Testun llawn:
We would like to register the strongest objections to the proposed North Leamington Development, contained in the Local Plan. Our reasons are several, as follows:
* The designation of areas of Green Belt was done for a reason and that reason has not changed. It is not possible to put a price on the amenity value of having ready access to green areas for walkers and people enjoying other recreational pursuits. These enrich the human experience and must never be sacrificed unadvisedly. This area is extremely blessed with wild life, which will be obliterated by the proposed development. When will we realise that we should be responsible custodians of our environment, not despoilers? Surely the destruction of rain forests provides enough evidence that there is no going back, once the vandalism has been perpetrated! The Green Belt must be preserved.
* One of the principles of Green Belt strategy was to avoid urban sprawl - the current proposals clearly ignore this and would destroy the distinctive character of the areas affected. They also constitute the "thin end of a wedge", in contravention of the strategy to avoid urban sprawl.
* As populations grow there is obviously a need for additional housing. However, we have a sacred trust to pass onto succeeding generations the kind of environment that encapsulates the very reasons why people choose to come to live here.
* It is fundamental that we make maximum use of existing brown field sites before considering any incursion into areas designated as Green Belt. These should be exhaustively pursued and utilised to the maximum. We must not allow the easy profits of developers to influence our longer term obligation to preserve what is good about our environmental inheritance.
* There is no convincing evidence that these proposals prove to be "the very exceptional circumstances" required by the National Planning Policy Framework.
* It is important that we encourage local people to shop within the Leamington area and preserve the special nature of the retail shopping experience. Independent shops are currently having severe problems in remaining profitable; we must aim to increase the variety of retail outlets to bring prosperity and vitality to the area and improve existing parking facilities. Any additional difficulties in accessing the town will inevitably drive people to use "out of town" facilities.
* There have been instances of flooding in some of the areas included in the proposals. Further concreting of land on the scale proposed will exacerbate these possibilities, unless significant expense is incurred in avoidance schemes and huge infrastructure changes, which will blight what is treasured today.
* In an age when "transparency" is a watchword for the activities of government and public authorities, at least the Executive Summary of the Local Plan, produced in May 2012, should have been circulated in hard copy form promptly to all residents affected. Posting on-line documentation alone gives the impression of a local authority that wants to exclude a proportion of the population and to railroad its proposals, with scant regard for the wishes of residents who support the area and pay their community charge.
We believe that the Local Plan is very bad for this area and we hope that wiser councils will prevail by those who wish Leamington to prosper in the long term. We, therefore urge that the current proposals be rejected.