I am writing to express my strong objection and disappointment at the proposed plans to develop the greenbelt in Old Milverton and Blackdown for housing. What, after all, is the point of greenbelt if not to protect natural habitats and landscapes?

I fully accept the need for continued, sustainable development, especially for social/affordable housing but find I cannot agree with some of your chosen arguments.

Why has the preferred level of growth been overstated at 10,800 dwellings when 6,986 is sufficient, particularly given the economic conditions and low potential growth? Are you absolutely sure about the housing projections given the economic growth forecasts?

I note that you have opted to develop greenbelt land, at the same time increasing urban sprawl, in preference to infill sites such as Glebe Farm in Lillington. I am at a loss to understand this. Surely that would be a more sensible approach, given the suburban development already completed surrounding this area. What makes this site any less suitable, when the Cricket Club is still listed as a potential site? Why, in addition, were brownfield sites such as the Ford Foundry not allocated for housing at all?

Greenbelt is vitally important and we should preserve it wherever possible for future generations. Warwick and Leamington are highly prized provincial towns and have earned this status through an eclectic mix of an impressive heritage and fabulous architecture combined with multi-cultural communities and a huge amount of facilities. All this surrounded by some of the most beautiful countryside. We are indeed lucky to live here and careless planning can devalue and erode the very substance that makes these towns so attractive.

I do not believe we have reached the last resort or 'special circumstances', where there is nowhere else to turn but to greenbelt. Let us revive and regenerate all brownfield first and ensure our town centres are thriving economic centres. Place housing as close as we can to employment to avoid extra travelling and congestion. Given the ageing population, surely town centre locations are even more important. Similarly for social/affordable housing where car use is less prolific.

I very much hope that you reconsider these proposals. As custodians of our towns you have a duty to explore every alternative first.

I am writing to express my concerns to the proposed development in Old Milverton and Blackdown. featured in the Warwick District Councils's Preferred Options for the Local plan.

The land holds great recreational value to the local community. It is enjoyed by many runners, riders, walkers and cyclists. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that the Government attaches great importance to Greenbelts and that the fundamental aim of Greenbelt is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open.

The Greenbelt in Old Milverton and Blackdown fulfils the 5 purposes of Greenbelt set out in the NPPF and therefore should remain as open Greenbelt land indefinitely. It...

* Prevents the unrestricted sprawl of Leamington to the north
* Prevents the merging of Leamington and Kenilworth
* Helps safeguard the countryside from encroachment
* Helps preserve the setting and special character of L/Spa (a historic town)
* Helps urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other land
There are other sites which can be developed that are not in the Greenbelt. These sites, which are mainly to the south of Leamington, were included in Warwick District Council's previous plan (the 2009 Core Strategy). Employment opportunities and infrastructure already exists here, and this land should be used in preference to the Greenbelt.

The NPPF states that Greenbelt boundaries should only be altered in exceptional circumstances. As there are alternative sites, there are no exceptional circumstances which outweigh the harm caused by altering the Greenbelt boundaries in Old Milverton and Blackdown and allowing development on this land.

The community asks that you reconsider your Preferred Options.

The reported plans to build new houses on the green belt between Old Milverton and Kenilworth, with the accompanying roads and possible new school, shops and other facilities, fill me with dismay, and I would like to object most strongly.
This would result in the destruction of Old Milverton as it is now, and of much of the beautiful countryside that surrounds it. It goes completely against the ethos of the Green Belt, with its provision of a 'green lung' between cities. I am also most concerned about the possible destruction of our allotments, which provide an essential social and health-giving purpose for many of our local residents.
The plan would have a vastly detrimental effect on the quality of life of the whole area, and I firmy oppose it. I speak not just for myself, but for many local people, and all the allotment holders I have spoken to.

I am writing about the proposed building of new housing on the north side of Leamington. During the past 46 years I have walked the public footpaths from Milverton Road & Northumberland Road (via Old Milverton village) to the River Avon, Saxon Mill and Guy's Cliffe. On very many occasions I have taken academics visiting the University of Warwick, from all over the world, along these paths for pleasure and recreation, and without exception they have all said that they could not imagine a more idyllic and historically interesting setting. The approach to one of the world's most famous rivers and history stretching back 1500 years makes a unique location.

John Leland (c.1503-1552) noted its "quietude and beauty". William Camden (1551-1623) wrote "Here have ye a shady little wood, cleere and cristal springs, mossie bottoms and caves, meadows always fresh and greene, the river rumbling here and there among the stones . . . making a mild noise and gentle whispering . . . still quietness most grateful to the Muses". Thomas Fuller (1608-1661) spoke of it as "A most delicious place so that a man in many miles riding cannot meet so much variety".

