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Re: Development of Green Belt between Kenilworth and Leamington Spa

We strongly oppose Warwick District Council's plan to destroy the green belt between Kenilworth and Leamington Spa with the development being planned.

We undernote details of our opposition:

The planned development will:

* Result in a "Northern Relief Road" which has no purpose other than to take new home owners quickly on to the A46 and to jobs and shopping opportunities away from our Towns.

* Be another blow to independent retailers in Leamington, Kenilworth and Warwick who make the area attractive places to live. Further "Out of Town" shopping will take trade away from the Towns.

* Not help traffic flows. At peak times the delays on the A452 result from commuters wanting access to the Town centres. Making it a dual carriage way will not help.

* Not comply with the Government's National Planning Policy Framework for development in the Green Belt.

* Violate an important nature corridor along the River Avon.

* Involve construction on the flood plain at Leek Wootton.

* Result in the loss of a significant amount of high quality agricultural land.

* Ignore the views of residents. In response to a previous consultation nearly 60% of respondents opposed development in the Green Belt

We understand that the main alternative sites are South of Leamington and that potential land has been identified and is we understand available. It is also easier to develop, there is the infra structure to support it, and it was in the 2009 Core Strategy plan which was the previous plan that was adopted by Wawick District Council. This previous plan did not involve development in the Green Belt North of Leamington.

We further understand that Warwick District Council emphasise the need to have an evidenced based plan to cater for the needs of the District to 2029. It states that if it is not a "sound plan" the Government Planning Inspector will reject it resulting in a "free for all" by developers. There will not be "a free for all", we understand that if the plan is rejected by the Planning Inspector development would be controlled by Warwick District Council which would still have to approve planning applications.

A "sound plan" does not require development in such an important area of Green Belt. We are informed that in 2009 Warwick District Council approved - A Core Plan for Strategic Growth until 2026 - which catered for more homes than the current plan and did not involve development of the Green Belt between Leamington and Kenilworth.

The Government's National Planning Policy Framework requires there to be "very special circumstances" for there to be development in the Green Belt and for the harm created to the Green Belt to be outweighed by the benefit of the development. Those special circumstances are apparently that there is nowhere else for the homes to be built. The previous plan is direct evidence that this is not the case.

We therefore strongly oppose the current proposals.