No

ID sylw: 96811

Derbyniwyd: 05/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Alcester Town Council and Arrow with Weethley Parish Council

Alcester Town Coucnil and Arrow with Weethley Parish Council believe SG21 would be inappropriate development in Green Belt. The site should be removed from consideration in the SWLP. The infrastructure required would be prohibitive. Alcester would need new highways – particularly a bridge with two lane access to a new development of potential 3,163 houses. The town would require a new doctor’s surgery, primary and secondary schools, a community centre, cemetery, shops, car parks, play areas and dedicated green spaces and new footpath routes.

In the SA Report the site is ranked 23rd out of 24. It has the worst scores for flooding (SA Objective 2), biodiversity (SA Objective 3), landscape (SA Objective 4), cultural heritage (SA Objective 5), accessibility (SA Objective 11) and economy (SA Objective 13). We support this assessment and provide the below additional commentary.

Objective 1-Climate Change

-SG21 is not within a 20-minute neighbourhood.
-Poor access to services by foot/bike; reliance on cars increases emissions.

Objective 2-Flood Risk

-17% of SG21 lies in Flood Zones 2 & 3; 24% subject to surface water flooding.
-Development would worsen flood risk, especially around Spittle Brook.

Objective 3-Biodiversity & Geodiversity

-Rich in wildlife and habitats, including Ancient Woodland and Local Wildlife Sites.
-Threat to protected species and biodiversity due to development.

Objective 4-Landscape

-Entirely within West Midlands Green Belt.
-Development would cause urban sprawl and merge Alcester with Arrow.

Objective 5-Cultural Heritage

-Proximity to numerous heritage assets including Ragley Hall and Scheduled Monuments.
-Development would harm views, settings, and conservation areas.

Objective 6-Environmental Pollution

-Increased noise, air, and light pollution.
-Risk to Spittle Brook’s water quality and habitat.

Objective 7-Natural Resources

-Good quality agricultural land (Grade 3) and minerals safeguarding area.
-Development would result in permanent loss of these resources.

Objective 8-Waste
-Local waste infrastructure insufficient for the scale of development.

Objective 9-Housing
-Scale of SG21 would double Alcester’s population.
-Poor integration with existing town due to A435 dual carriageway.
-Risks creating a disconnected housing estate.

Objective 10-Human Health
-Pressure on hospitals, GP surgeries, and dentists.
-Loss of public footpaths and inadequate leisure facilities.

Objective 11-Accessibility & Connectivity
-Poor public transport and no train station.
-Increased car dependency and traffic congestion.

Objective 12-Education
-No primary school within 800m.
-Existing schools at capacity; expansion would worsen traffic and parking.

Objective 13-Economy
-Limited local employment opportunities.
-Development would harm heritage assets and worsen congestion.

Yes

ID sylw: 96835

Derbyniwyd: 05/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Alcester Town Council and Arrow with Weethley Parish Council

• This site has two site RefIDs – 411 and 837.
• Alcester Town Council understands from the SWLP Team that Site RefID411 was submitted by a land promoter through the Call for Sites exercise, while Site RefID 837 was identified in the Site Allocation Plan (SAP) (Site REF: SCB.1), but that only one Site RefID should have been allocated.
• This site was previously allocated for housing in the 2019 Site Allocation Plan and Alcester Town Council was therefore aware of this site’s potential.
• Access via Allimore Lane includes access over a small narrow bridge.
• Any access to the site would need to be made suitable.

Yes

ID sylw: 96841

Derbyniwyd: 05/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Alcester Town Council and Arrow with Weethley Parish Council

• This site has two site RefIDs – 411 and 837.
• Alcester Town Council understands from the SWLP Team that Site RefID411 was submitted by a land promoter through the Call for Sites exercise, while Site RefID 837 was identified in the Site Allocation Plan (SAP) (Site REF: SCB.1), but that only one Site RefID should have been allocated.
• This site was previously allocated for housing in the 2019 Site Allocation Plan and Alcester Town Council was therefore aware of this site’s potential.
• Access via Allimore Lane includes access over a small narrow bridge.
• Any access to the site would need to be made suitable.