Records go back to c.500 AD when St Dubritius, whose church was on the site now occupied by Warwick Castle, built an oratory at Guy's Cliffe dedicated to St Mary Magdalene. St Dubritius later became the first Bishop of St David's in Wales. Henry V came to Guy's Cliffe and determined to found a chantry there for two priests. He died before he was able to do this, but Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, carried out Henry's wishes and built the present chapel. Even before this time, Edward III and Henry IV gave letters of protection and salaries to eremites at Guy's Cliffe. And before that there are the legends of Guy himself.

More recently a Tudor house preceded the present Georgian ruin of the Greatheeds and Percys. There can be very few places in England to compare with what we have here. It is unfortunate that we lost the remains of Saxon dwellings by the Avon downstream from Guy's Cliffe in the 1960s. But there must be an alternative to covering the only approach to this unique location with housing estates and a bypass or fast road. Any fast road would completely destroy the village of Old Milverton, and we are surely in danger of losing enough of our villages in this area with the threat of HS2. Are there not alternative possibilities on the south side of Leamington? Wouldn't it make more sense for new housing to be close to the existing retail outlets on Shires Park and the new Morrisons Supermarket on the site of the Ford Foundry? Also has schooling been considered for the children, particularly First Schools?

I would like to think that environmental protection and heritage preservation are not overlooked in urban development. I shall be most grateful if you will consider my concerns.

I would like to explain why I utterly oppose your planned new development of North Leamington.

This is an area where my family have walked, jogged, cycled since moving to this area from the centre of town more than 15 years ago. It is such a special place that brings some much-needed countryisde (rather than parkland) to the centres of Leamington Spa and Warwick and the idea that there might be yet another out of town shopping area is also abhorrent. We need to be bringing people in our towns not moving them away!

I believe that the lovely village of Old Milverton would be ruined by these proposals and there are not that many villages around Leamington that have not already being absorbed by urban crawl. It also feels like it is only a matter of time before Leamington Spa and Kenilworth start to merge which will muddy their very unique identities completely. The agricultural land would disappear too just at a time when we need more locally grown produce.

Your previous plans pointed to non-green belt land in South Leamington. This is where you should be building - on land that has not been allocated as Green Belt. This area is nearer to the M40, has access to existing out-of-town stores (rather than building new ones that will decimate our town centres) and already has infrastructure to support new houses, rather than having to redevelop roads in North Leamington to help with the increased congestion.

Your point about developers making less profit is bogus in my opinion and does not negate the 'Special circumstances' you need to be able to build on Green belt.

Green belt land is there for a purpose. Keep it special please.

I am writing to express my concern at the proposed development of the greenbelt in Old Milverton and Blackdown.

This area is of fundamental importance to maintaining the character and wellbeing of our beautiful town. It prevents urban sprawl between Leamington and Kenilworth and provides a much used leisure facility for runners, walkers and cyclists. The greenbelt in this area fulfils the 5 purposes of greenbelt as set out in the NPPF and therefore should be protected at all costs.

This is particularly so when there is land already identified in the previous 2009 Core Strategy as suitable for development south of the town, and which has the infrastructure already in place.

There has to be 'exceptional circumstances' to allow development on greenbelt land, and this is clearly not the case here.

I am reminded of the analogy of wildlife which has become extinct. Extinct means gone for ever, never to be seen again. This is exactly what would happen if we allow building on this essential and beautiful piece of land. Future generations would only have concrete and roads to look at, rather than the ability to enjoy green, open spaces which are the lungs of our area.

Please do not be persuaded by the developers wish to make financial gain, at the expense of the whole community. You have the power to make the correct choice

I have seen the information regarding the proposed housing developments to the north of Leamington between Old Milverton and Blackdown and would like to add my opinion.

My family and I have lived in Milverton for 30 years and feel privileged to enjoy the benefits of proximity to the center of Leamington but also the ability to access the nearby countryside. For many years my family and friends have walked and jogged across the fields to the north of the current housing area - both across to Old Milverton and then the Saxon Mill and also cutting back across the fields behind the allotments to Northumberlan Road. The paths are always busy as many people take advantage of being able to access the countryside. The ability to enjoy the fields locally adds a quality of life that would be significantly reduced should the fields become a substantial housing development as proposed. North Milverton would never be the same again.

Besides the benefit of the local greenbelt, I can say with confidence that additional housing will cause a major traffic issue. Many people already travel across Leamington from north to south to get to the southern industrial estates. I travel to my employment on the Tachbrook Industrial Estate which often takes 20-30 mins due to congestion - a journey that ought to take 5 - 10 mins. In fact I use 'rat run' routes through the back streets of Leamington to ease the current problem. I cannot see how severeal thousand extra commuters will be able to cross the river unless a new river bridge is built - which I don't believe is in the proposal. North Leamington will be log jammed between 8.00 and 9.00 am. More people will use the 'rat routes' with the additional risk of pedestrian accidents - especially if commuters are rushing.

