Belt will impact massively on both current and future generations.

This site has great recreational value to the local community. It is enjoyed by many runners, horse riders, walkers and cyclists. With Woodloes Lane forming part of the Millennium Way its removal will greatly effect the scenic path through the Heart of the England countryside.

The proposed site is a very small option in comparison to other preferred sites and some of the sites that the District Council have ruled out (which is still not fully clear why in some instances). It will not be able to take on a character of its own, as it will become an extension of the Woodloes Housing Estate.
Warwick Districts Green Space Strategy for 2012 - 2026
Section 1.4 - Value of green space states:
The green spaces in and around our towns and rural areas, improve the health, wellbeing and quality of life of individuals. Their place is at the heart of our communities, helping to make them stronger and safer and ensuring that the places in which we live and work are more sustainable and attractive.

They inspire young and old alike, shaping our views on where we live and who we are, encouraging responsibility, self-worth, environmental stewardship and civic pride.

Green spaces are important to people and the environment for a host of reasons and provide places:
* Where people can become healthier;
* Where the natural and built environments can connect;
* Where people can meet, engage and integrate;
* That helps us learn social skills with our peers;
* That stimulates minds, helping us explore and learn new skills;
* Which can help counteract the effects of climate change;
* That act as a focus for community events and activities;
* That host and preserve our shared cultural heritage;
* That contributes positively to the conservation of habitats and species;
* Which enhance the visual value of our landscape and townscape.

Some wonderful words but really does lack substance and understanding from some of the councilors and planners I have spent time listening to over recent weeks.

There seems to have been vast amounts of sites surveyed over the last 10 years. One of those reports is the Warwick District Habitat Assessment under taken in 2008 makes reference to 39 sites with over 1872.8 hectares to there credit.

'Proposed Option 9' - Woodloes Park/Loes Farm (MAP 22) within that report shows the initial site area being proposed at 33.5 Hectares available which I'm now told has dropped to circa 12 Hectares. With the vast level of sites available offering 1853.3 Hectares, I see very little common sense being applied to the selection of 'Proposed Option 9'

I believe there has been a lack of consideration of less sensitive sites, such as those noted below:

Baginton/ Coventry Airport
Hampton Magna
Hatton
Barford
Baddesley Clinton
Bubbenhall
Eathorpe
Hampton on the Hill
Offchurch
Stoneleigh
Lapworth
Leek Wootton
Norton Lindsey
Rowington
Shrewley
Burton Green
Bishop's Tachbrook
Kingswood
Harbury
Radford Semele & several other villages, including places nearer to Coventry - where there is likely to be considerable new employment opportunities in the future.

Biodiversity
Warwick District Habitat Assessment shows (Map 22) a high level of ecological significance due to the number of mature trees, old pasture grassland, water bodies and the species rich hedgerow. The grassland within this parcel is significant due to the presence of mature anthills and ridge and furrow. The statement 'This grassland dominates the parcel and therefore the parcel is not favorable for development'.

The meadow habitat is significant and consists of butterfly and moth species (which include a species thought until recently to be extinct in Warwickshire), and the site contains at least 2 species of bat, a colony of native bluebells, and is rich in bird life including woodpeckers and 2 species of owl (with occasional barn owls in addition). National Policy states that land of lower biodiversity value should be used ahead of land of higher biodiversity.

There are 13 significant trees of which at least 3 are over 100 years old, and the hedgerows date back to the 1700s. All of which, if removed, will have an adverse impact on the adjoining Guy's Cliffe Park and Garden identified by English Heritage as a site of special historical interest. It is only Warwick Castle that surpasses these credentials in our Warwick.

Other considerations:

* Obviously the increased pressure on local schools and social infrastructure seems to have been lightly considered.

* Pressure on the local road network, including the assumed access on Primrose Hill along with the Coventry Road will be unbearable and the road infrastructure needed to accommodate these 180 houses does not provide a positive outcome for any local community.

* If there is to be more employment opportunities at Stoneleigh, Coventry Airport and Coventry Gateway then place the housing as close to these sites as possible as the reduced fuel cost to the employee and the reduced CO2 will obviously benefit ALL. Local employment opportunities are largely situated south of the river. Here you will also find vibrant businesses looking to expand their work force. Additionally, with the smart use and promotion of the empty premises in Heathcote, Sydenham and Tachbrook commercial development areas can become a huge solution to the local plan. This would surely reignite the plans to focus on the nearness to employment opportunities to housing development south of the river (having previously been shelved due to lack of vision).

* With the Police head quarters at Leek Wootton & the Fire Station at Leamington both closing, who will provide the emergency services in this grossly enlarged area (Coventry is too far for anyone to respond quickly) plus the ambulance station & hospital are both already working at capacity.

Whilst I fully understand why there is a need for the Local Plan, I do believe there are many, many other solutions before you need to take this beautiful landscape out of Warwick's limited collection.

Please reconsider your Preferred Options.