BASE HEADER

I am writing to strongly object to the draft Plan's proposal to build on the green belt to the north of Leamington Spa.

There are a number of reasons for this.

First, the principle of retaining the Green Belt is not one to be overturned lightly. Once this practice begins, the strength of the green belt in any location is weakened.

Second, extending the town towards the north, will create major additional transport problems. Both the motorway and the railway are readily accessible from the south which contains the major routes into Leamington but additional houses in the north would result in greatly increased traffic through the town, which is already congested.

Third, although the allotments off Northumberland Road are currently excluded as building land, once the rest of the green belt was approved for building the pressure on the allotments would soon become overwhelming and the council would give planning permission for this land as well. This would entail the loss of a major amenity which has major benefits for sustainability, health and environmental policies.

Fourth, I doubt if the scale of the new build would be sufficient to justify the creation of the necessary infrastructure of school, health services, shops etc. which a larger community on non-green belt land elsewhere could sustain.

Please do not proceed with these plans.