I also understand that there are tracts of land in south Leamnington and Warwick which will not face the same opposition to building in north Leamington. I cannot see why these areas (South of Warwick Technology Park) for instance, are not being considered. The impact on the local population would be reduced, traffic would not need to cross the river and the greenbelt would be saved. If you can provide me with evidence to the contrary I would be happy to consider it.

Please do not build on North Leamington!

I wish to register my objection to the new Proposed Development Plans.

It would be wrong and irresponsible of planners to damage the North Leamington area which is Green Belt area when there are Brown and White areas which have been completely and utterly ignored.

There is also the additional cost of a whole new infrastructure when the areas where there are brown and white areas already has this in place.

It is also noticeable in Leamington that there are many empty and disused properties in the town itself that could be renovated to become residential accommodation without encroaching on Green Belt areas.

1. Building of houses along Old Milverton Lane seems to me in the wrong place.
2. The proposed new road from the A452 to the A46 through Old Milverton must be scrapped. This will mean the destruction of this village, no more no less and is unacceptable. I can easily see a campaign of civil disobedience if this part of the plan goes through. Apart from this, the destruction of ancient hedgerows along the lane, loss of habitat etc, there will be unacceptable levels of traffic resulting down Old Milverton Lane through, what used to be a quiet residential street until the roundabout at Blackdown was built. All this roundabout did, of course, was to make life easier for drivers to turn Old Milverton Lane into a rat run with a traffic jam at the junction with Rugby Road.

The agenda of making life better for drivers MUST stop. I cycle commute to Coventry every day along Old Milverton Lane and this proposal will exacerbate the careless and thoughtless driving that will entail. Life for residents along the Lane and just off it at the Leamington end will become miserable; journeys to school fraught with danger. None of this is really considered in the plan: it is simply couched in terms of how to make the plan happen and the 'best' way of enabling traffic to serve the plan. This ideology MUST end.

3. As per usual, the apparent lack of provision for cyclists and pedestrians is an issue. There seems little point in arguing this, given the bias against cycling in our society. Any cycling plans MUST involve consultation with and positive bias to cyclists. There's little point in painting white lines on roads with poorly planned breaks to allow cars to carry on their way. The highways department need to have real understanding of this. How many of them cycle to work? I simply ask councillors search YouTube for 'Holland Cycling' to see how a country with the lowest rate of heart disease and highest cycling participation rate does it.

yours in despair

I would like to object to the planned redevelopment in the North of Leamington area between Northumberland Avenue, Guys Cliffe Avenue and Old Milverton / Blackdown. In fact I am appalled that the council is considering this area at all.

The reasons for my objections are as follows.

1. This is one of the very few areas of greenbelt that is accessible to the public, having a number of public footpaths, it is enjoyed by very many walkers, joggers, dog walkers and children.

2. The A452 route into leamington is the only route into leamington that doesn't require visitors to travel through large areas of urban sprawl. The infrastructure to the South and East of the town is far better able to support development

3. There are large areas of greenfield sites around Leamington that could be used to provide housing without the need to redefine the greenbelt boundaries and destroy this area of greenbelt that are designed to prevent the very sort of development now being proposed.

4. There is an obligation on the council to demonstrate that there are exceptional circumstances to redevelop the greenbelt, and although there is significant material of the WDC website, this has not been demonstrated at all and the reasons for choosing the area seem to be motivated by other non strategic planning reasons

5. During the 2009 Core Strategy the council fully rejected the plans to develop this area of Greenbelt and the reasons for the rejection only 3 years ago must still hold good today.

6. The assumptions on which the number of houses that has been projected seem to be deeply suspect now that the economy has been in such decline since 2008 with no real signs as to if or when the growth and demand used for the housing projections will return.

We have lived in Northumberland Road in Leamington Spa for 36 years and strongly object to the use of greenbelt land for housing development.
Since moving to Northumberland Road there have been two developments of houses in the road which has considerably increased traffic and spoilt the amenities of the fields and countryside close by.

We regularly walk in the fields and pathways at the back of Northumberland Road and it is a very pleasant and worthwhile amenity for the people of Leamington.

If development takes place in Blackdown, how long would it be before the Council are reaching out to join up with Kenilworth and Leamington will loose itss identity.

We have heard about the comments re 'not in our back yard' but why does greenbelt land have to be use when there is plenty of other land in Leamington suitable for development and WDC does not demonstrate the exceptional circumstances necessary to build on greenbelt as set out by the NPPF.