Yes

ID sylw: 96845

Derbyniwyd: 05/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Alcester Town Council and Arrow with Weethley Parish Council

RefID 445 – Land South of Allimore Lane, Alcester

Some of this land is located in the parish of Arrow & Weethley.
There are significant flooding issues with this site.
None of this site lies within 200m of a primary school.
The site would fall outside of the ‘20-minute neighbourhood’ principle.
ATCAW does not consider that this is 12.72 hectares of developable land.
Public footpath AL49 runs across the site.
The access road to this site would have to come off the A435 dual carriageway or Evesham Street which would be unviable.
Access issues would be prohibitively expensive.
The site contains a Valued Landscape location looking towards the bridge on Allimore Lane. Policy NE4 of Alcester’s current Neighbourhood Development Plan protects Valued Landscapes.
100% of this site is located in a minerals safeguarding area.
2% of this site is located within 500m of a rural scheduled monument and 19% is within 500m of rural listed buildings.
14% of this site is within 25m of a known or potential Local Wildlife Site.
100% of the site intersects with an area with a baseline habitat score of 40-80.

Yes

ID sylw: 96849

Derbyniwyd: 05/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Alcester Town Council and Arrow with Weethley Parish Council

• Similar issues are raised for Site RefID 810 as for the other Allimore Lane sites.
• The cumulative effect of development around Allimore Lane exacerbates the already challenging access issues with the road in its current state - with a small bridge that would be inappropriate for both construction traffic and significant daily vehicle traffic movements.
• The HELAA Results and sites outcomes for this site state 7% of the site sits in Flood Zones 2 & 3.
• 3% of the site is in an area subject to surface water flooding.
• The site would fall outside of the ‘20-minute neighbourhood’ principle.
• The site is a considerable distance to the main area of Alcester Town, including the doctors and schools. It is a 30-minute walk to Alcester Academy (secondary school) and 0% of the site is within 800m of an existing primary school. It is a 24-minute walk to the Alcester Health Centre on Fields Park Drive.
• 100% of the site lies within a minerals safeguarding area.
• 6% of the site lies within an actual or potential Local Wildlife Site.
• 100% of the site intersects with an area with baseline habitat score of 40-80.

Yes

ID sylw: 96853

Derbyniwyd: 05/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Alcester Town Council and Arrow with Weethley Parish Council

• Similar issues as raised above for the other Allimore Lane sites.
• 29% of this site is stated under the HELAA Results and Sites Outcomes document to sit in Flood Zones 2 & 3.
• 18% of the site is in an area subject to surface water flooding.
• 100% of the site lies within a minerals safeguarding area.
• 14% of the site is within 500m of a rural scheduled monument.
• Only 1% of the site is within 800m of an existing primary.
• 15% of the site lies within 25m of a Local Wildlife Site.
• 100% of the site intersects with an area with baseline habitat score of 40-80.

Yes

ID sylw: 96933

Derbyniwyd: 05/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Alcester Town Council and Arrow with Weethley Parish Council

RefID 512

• The Moathouse Public House is a Grade II building, first listed on 11 December 1969.
• The key issues for this site include the importance of protection of the Listed Building, and the proximity of a Local Wildlife Site and Green Belt.
• There are a number of Amber scores under HELAA part A for this site:

i. 100% of the site is in the Green Belt, so the HELAA A score is Amber. 21% of the site is in an area that is considered to make a moderate contribution to the Green Belt purposes.
ii. It is also a Greenfield Site.
iii. 25% of the site is subject to surface water flooding.
iv. The site is adjacent to Flood Zones 2 and 3 which scores another Amber.
v. 100% of the site is within a minerals safeguarding area.
vi. 100% of the site is within 500m of a rural listed building.
vii. 100% of the site is within 500m of a rural scheduled monument.
viii. 34% of the site is within 25m of a Local Wildlife Site.

• Other relevant information includes 100% of the site intersects with an area with baseline habitat score of 40-80.

Yes

ID sylw: 96969

Derbyniwyd: 05/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Alcester Town Council and Arrow with Weethley Parish Council

RefID 641 – Beauchamp Court, Kings Coughton, Alcester

• 100% of this site lies within Green Belt.
• 100% is within 500m of a rural Scheduled Monument. Over half this site is a Scheduled Monument (Ref No 1020035, Beauchamp Court Moated Site). Almost the entire Scheduled Monument is within the site.
• The eastern boundary of the development site is irregularly-shaped and excludes the existing pond, a small area north of it, and the dry moat.
• We consider inclusion of this site in the SWLP wholly inappropriate due to the potential direct impact of development and the impact on setting. We consider this site should be removed from the SWLP.
• 100% of the site is within 500m of a rural listed building.
• 100% of the site lies within a minerals safeguarding area.
• A significant proportion of the site is within Flood Zones 2 & 3 or in an area subject to surface water flooding.
• 21% of the site is within 25m of an actual or potential Local Wildlife Site which gives it an Amber score on the HELAA A results.
• 100% of the site intersects with an area with baseline habitat score of 40-80.

