Testun llawn:
General: We submit our comments on the above with heavy hearts and pessimism that no account will be taken of the points that are made by a very concerned community, who believe our chosen way of life in this lovely Warwickshire area will be destroyed.
Estimated Needs: I question the need for 12,000 new homes in the WDC area. The proposed concentration of 4,5000 homes (1/3 of the total) south of Warwick/Leamington amounts to destroying the green belt - an attractive rural area of the County. This will create an urban sprawl and almost join up Whitnash, Bishop's Tachbrook with Warwick and Leamington. A distribution of houses among all the villages/towns would be fairer and more pleasant for everyone. Is account taken in the draft plant of proposed developments of 1,400 new homes south of Leamington? More use of brownfield sites, such as Ramsay Rd derelict industrial area in Leamington, would be an ideal site for attractive development; bordering on Sydenham estate it would benefit from the existing facilities. It is currently a disgraceful tangle of empty units and overgrown environs. I understand that new homes are proposed for newcomers from cities and towns. Will the idyllic prospect of a rural life be less attractive when it is no longer rural or attractive.
Warwick and the Castle are the jewels in the crown of the area. Motoring to the Castle from M40, J 13 or 14 presents an outstanding journey past an agricultural landscape; this will be destroyed by a development of the size envisaged and detract from the Warwick experience.
Pollution: The air and noise pollution in Warwick centre itself (already at very high levels), will become a health hazard - and added to pollution from the M40 in this village area, will destroy a peaceful, attractive environment of which the District Council should be proud.
Traffic: Congestion of roads already causes severe problems, consequently we avoid going into Warwick and Leamington at peak times. To drive across the Banbury Road from this village to travel to M40 north, Warwick and Leamington, we sometimes have to journey south to join the convoy of cars from Leamington, Warwick and M40 and then find a turning area before proceeding north!
Access into Warwick and Leamington involves crossing one of the five bridges. The delays even now deter us from shopping in these towns to support local businesses, which WDC should be encouraging. Greenfield development would make residents car-dependent and would further increase the traffic flows into and out of the towns.
Provision of extra traffic-light crossroads at such junctions as Bridge End, Castle Hill, Smith Street would destroy the appearance of these unique historic areas.
Urgent attention should be given to providing a Park and Ride facility from near Greys Mallory Island/A46/M40 to Warwick and Leamington. Other towns, such as Shrewsbury, Stratford, provide successfully this useful facility to maintain the environs of their town centres.
Amenities: The impact of a substantial increase in population on the local hospital facilities and services, including car parking, is a matter of grave concern. Journey times to the hospital are erratic, dependent on traffic flows, and can lead to being late for appointments.
Schools: Some Local schools have already reached their full capacity - particularly if, like our village school, they have worked hard to produce excellent standards, Recently a new family to the village could not get their child into the local school and have to transport him by bus elsewhere, thus aggravating road congestion.
Agricultural: The destruction of good arable land into housing estates is a very worrying effect of the Plan. The country needs to encourage and develop farming to provide food for future generations.
Water Supply/Sewerage Can Severn Trent provide adequate services for such a vast development?