The North Leamington Relief Road would certainly not ease traffic in Northumberland Road and would totally spoil the beautiful countryside surrounding Old Milverton.

I am writing as an objector to the Local Plan currently being put in place to develop the Green Belt in the Old Milverton and Blackdown districts.

This is a valuable source of recreation and exercise and is used by very many people every day for walking, riding, running and enjoying the freedom of the countryside. It is an important green lung between Kenilworth and Leamington and any incursion will mean that, in time, the only thing separating the two towns would be the increasingly busy A46.

The building of the prohibitively expensive Northern relief road would simply enable those who would be living in this area if building was allowed to reach the A46 and go and work elsewhere because there are no suitable local employment opportunities. Such a road would also ruin the village of Old Milverton and it would loose its village status very quickly.

National Policy has consistently stated that Green Belt land must not be developed if other suitable land is available.

Old Milverton and Blackdown are all in the Green Belt and are also areas of high grade agricultural productivity. There is no marginal Green Belt in that area. In contrast, South Leamington is not Green Belt land and already has commercial and industrial areas local to it. The infrastructure is already in place and there is available land there. As recently as 2009 this area was designated by the local authority as suitable for development. There is no plausible planning reason or explanation as to why this area has been removed from the plans.

Lastly, there are a number of new, empty properties, in and around Leamington, some of these being on the old Potterton site, surely these should all be taken into consideration as part of the total housing stock requirement ?

There is a strong and growing perception that the planners are "pandering" to developers who wish to make a better profit out of building in the North than they can do in the South. This is understandable for the building companies who wish to make a good living, but, in my opinion, you should be thinking of the long term future of the district and trying to retain the essence of the area for future generations who may want to have a green lung separating the two towns of Leamington and Kenilworth, rather than sprawling suburbia.

We strongly oppose the proposed development north of Leamington. This is the last area of outstanding beauty not to be spoiled by buildings and is much loved and used by residents, who wish to walk locally and not use the car to drive out to the country. The approach to Leamington from Kenilworth is a beautiful drive which will be desecrated by these proposals.
The area south of Leamington which has already lost much of its beautiful countryside from development is surely the right area to continue developing, as it has already been spoiled!!
As the area around Europa Way has been designated for development, it should continue here rather than sacrificing Green Belt areas.
Urban sprawl to the north of the town MUST be avoided. Please don't spoil our future generations' enjoyment of this lovely area.

I object to the proposed development in Old Milverton and Blackdown contained in Warwick District Councils's Preferred Options for the Local plan.
This land has great recreational value to the local community. It is enjoyed by many runners, riders, walkers and cyclists. It had a wide variety of wild life. It is used to grow valuable food and crops at a time when it we need to grow our own food in this country.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that the Government attaches great importance to Greenbelts and that the fundamental aim of Greenbelt is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open. Once this land is lost it is lost for all future generations.
The Greenbelt in Old Milverton and Blackdown fulfils the 5 purposes of Greenbelt set out in the NPPF and therefore should remain as open Greenbelt land for ever. It
Prevents the unrestricted sprawl of Leamington to the north
Prevents the merging of Leamington and Kenilworth
Helps safeguard the countryside from encroachment
Helps preserve the setting and special character of Leamington (a historic town)
Helps urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land
There are other sites which can be developed that are not in the Greenbelt. These sites, which are mainly to the south of Leamington, were included in Warwick District Council's previous plan (the 2009 Core Strategy). Employment opportunities and infrastructure already exists here, and this land should be used in preference to the Greenbelt.
The NPPF states that Greenbelt boundaries should only be altered in exceptional circumstances. As there are alternative sites, there are no exceptional circumstances which outweigh the harm caused by altering the Greenbelt boundaries in Old Milverton and Blackdown and allowing development on this land.
Please reconsider your Preferred Options.

I am writing to strongly object to the draft Plan's proposal to build on the green belt to the north of Leamington Spa.

There are a number of reasons for this.

First, the principle of retaining the Green Belt is not one to be overturned lightly. Once this practice begins, the strength of the green belt in any location is weakened.

Second, extending the town towards the north, will create major additional transport problems. Both the motorway and the railway are readily accessible from the south which contains the major routes into Leamington but additional houses in the north would result in greatly increased traffic through the town, which is already congested.

Third, although the allotments off Northumberland Road are currently excluded as building land, once the rest of the green belt was approved for building the pressure on the allotments would soon become overwhelming and the council would give planning permission for this land as well. This would entail the loss of a major amenity which has major benefits for sustainability, health and environmental policies.