No

ID sylw: 107348

Derbyniwyd: 05/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Alcester Town Council and Arrow with Weethley Parish Council

Alcester needs affordable housing but the proposed sites in the SWLP are unsuitable.

There is no nearby train service. The most accessible is Stratford Parkway, which takes 42 minutes via bus. Busses run approximately hourly. It takes approximately half-an-hour to get to Stratford-upon-Avon or Redditch. Getting to Warwick Hospital takes 90 minutes and 3 bus journeys.

Local primary and secondary schools in Alcester are at capacity. Alcester Academy and St Benedict’s are Academies so cannot be forced to expand by the Local Education Authority. According to available information on school places, local schools can manage demand from already-permitted sites but not the level envisaged under SG21.

The IDP indicates doctors' surgeries have 2349 patients per GP, exceeding national averages. Anecdotal evidence suggests difficulty in getting routine appointments in 3 weeks. Thousands more dwellings would increase demand. Warwick Hospital recently declared a critical emergency. Increasing population in Alcester would put further pressure on local hospitals. No dentists in Alcester are taking NHS patients.

The Alne and Arrow join on Alcester's outskirts and when they flood they engulf part of the town. Alcester has flooded 22 times since 1864. The flooding in 2007 was the worst flood event for 250+ years and 200 homes were left uninhabitable. There are regular flood alerts/warnings. The storage tank as part of the Alcester flood scheme only gives 12 minutes warning when full. The SFRA highlights considerable issues from pluvial and fluvial flooding. Alcester Town Council understands the Environment Agency's flood defence assets need considerable work due to little investment since installation.

Except for Site 411 and Site 512, sites proposed for development absorb surface water and act as flood plains. Development could increase the risk of flooding in areas already at high risk in Alcester and further downstream. The built-up boundary provides limited housing development opportunity due to the flood plain. Most proposed sites outside SG21 scored poorly due to flooding constraints.

No

ID sylw: 107349

Derbyniwyd: 05/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Alcester Town Council and Arrow with Weethley Parish Council

Alcester needs affordable housing but the proposed sites in the SWLP are unsuitable.

There is no nearby train service. The most accessible is Stratford Parkway, which takes 42 minutes via bus. Busses run approximately hourly. It takes approximately half-an-hour to get to Stratford-upon-Avon or Redditch. Getting to Warwick Hospital takes 90 minutes and 3 bus journeys.

Local primary and secondary schools in Alcester are at capacity. Alcester Academy and St Benedict’s are Academies so cannot be forced to expand by the Local Education Authority. According to available information on school places, local schools can manage demand from already-permitted sites but not the level envisaged under SG21.

The IDP indicates doctors' surgeries have 2349 patients per GP, exceeding national averages. Anecdotal evidence suggests difficulty in getting routine appointments in 3 weeks. Thousands more dwellings would increase demand. Warwick Hospital recently declared a critical emergency. Increasing population in Alcester would put further pressure on local hospitals. No dentists in Alcester are taking NHS patients.

The Alne and Arrow join on Alcester's outskirts and when they flood they engulf part of the town. Alcester has flooded 22 times since 1864. The flooding in 2007 was the worst flood event for 250+ years and 200 homes were left uninhabitable. There are regular flood alerts/warnings. The storage tank as part of the Alcester flood scheme only gives 12 minutes warning when full. The SFRA highlights considerable issues from pluvial and fluvial flooding. Alcester Town Council understands the Environment Agency's flood defence assets need considerable work due to little investment since installation.

Except for Site 411 and Site 512, sites proposed for development absorb surface water and act as flood plains. Development could increase the risk of flooding in areas already at high risk in Alcester and further downstream. The built-up boundary provides limited housing development opportunity due to the flood plain. Most proposed sites outside SG21 scored poorly due to flooding constraints.