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Dear Sir/ Madam
Local Plan Revised Development Strategy proposed developments to the South of Warwick
Please accept this letter as my formal objection to the "New Local Plan" document dated May 2012.
The specific areas I object to are, the housing proposals on:
1) Land at Europa Way and Gallows Hill
And also:
2) Land South of Sydenham and east of Whitnash
3) Land at Woodside Farm, north of Harbury Lane, Whitnash
4) Land west of Europa Way, Warwick
5) Land South of Harbury Lane
My objections are based on the following:
* Air pollution would suffer massively with the increase in traffic that would entail from the
development of the south side of Warwick etc. Currently the air pollution does not meet
European Directives so by adding 3000-4200 houses in this area I cannot see how this could
be improved in any way whatsoever, only that it would become much worse leaving the
residents of the area open to higher health risks associated with poor air quality. I believe that
this is now the responsibility of the Council to ensure that these directives are met (as it is on
the statute) so if Air Pollution was to increase as a result of the new developments I would
suggest they would open themselves for prosecution (possibly) for failing to ensure the health
of its residents or even endangering the health of its residents. Both My Daughter and my
mother suffer from Asthma, any increase in Air pollution would be detrimental to their health
prospects and it is on this point I strongly object.
* On the Understanding that we need further housing I can appreciate that the land the end of
Harbury Lane could be used. This would not lead to such infrastructure problems that people
would start to leave the area as they could not stand the hassles which is the complete
opposite of what is trying to be achieved (in creating a nice environment to live in) but any
further expansion could lead to the above.
* An additional 3000 houses on the south side of the town creates an imbalance to the area as
it would mean that with Warwick Gates and the proposed additions there would be around
4400 houses in that area with only 3 roads to get in to town? (Banbury road, Princes Drive
and Lower Avenue) Taking an average of 2 cars per family that would me there would be an
additional 6000 cars to add to the 2800 already in Warwick Gates. This is a wholly
Kenneth McEwan
8 Trinculo Grove
Warwick Gates
Warwick
CV34 6EG
unacceptable and unfeasible suggestion and myself would look at moving it already takes me
25 minutes some days to get from my house to the Coventry road in Warwick.
* Large estates lack social cohesion which leads to anti social behaviour and poor education
performance. This proposal is the same size as Warwick Gates, Chase Meadow and Hatton
Park all put together; what kind of community is likely to be born as a result of this
development? Especially as 40% will be social / council housing in an area with poor transport
links to the areas that give the most support to the under privileged i.e. the town centres.
* We think that such a number of new homes contradicts the vision that Warwick District
Council has, "providing a mix of historic towns and villages set within a rural landscape of
open farmland and parklands".
* Utilities, Services (Police, Dentists, and Doctors etc.) are all stretched to the limit now. With
both the major hospitals only accessible across congested bridges over the river Avon, we
fear for how long it will take emergency cases to get the medical resource they need. Siting
the vast majority of the Housing does not help this problem and indeed exacerbates it.
* The huge increase in traffic arising from at least 8000 new cars in this area will result in
pollution and add to existing air quality problems in Warwick and Leamington town centres. At
peak times the traffic along Europa Way (even as far as the J14 M40), Gallows Hill,
Tachbrook Road and Tachbrook Park Drive are grid locked, your proposed development is
situated right along these roads, simply adding to the congestion already experienced. So far
you have failed to fix the current problems and there is no evidence on your part to suggest
that you will, even for when this proposed development is complete on the contrary the town
planners admitted that the current situation would not get any better in the future. Recent
studies that were conducted noted that nearly 75% of all traffic was pass through traffic i.e. did
not reside in Warwick add extra traffic and you have a recipe for disaster.
*
* We see no sense in carpeting our green spaces with housing for a mobile population to travel
elsewhere. Our remaining agricultural land should be preserved to feed future generations.
As Stratford-upon Avon district council have released plans to build a new town /village of up to
4800 homes at Lighthorne Heath/ Ashorne Is there actually a need for such a huge new
development South of Warwick. Why did you not decide to create a brand new settlement within
the district (like Norton Lindsey) maybe below the A46/J15 inter-change where direct links to the
road network are very easily accessible? A new town there would have fantastic access to Dual
carriage ways and the Motorway network, New schools could be planned including Secondary
Education as most schools are full already
I do believe that some housing maybe needed for organic growth within individual communities;
however, I feel this should be decided at a local level with the support of the local people not
imposed from the Government in a top-down approach as it is at the moment and certainly not to
the numbers you are suggesting. Local sources put the number of required houses at approx
5500 this could be achieved organically by Brownfield and Windfall site development released
over the required period
I feel that the New Local Plan is more of a Developers Charter than a logically thought out
Strategic Housing Development Plan
We urge you to rethink the development placements radically; to look again at regeneration
possibilities in the towns, to work with owners and developers on imaginative schemes to bring
forward brown field sites and possibly a new village/town in a rural position for housing
developments.
I look forward to your response