BASE HEADER

I object to the proposed development in Old
Milverton and Blackdown contained in Warwick District Council's
Preferred Options for the Local plan.

This land has great recreational
value to the local community. It is enjoyed by many runners, riders,
walkers and cyclists.

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.
The Greenbelt in Old Milverton and
Blackdown fulfils the five purposes of Greenbelt set out in the NPPF
and therefore should remain as open Greenbelt land for ever.

It:
1.
Prevents the unrestricted sprawl of Leamington to the north
2. Prevents
the merging of Leamington and Kenilworth
3. Helps safeguard the
countryside from encroachment
4. Helps preserve the setting and special
character of Leamington (a historic town)
5. Helps urban regeneration,
by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land

There
are other sites which can be developed that are not in the Greenbelt.
These sites, which are mainly to the south of Leamington, were included
in Warwick District Council's previous plan (the 2009 Core Strategy).
Employment opportunities and infrastructure already exists here, and
this land should be used in preference to the Greenbelt.

The NPPF
states that Greenbelt boundaries should only be altered in exceptional
circumstances. As there are alternative sites, there are no exceptional
circumstances which outweigh the harm caused by altering the Greenbelt
boundaries in Old Milverton and Blackdown and allowing development on
this land.