Fourth, I doubt if the scale of the new build would be sufficient to justify the creation of the necessary infrastructure of school, health services, shops etc. which a larger community on non-green belt land elsewhere could sustain.

Please do not proceed with these plans.

I wish to object to the proposal to build 2000 houses in Old Milverton and Blackdown as per the new Local Plan. This is a very high number of properties which, combined with the necessary infrastructure, risks merging Leamington and Kenilworth in to each other, thus creating coalescence of urban areas.

If the planned development proceeds and HS2 is built also there is likely to be strong pressure to in-fill the area between the new development and the railway. This will mean even further urbanisation.

At a time when car usage should be discouraged, it is not in the environmental interests of this area for there to be a relief road running through Old Milverton as is currently being proposed in the new Local Plan.

The land in question north of Leamington is high grade green belt land largely used for agriculture which as the costs of food imports rise, will be required in the future.

Within North Leamington there are some under-utilized plots which could be used for housing. As more purpose built accommodation is being built for students from Warwick University, properties in Leamington currently rented to students will come back in to use as family homes. In South Leamington there are large expanses of redundant industrial land, some of which has to be reserved for future employment use, but a significant percentage of which could be used for housing. This potential housing stock should have been considered within WDC's projected housing demand projections.
South of Leamington is the Shires Retail Park, Tachbrook Park Business Park, Trojan Business Park, Trident Technology & Business Centre, Warwick Technology Park and a number of automative industry sites. There are three railway stations and two hospitals. There is also easy access to the motorway. It would seem to make sense, and be in accordance with Government NPPF guidelines, for housing to be built close to these amenities, especially as land east of Europa Way and south of Heathcote on the outskirts of Bishops Tachbrook was previously identified by the Council as suitable and available.

Green belt protection should not be removed from high grade agricultural land so that it can be used for housing unless there are exceptional circumstances. That there are other sites within Warwick District which are suitable and available for housing, and bolstered by an existing infrastructure, means that the "exceptional circumstacnes" argument does not apply in the case of Blackdown and Old Milverton. As a Leamington Town Councillor representing Manor Ward, I am concerned that there is a serious risk that the countryside bordering it would be reduced to urban sprawl if this development is allowed to take place.

Please accept this email as an objection to proposed plans in Old Milverton and Blackdown contained in Warwick District Councils's Preferred Options for the Local plan..
The land has great recreational value and is enjoyed by many runners, riders, walkers and cyclists, including me and friends.

The National Planning Policy and Framework states that the Government attaches great importance to Greenbelts and that the fundamental aim of Green belt is to prevent urban sprawls by keeping land permanently open.

The Greenbelt in Old Milverton and Blackdown fulfils the 5 purposes of Greenbelt set out in the NPPF and therefore should remain as open Greenbelt land forever. It:

Prevents the unrestricted sprawl of Leamington to the north
Prevents the merging of Leamington and Kenilworth
Helps safeguard the countryside from encroachment
Helps preserve the setting and special character of Leamington (an historic town)
Helps urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycyling of derelict and other urban land.

There are other sites which can be developed that are not in the Greenbelt. You have not been seen to explore sufficient use of Brown Field sites or redevelopment. These have many advantages in terms of efficient use of resources. WHY have we not utilised a full housing plan for the old Ford Foundry site instead of using Green Belt Land?

The Heathcote area south of Leamington is not in the current proposal. Heathcote would not require such major road development as it is close to the M40/A46 interchanges and current shopping and employment facilities are already in place. It would not "close down" a green corridor. The farmland has already been partially broken up and is possibly not now sustainable as a profitable working farm. It would allow additional traffic to filter into the town centre through a number of routes, whereas the North Leamington plan would create a major "pinch point" on the Kenilworth Road and thus deter people doing business in the town centre.

Your proposed plan is sited on mainly Grade 2 agricltural land, good food producing soil that does not require high levels of inputs to achieve sustainable yeilds. The Green corridor this achieves between Leamington Spa and Kenilworth allows free movement of nesting birds and wildlife, in particular bees which are under severe threat currently and vital for pollination of many food and bio crops.
Remove these green corridors at your peril, as the surrounding built up areas soon become sterile. THEY DO NOT MAKE LAND ANY MORE.

My first concern is the proposed road across this area. If it is built we all know that the next phase will be to build right up to this road and then the complete green belt between this road and the north of Leamington Spa is destined to disappear.............

This brings me to my second concern which is the village of Old Milverton. The road will ruin one of the last remaining villages near to the town, by its proximity and resulting visual and noise pollution. This small, ancient settlement is a local beauty spot used by many locals and visitors to the area via walking routes and the path to and from the Saxon Mill. Its facilities ( church, hall and fields ) are enjoyed by many individuals, associations and the general public. A busy (fast) road nearby will ruin this very little corner of old Warwickshire.......

