Testun llawn:
We wish to register our objections to the proposed development of 180 houses , on land owned by Loes Farm, as part of the Warwick District Council's new Local Plan. We understand the site will be on the field on the other side of Woodloes Lane opposite Congreave, Drayton Court and Eliot Close from the cottage to the bypass.
This area was not included in the previous local plan- why now?
In an Ecology survey 2008 the land was deemed unfavourable for development- what has changed?
1. This site has been classified Green Belt for many decades. It allows the separate character and identity between Leek Wootton and Warwick to be maintained. If this site is developed then at some point in the future the areas between Kenilworth, Leek Wootton and Warwick will disappear and will be seen as a suburban extension of Royal Leamington Spa.
2. The Loes Farm site is classed as an area of historical, landscape significance. It is claimed that the development will not be seen from the Coventry Road. We wish to point out that our house on Drayton Court can be seen. Therefore any houses built on the brow of the land rise will be clearly seen from the Coventry Road and once built the landscape will be changed forever.
3. There is a proposal that access to this site will be from a new roundabout on Primrose Hill, Woodloes Park, opposite Woodloes Avenue North. Traffic from the proposed development would generate about an extra 200 vehicles, all of which will have to travel along Primrose Hill. Traffic turning left would create extra pressure on the Woodloes Roundabout on the Coventry Road adding to the existing congestion. At peak times traffic is bumper to bumper and gridlocked. Also there will be extra pressure at the junction of Woodloes Avenue South which already suffers from queues and is a site of accidents. Traffic turning right would create extra pressure on the Cape Road junction and the roundabout on the Birmingham Road. Extra traffic would also make it harder for pedestrians' safety in crossing Primrose Hill.
4. The proposed site is of special environmental significance with ancient hedgerows and Oak trees and their attendant habitats. We have Bats flying in this area. We understand there may be two species of bats living here. All the wildlife and habitats will be destroyed by this development and cannot be replaced.
The destruction of this Green Belt space and its consequences on the environment/habitats to provide this proposed development is not justified. There are still brown field sites and possible redevelopment of existing buildings ( eg site of the Ridgeway school, the empty offices in Northgate Street) which could provide the space/accommodation for these 180 homes/families without destroying the Green Belt areas and the character of Warwick.
Please note the foregoing and register our objections to the proposed development of land on Loes farm.