BASE HEADER

I object to the proposed development in Old Milverton and Blackdown contained in Warwick
District Council'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.
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 five purposes of Greenbelt set out
in the NPPF and therefore should remain as open Greenbelt land for ever.
It:
1. Prevents the unrestricted sprawl of Leamington to the north
2. Prevents the merging of Leamington and Kenilworth
3. Helps safeguard the countryside from encroachment
4. Helps preserve the setting and special character of Leamington (a historic town)
5. 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.