BASE HEADER

I am writing to you to lodge my objection against the development of housing on Green Belt land in North Leamington Spa.

The land proposed to be developed to the North of Leamington, in the area of Old Milverton, is an important amenity to local people for exercise and recreation, as there is very little other publicly accessible space in this area. It is vital to the health and wellbeing of the residents of this area that they have continued access to such existing amenities.

Additionally, this designated Green Belt should not, in my opinion, be developed, the very nature of established Green Belt Land is to identify important areas where development would be detrimental to the surrounding population and the area as a whole. This proposal is not inline with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and I do not believe that Warwick District Council have demonstrated sufficient 'exceptional circumstances' to gain an exemption to build on this Green Belt Land. The Preferred Options paper does not, in my opinion, provide sufficient evidence under NPPF to permit this development.

The council has identified land to the east of Europa Way (A452) and south of Heathcote towards Bishops Tachbrook that would provide suitable alternatives and I ask why these have not been included in the Preferred Options paper? The current Preferred Options policy of 'distributing development around the District' is not part of the NPPF.

I also believe that development in this area will represent 'the thin end of the wedge' towards coalescence of the urban areas of Leamington Spa and Kenilworth. It is recognised good planning policy to avoid such coalescence. I also believe that the development of a Northern Relief road in these current financial circumstances is a necessary but expensive byproduct of this proposed development and such a level of public money could be spent better on the redevelopment of existing Brownfield Sites and change of use.

Overall, I strongly object to this proposed development.