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Whitnash Town Council would like to see a plan for the development of Warwick
District which meets the real future needs of its people, enhances the environment
and improves the quality of life.
Whitnash Town Councillors understand the need for more housing in Warwick
District. However, Councillors are opposed to the density of the development sites
which have been identified in the Revised Development Strategy and the fact that
they are all located in the south of the district. There should be a more equal
distribution of development sites across the district. The impact on Whitnash Town
and its residents is great. Such an excess of proposed developments will be
detrimental to residents as well as the environment, and does not adhere to the
specific principles relating to the key elements of Sustainable Development as per
page 8 of the Revised Development Strategy.
Furthermore:
1. The level of housebuilding proposed may exceed the actual population growth
and demand within the District. The projected housing need of more than
12,000 new homes is too high. We are not convinced with the methodology
that has been used to predict the level of growth needed for the area. We also
feel that forecasting so far ahead cannot possibly give accurate numbers.
2. Building on yet more land around Whitnash will leave little green land left. The
current proposals would just merge our built-up areas and create a single
suburban sprawl. We don't want to lose our green fields. Green land here is
just as important as the Green Belt to the north of Leamington and Warwick,
and should be safeguarded just as strongly.
3. The increase in traffic on our roads will have a huge detrimental impact. With
so much development planned, there will be a phenomenal rise in cars and the
existing road network will be unable to support such an increase. This includes
the bridges over the River Avon which need to be crossed to get to the town
centres of Leamington and Warwick, as well as Warwick Hospital and many
other services. With so much housing concentrated to the south of the town
centres, roads will be severely congested. Access from this area is already
becoming extremely difficult due to already congested bottleneck river bridges.
4. Following on from the previous point, there is a need to improve the air quality
around Warwick and Leamington as it currently exceeds Government
standards. With the proliferation of cars, pollution will increase and air quality
will continue to decrease. This will have an impact on the general fabric of the
area and the long-term health of residents will be affected.
5. Infrastructure needs to be in place sooner rather than later when any
development has been agreed, in order to putt less pressure on already
stretched resources.
6. Whitnash Town Councillors object to the proposed development of land at
Woodside Farm:
a. In the current Local Plan, this is an area of restraint and we would like it
to remain so.
b. Woodside Farm is the highest point in Whitnash and any development
will have an adverse visual impact and also affect the character of the
area.
c. Woodside Farm is the last remaining green area attached to Whitnash
and the loss of this would have a significant impact on the rural
landscape when approaching Whitnash from the south.
d. The high volume of traffic will impact on entrances and exits in Whitnash.
Traffic access from Tachbrook Road is impractical due to the already
high volumes of traffic.
e. The steep incline of land at Woodside Farm, if developed, would mean
flooding of Tachbrook/Harbury Lane, areas that already flood despite it
being a modern junction.
f. Local schools and medical centres are already full.
7. Whitnash Town Councillors object to the proposed development of land south of
Fieldgate Lane:
a. In the current Local Plan, this is an area of restraint and we would like it
to remain so.
b. Development of the Fieldgate Lane site was refused before following
objections from the County Engineers about access from the Whitnash
Road/Golf Lane junction. Nothing has changed at the junction but the
traffic is now greater so the problem is worse.
c. Additional housing will have an impact on schools, medical centres and
local amenities in Whitnash.
d. Access to this development and increased traffic on Golf Lane and
surrounding areas is a major concern.
e. Flooding in the area is also a concern.
f. The Leamington and County Golf Club, has been in Golf Lane for over
100 years and part of the course runs alongside the Golf Lane extension
(a single lane track). If residential development is to go ahead, this track
would need to be widened which would have a negative impact on the
historic golf course. There is also the danger of wayward golf balls on
nearby residential properties.
8. The proposed sites for Gypsies and Travellers are also heavily concentrated in
the south of the district, giving little consideration to our environment and to the
impact on infrastructure. Referring specifically to the proposed site on Harbury
Lane (GTO4), its location does not meet the criteria:
a. It has no convenient access to public transport - it is not on a bus route
and there is no footpath.
b. It is adjacent to a site earmarked for development (Woodside Farm)
which is an area at risk of flooding.
c. Harbury Lane is a fast and busy road - cars often have to be guided off
the football ground site by a person standing across the road checking
when it is safe to manoeuvre.
d. None of these sites are within close proximity of schools, doctors or a
post office for them to change their benefit cheques.
Whitnash residents strongly oppose the Revised Development Strategy and have
voiced their opinions to the Town Council. They are also very concerned about the
severe impact the proposed developments will have on our town. As a Town
Council, we listen to our residents and do our best to support them and represent
them.
Referring to the letter we sent on 27 July 2012 in response to the preferred options
consultation, the comments we made in that letter are still applicable. Please find
attached a copy of that letter which we would like you to include as part of our
response to the Revised Development Strategy.
We feel that more consideration should to be given to views raised by Whitnash
Town Council, Whitnash residents and our neighbouring towns before the Local
Plan is finalised.