Testun llawn:
I live just off the Old Milverton Road in Albert Street in Leamington Spa. I've lived here with my family for the last four years and really enjoy the area, it's proximity to the town centre, quiet roads for cycling with my daughter and open spaces and parks. I am very concerned to hear about plans to develop in the area and so am writing to you to record my objection. There are a number of different grounds which I've laid out below:
As far as I can tell from the information that I've seen the proposals will develop a large area of green belt land which is currently used extensively by me and others for relaxing. My family and I frequently walk across the paths to Old Milverton, last year making crumbles from the fruit in the hedgerows and cordial from the elderflower. Alternative open 'wild' spaces are some way away and so developing this land will certainly remove this valuable amenity and the opportunity to teach my children about nature (not to mention the productive agricultural land for the farmer).
As far as I can tell, according to the National Planning Policy Framework, this land is treated as greenbelt and shouldn't be developed unless no alternative sites can be found. However alternative brown field sites have been found, do exist and give better connections to both existing transport routes and the town centre. I understand that this option has not been fully considered because of the perceived need to spread development around, however I cannot see this a) as representing evidence based policy, and b) as exceptional circumstances required in the NPPF to develop green belt land. Indeed I believe development can only take place on green belt land where there are no feasible alternatives - but in this case the feasible alternatives have been identified, just not adequately considered. I understand that this area may be less attractive to developers because it is not such a desirable place to live, but I fail to see this as adequate special circumstances for building on green belt. One of the purposes of the land is to prevent sprawl and disturbance of the character of historic towns and villages - yet the proposal would do just that. Ultimately and most confusingly however, the proposals seem to ignore the studies undertaken by Warwick District Council which concluded these areas are of high green belt value.
I understand the development includes some new out of town stores. I cannot see how this sits with the policy so trumpeted by government of reinvigorating high streets. Indeed only last week I understand the high street in the south of Leamington secured a grant to aid development so how at the same time are there plans aimed at undermining this? The independent retailers which make Leamington and Warwick popular and useful places to shop will certainly suffer the most as their margins are far tighter than the high street chains and ultimately many may have to close, which would be a great loss to the high street and weaken the draw of them for visiting shoppers.
Additional traffic resulting from the development, to and from Leamington on the Old Milverton road would also make this a far more dangerous place to cycle along to the local schools and parks - the current traffic calming measures already do little to reduce traffic and keep it to the speed limit. Developing roads to dual carriageways will only serve to add further traffic congestion to to the Kenilworth Road and Blackdown roundabout, as well as spoiling the currently pretty access to Leamington. Adding an additional road junction to the A46 and associated relief road will only be useful to those who work outside of Leamington and Warwick and will not help to add money into the local economy. Additionally this road is to be created at vast expense, money which would be better spent on ensuring adequate public services, facilities and maintaining existing roads - not to mentions social care and other important public uses. Once built this road would not only invade the delicate ecosystem of the river Avon, but also serve as a marker up to which future developments would gradually creep.
Finally I cannot understand why:
a) these additional homes must be built - apparently purely to serve as a buffer in current plans. Confusing as there are current developments which are still not full and only partially developed, such as the old Potterton boiler site
b) why other existing brownfield sites could not be further developed to reinvigorate local communities and take advantage of what is currently wasteland. This should surely be the first option in all cases well before even approaching consideration of developing green belt. The only motivation I can see is ease and profit for a developer, a developer who has not interest in the long term view of an area and simply wishes to make as much money as possible. Hardly adequate reasoning for such a violation of our natural spaces.
I would be grateful if you could update me at all stages with this development proposal (and am slightly surprised that given the area in which I live is likely to be so significantly affected, I have had no communication from the council about these plans either directly or via local media).