Testun llawn:
I should like to register my following comments in relation to the current consultation on Warwick DC's New Local Plan with respect to the Kingswood, Lapworth, area:
I should like to register my overall support for Warwick DC's revised new local plan for the Kingswood area. I am reassured to see that account has been taken of residents' concerns about the previous number of houses proposed and believe that the current proposal for 62 houses is proportionate to the area within the village envelope (a proposed increase of 15%). I also recognise that Warwick DC has taken into account the environmental and asthetic impact on a number of originally proposed sites which have now been discounted. I support in principle the sites proposed as they do not include one overall site with a substantial number of properties which would cause significant negative impact. However, I should like Warwick DC to consider the following:
* That a full survey be completed to understand the impact of flooding on all of the proposed sites and that the surrounding areas should be taken into account - ie I believe it could potentially cause flooding issues for other parts of the village if each site is considered only in isolation.
* I believe that the building should take place over the whole period of the plan and not just in the early years to better manage integration and impact.
* I have concerns that the impact of windfall has not yet been clarified/explored and would not want to see 62 houses built only for further housing then to be built within the village due to windfall - this would potentially put unacceptable pressure on the location
* Levels of affordable housing. I understand the pressures felt by Warwick DC in its obligation to provide affordable housing within its jurisdiction, and I am supportive of the principle - however I would like Warwick DC to consider that affordable housing within Kingswood at the levels it is proposing is potentially unrealistic. The Council's own data indicates that the majority of residents within Kingswood are witihn professional occupations who travel by car or by train to their employment - there is very limited job opportunities within the village itself and very poor transport links - other than at commuter times into Birmingham city centre (of no use to shift workers for example). Local facilities are also quite expensive and potentially too expensive for occupants within affordable housing. I am supportive of affordable housing being available to those with links to the area (similar to other rural communities with local occupancy clause)- eg older community wishing to remain in the area but wishing to downsize(council's data indicates a signifcant rise in the number of pensioners in the area), and those within the 18-30yrs category that currently struggle to get onto housing market.