My third concern is that this proposed road will not really ease the congestion into Leamington from the North. Most (all?) business are in either central or south Leamington, so traffic will remain to be funnelled through Leamington as once Northumberland road is reached then these same problems will continue. People will still prefer to sit in their cars for longer than get out and do a park and ride .........

Fourthly, following on from my third point, building homes in this area will only add to the congestion on this route as more people will need to get into work ( more than likely to central and southern Leamington ) via this route......

Fifthly, our housing need is for simpler, affordable homes. This means cheaper land costs. This will not be to the north of Leamington. We need to take the security of our future generations into account and a survey out a couple of days ago highlighted the need for young families to feel secure, and own, or have secure tenancies, in their homes. We need to enable this fairness as much as we possibly can. Simple homes for families are crucial to the health of our community and our country.......

These are my main concerns and objections to the development proposals. Please take them into consideration. The historic triangle of Old Milverton, The Saxon Mill and Guy's Cliff should remain on the boundaries of Warwick and Leamington, undisturbed, for as long as we, the guardians of our heritage, can allow.

I object to the proposed development in Old Milverton and Blackdown contained in Warwick District Councils's Preferred Options for the Local plan.

This land has great recreational value to the local community. It is enjoyed by many runners, riders, walkers and cyclists of which i am one.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that the Government attaches great importance to Greenbelts and that the fundamental aim of Greenbelt is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open.

The Greenbelt in Old Milverton and Blackdown fulfils the 5 purposes of Greenbelt set out in the NPPF and therefore should remain as open Greenbelt land for ever. It :
Prevents the unrestricted sprawl of Leamington to the north
Prevents the merging of Leamington and Kenilworth
Helps safeguard the countryside from encroachment
Helps preserve the setting and special character of Leamington (a historic town)
Helps urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land

There are other sites which can be developed that are not in the Greenbelt. These sites, which are mainly to the south of Leamington, were included in Warwick District Council's previous plan (the 2009 Core Strategy). Employment opportunities and infrastructure already exists here, and this land should be used in preference to the Greenbelt.

The NPPF states that Greenbelt boundaries should only be altered in exceptional circumstances. As there are alternative sites, there are no exceptional circumstances which outweigh the harm caused by altering the Greenbelt boundaries in Old Milverton and Blackdown and allowing development on this land.

The Government's National Planning Policy Framework [NPPF] states that Green belt boundaries should only be altered in exceptional circumstances. I do not believe this to be the case as there are other sites in South Leamington on White Belt land which could be used for house building. These were of course outlined in your previous plan, the 2009 Core Strategy document. Most of the main road network is concentrated in the south of the town and to now propose building a "northern relief road "at vast cost , simply adds to the error !
The Green Belt in Old Milverton and Blackdown fulfils the 5 purposes of Greenbelt as set out in the NPPF in that it prevents the unrestricted sprawl of Leamington northwards, and also prevents the merging of Leamington and Kenilworth.
I would ask that WDC reconsider the Preferred Options Plan with a view to concentrating housing development in the south of the town.

I understand that the fundamental aim of the Government's Greenbelt policy as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open. This is entirely in line with the green policies that both parties in the coalition committed to in their manifestos. For this reason I am copying this letter to my Conservative MP Mr Chris White and to
Mr Jeremy Wright Kenilworth MP. I have also copied this to Eric Pickles Secretary of State.

* The Government's National Planning Policy Framework requires there to be "very special circumstances." I understand that according to Warwick District Council the special circumstances are that there is nowhere else for the homes to be built.

I trust his view has been arrived at with a high degree of care, research and due diligence as it is not a view shared by many organisations and open to challenge. I expect Warwick district council will be challenged on this and would also expect government ministers to look dispassionately at the evidence as to why more brown land cannot be built over minimising the loss to the environment. Perhaps more imagination is required and for an audit of alternatives not only of financial but also of environmental costs.
2.
Warwick District Council has added nearly 1400 homes to the number that it anticipates will be required so as to include a "buffer" in the forecasts. If this "buffer" is removed from the forecast there would be no need to include the land at Old Milverton and Blackdown in the proposals. Again the evidence for and the thinking behind the need for a buffer zone need to be examined carefully.
3.
The proposed new roads will also have a substantial cost i.e. £28,000,000 . They will also have detrimental effect on the environment and also to the quality of life of residents in Leamington and Kenilworth. This again challenges one of Mr Cameron's ideas about happiness as well as financial prosperity being something about which the government are seriously concerned.

