BASE HEADER

Gwrthwynebu

ID sylw: 6528

Derbyniwyd: 24/09/2009

Ymatebydd: Julian Humphreys

Decision by CWS to set a target of less than 11,000 houses for the whole WDC area falls way below Warwickshire needs or could comfortably accommodate around such a vast area. By surrendering part of its quota to Coventry aware that Coventry does not have capacity gifts the right to dictate where Warwickshires houses will be built whilst expanding its own borders and council tax revenue.
Proposal to concentrate building in small number of large housing sites alongside existing built up areas, completely contradicts strategic objective as well as ignoring green paper 'Houses for the future:more affordable, more sustainable', to dampen down house price inflation by providing more affordable housing in areas where demand outstrips supply.
Villages and rural communities are in decline and unlikely to survive unless there is a significant move to provide affordable housing and employment opportunities needed in these affected areas. Locations proposed will only contribute to this decline. Need to promote growth around villages and market towns sympathetically and proportionate to needs and not just build for the sake of it. Cannot afford for towns and neighbouring cities to get any bigger.
Kings Hill site previously rejected due to green belt status and preservation of identity of towns like Kenilworth preventing them becoming a suburb of Coventry.
Great importance placed on natural environment yet area most at risk south of Coventry is exactly the type of land it sets out to protect.
Kings Hill not a brown field site but highly productive agricultural land, rich in wildlife and home to ancient ponds, field boundaries, woodlands and sites of historic interest. Its importance should over ride Coventry's political ambitions and strategic importance placed in its location within prescribed long term strategy to limit building along north-south corridor described by sub-regional forums vision.
Whilst vision is to provide housing to 2026, it appears unlikely that demand is now realistic since target for 3 million homes was arrived at based on extrapolation several years ago at a time of unparalleled and seemingly endless house price inflation. While it is expected that market will recover and demand will return, it is inconceivable that combination of conditions that led to 3 million figure will be reached.