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We are writing to you in objection to the proposed development in Old Milverton and Blackdown
contained in Warwick District Councils'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. It improves the quality of living of the whole surrounding urban areas. It
provides character to the surrounding historical towns and environmental benefits such as filtering
the effects of noise and improving air pollution from the ever increasing transport traffic. Indeed
the plan proposes to destroy what is in effect a rare and perfect example of a Greenbelt area, which
should instead preserved and replicated.
We wish to remind that 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 5 purposes of Greenbelt listed below and
set out in the NPPF and therefore should remain as open Greenbelt land for ever as it:
* Prevents the unrestricted sprawl of Leamington to the north
* Prevents the merging of Leamington and Kenilworth
* Helps safeguard the countryside from encroachment
* Helps preserve the setting and special character of Leamington as a historic town
* 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.
Please reconsider your Preferred Options.