I trust that the council and the relevant parliamentary representatives and government ministers will look again at these proposals

We vigourously object to your proposals in the new Development Plans for Old Milverton and Blackdown in the Green Belt.
During the 16 th July Old Milverton & Blackdown PC meeting with Bill Hunt and Councillors Doody, Hammon, and Pratt it became quickly clear that the meeting was not planned to be a "consultation meeting", but rather a statement by the Council on which Options were going to be submitted.
It was frustrating to hear how very clear basic and well founded arguments by several speakers were not taken aboard as points to be taken into account, but rather rebuffed, without indication that they would be considered before the final Proposals were going to be submitted to London.
It became very clear that the contents of the 2012 Preferred Option booklet ignore the 2009 Core strategy plan, which didn't require the use of Precious Green Belt land, and was much less expensive to implement than the infrastructure-change which is proposed.
From the discussions it became clear that other more appropriate Brown or White field sites are available, and could be considered with a little effort and thought by the planners.
The suggestion that the A425 should be made a dual carriage-way seems absurd, and was rejected in the past, since the traffic would not improve , because the entries to Leamington Spa, and Kenilworth are the bottle-necks which can't be much improved.
Theproposal to enlarge the Stoneleigh Road between Sandy Lane and Westhill Road also seems totally unjustified, since any traffic increase from North of Stoneleigh Road will be towards the A46 to Kenilworth , Coventry, or the M40. NOT through this stretch of Stoneleigh Road, through which the traffic has always been fluid .!
As stated before wefeel that a lot of new research should be done to study the points brought up during the meeting, before submitting you final Proposals.

I was dismayed to read about your proposed plans for green belt land between Leamington Spa and Kenilworth.

I object totally to the building on the green belt land in the proposed new plan.
Better use of existing brown field is land for housing, instead of providing more supermarkets. This would be a better way of meeting housing quotas.

Were more apartments in the style of the town architecture ever considered in place of blanket modern housing which will change the style of this lovely Spa town forever?

In summary I feel your current proposals are an assault on the countryside which will result in permanent loss of natural environment in what is after all known colloquially as 'leafy Warwickshire' for short term aims which will benefit relatively few and destroy much.

I wish to object to the proposed development in Old Milverton and Blackdown contained in Warwick District Council's Preferred Options local plan.
The National Planning Framework ( NPPF ) states that the Government attaches great importance to Grre belts and that the fundemental aim of the Green belt is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open.
The Green belt in Old milverton and Blackdown fulfils the 5 purposes of Greenbelt set out in the NPPF and therefore should remain as open Greenbelt land for ever.
It prevents the unrestricted sprawl of Leamingto to the north.
It prevents the merging of Leamington and Kenilworth.
It helps urban regeneration by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.

There are other sites which can be developed that are not in the Greenbelt, which should be used in preferrence to Greenbelt sites.
The NPFF states that Green belt boundaries should only be altered in exceptional circumstances and as there are alternative sites there are no such circumstances to build on this land.

I ask you to reconsider your preferred options

I was dismayed to read about your proposed plans for green belt land between Leamington Spa and Kenilworth.

I object totally to the building on the green belt land in the proposed new plan.
Better use of existing brown field is land for housing, instead of providing more supermarkets. This would be a better way of meeting housing quotas.

Were more apartments in the style of the town architecture ever considered in place of blanket modern housing which will change the style of this lovely Spa town forever?

In summary I feel your current proposals are an assault on the countryside which will result in permanent loss of natural environment in what is after all known colloquially as 'leafy Warwickshire' for short term aims which will benefit relatively few and destroy much.

I would like to register my strong objection to the proposed development in Old Milverton and Blackdown contained in Warwick District Council's Preferred Options for the Local plan.

This land has great recreational value to the local community. It is enjoyed by many runners, riders, walkers and cyclists.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that the Government attaches great importance to Greenbelts and that the fundamental aim of Greenbelt is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open.

The Greenbelt in Old Milverton and Blackdown fulfils the five purposes of Greenbelt set out in the NPPF and therefore should remain as open Greenbelt land forever. Specifically, it:

* Prevents the unrestricted sprawl of Leamington to the north
* Prevents the merging of Leamington and Kenilworth
* Helps safeguard the countryside from encroachment
* Helps preserve the setting and special character of Leamington (a historic town)
* Helps urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land

There are other sites which can be developed that are not in the Greenbelt. These sites, which are mainly to the south of Leamington, were included in Warwick District Council's previous plan (the 2009 Core Strategy). Employment opportunities and infrastructure already exists here, and this land should be used in preference to the Greenbelt.

The NPPF states that Greenbelt boundaries should only be altered in exceptional circumstances. As there are alternative sites, there are no exceptional circumstances which outweigh the harm caused by altering the Greenbelt boundaries in Old Milverton and Blackdown and allowing development on this land.

- Although I do understand the need to build new houses in Leamington , I strongly object the proposal for development on Green Belt land , as I believe there are suitable and available areas outside the Green belt , more specifically to the east of the A452 ( Europa Way) and south of Heathcote towards Bishop Tachbrook , areas already identified as available land by the Council itself .

- I do not believe Warwick District Council has demonstrated any exceptional circumstances to build on Green Belt land when there is already genuine alternatives and land available for development in South Leamington , an area where there is also enough infrastructure and employment to support the growth. The National Planning Policy Framework clearly states that one of the purposes of Green Belt protection is to prevent urban sprawl, but this is exactly what the proposal is doing.

- the current infrastructure in North Leamington is not sufficient to support the new development , and the current plans to build the Northern Leamington Relief Road , at an estimated cost of £28 millions , is unacceptable and a waste of tax payers money . The infrastructure is already available in South Leamington and the construction of the Relief Road will just divert the resources from other areas where we really need some public investment .

-the amount of new houses proposed seem to be disproportional , with the Council using projections from a past period of exceptional growth , but even if we agree with the projections , the units proposed for the green belt land could be deleted without causing any deficit.

- if the development goes ahead , due to the amount of new houses planned beyond the current north edge of the town, Leamington and Kennilworth will pretty much merge in the future , losing our individual town's identity. This needs to be avoided at all cost and as town planners it is your responsibility to protect it.

In summary , I believe the council has failed to demonstrate any exceptional circumstances set out by the NPPF to permit development in the Green Belt of North Leamington. There is sufficient available land in South Leamington where the houses can be built without impacting the green belt land , the area is supported by existing employment and infrastructure so there would be no need to spend huge amounts of money on building a Relief Road and we will avoid merging with Kennilworth and losing our town identity.

I really hope these objections are taken seriously into account before proceeding any further with the plan.

I wish to register my objections to the proposal to build 2,000+ new houses in the North Leamington area.

I believe there is no need to build on the Green Belt in North Leamington whilst there are other possible sites outside the Green Belt. Areas of natural beauty and reserves for endangered wildlife will be destroyed and public footpaths disrupted. We also have to probably endure the building of the High Speed Railway less than a mile away.

I am also concerned by the lack of transparency concerning this matter and the great difficulty in finding an appropriate email address to send my objections.

I thank Sally Jones for suggesting that I use her email address and her willingness to pass my objections to the appropriate authority.

I am writing to object to Warwick District Council's Preferred Options plan for the local area.

I am a new resident to Warwickshire, having moved to Leamington Spa at Easter. I was attracted to the area because of the historic nature of the town and also its fantastic rural surroundings. The idea that both of these appealing aspects are to be compromised leaves me considering my future in this town.

I attended the Old Milverton Parish Council meeting on Monday 16th July at which Bill Hunt stated that the Council's "preferred options" are sustainable. In line with UK Sustainable Development Strategy, 2005, he quoted the definition of sustainable development; 'the aim [...] is to ensure that people can meet basic needs and enjoy a better quality of life without compromising the quality of life of future generations'. I fail to see how this applies to the new proposals in any way at all. Building on the greenbelt land will compromise the quality of life of future generations in every manner possible. I believe that the merging of some of Warwickshire's best towns and villages will lead to poorer urban environments, whilst the destruction to the countryside is unthinkable. The area of land at Old Milverton and Blackdown provides all that a greenbelt should and has infinite worth to both the local community and further afield. It is fun as well as functional, and used by residents and visitors alike to walk, run, ride, cycle, explore and play.

There is on-going reference to the 'exceptional circumstances' which justify this plan and yet I strongly object to their existence. According to Warwick District Council the special circumstances are that there is no other location for this development. Even being new to the area and without knowing the details, I understand that there was a viable alternative in South Leamington. The '2009 Core Strategy' was at the time the "preferred option" - what has changed since then? The land is still available and crucially the homes and other amenities could be built on brown and white field sites, not greenbelt. In the South of Leamington there is the existing infrastructure and the proximity to employment that these new plans will lack. Claims that the road network in South Leamington would be unable to cope appears to be unfounded and without real evidential support.

The council has asked for people to come up with alternative ideas so please hear them. I fear that the term 'preferred option' is just a pseudonym for 'our decided plan'. I urge you to open the consultation process wider and really listen, absorb public feedback and develop a number of truly viable possibilities.

The greenbelt is a valuable public space and an asset to Leamington Spa, Warwickshire and the country. Please note my opposition, and that of others. Rethink you plans to develop on Green Belt Land.