Issue and Options 2023

Yes

The growth of existing small settlements with good accessibility and connectivity has great potential to achieve 20-minute neighbourhood principles, whilst also improving facilities for existing residents at those settlements, since significant growth would bring with it new facilities and would also support the viability of existing facilities and therefore the vitality of the village. Therefore, the growth of existing settlements should certainly be part of the overall strategy. Kingswood in particular is one of the few settlements (5 out of the 22 assessed) which scores ++ (Major Positive Impact) in the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) Table 5.1 in terms of accessibility, owing to it having both train and bus services. Given the importance of minimising car journeys in tackling the climate change crisis, such settlements with good accessibility should be a focus for growth. Furthermore, the north of Kingswood is ranked as having the highest level of connectivity in the Connectivity Analysis for the settlement and therefore the north of the settlement should be a particular area of search for potential site allocations. Nurton Developments (Lapworth) Ltd both supports and objects to different elements of the settlement analysis in respect of Kingswood (Lapworth) and comments as follows on each element of the assessment. SOUTH WARWICKSHIRE SETTLEMENT ANALYSIS – JANUARY 2023 The analysis of Sector 6 in the Connectivity Analysis as Grade B is supported. This supports our earlier representations, which identified that this location, immediately adjacent to the built-up area of Kingswood and only 700 metres from Lapworth railway station, benefits from convenient access to rail services from Lapworth station to London, Birmingham, Stratford on Avon and Leamington Spa. The settlement analysis won’t have taken into account the concept masterplan we submitted with earlier representations, which shows how the proposed development of 125 dwellings could make the most of its sustainable location by enhancing pedestrian connectivity with the adjacent built-up area, which provides a link via Station Lane to local services. It is proposed that Rising Lane is altered such that the main carriageway route provides access in a loop through the site and the existing Rising Lane carriageway is downgraded to a much quieter rural lane. This provides a much more pedestrian-friendly environment and integrates the proposed development with the existing built-up area. Neighbouring properties benefit from a reduction in passing traffic and the change in nature of Rising Lane offers an opportunity for environmental and pedestrian connectivity enhancements. This further supports the analysis of the location as offering good connectivity. The Landforms Analysis identifies some of the land north of Rising Lane as falling within Flood Zones 2 and 3. The 125 dwellings promoted for this area in previous representations have been masterplanned to avoid the flood risk areas and as such are deliverable. The Accessibility Analysis identifies that retail, open space, healthcare and education facilities are all beyond 800 metres from Area 6. However, we would note that they are only around 1.2km away, along Station Lane, which has a footway and is lit. There is therefore potential for walking to local facilities from Area 6 and the connectivity analysis discussed above would support this.

Yes

Yes

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS IN SUPPORT: The development of new settlements has the potential to unlock major sustainability benefits, ‘consuming their own smoke’ in terms of provision of facilities to support new homes, offering the potential to fund major infrastructure improvements and public transport investment and minimising impact on existing settlements. The plan period to 2050 is a good opportunity to plan for new settlements, which would be delivered over a longer time span. Locating new settlements on rail corridors, where good quality rail connections exist and can be supported by additional patronage, has the strongest potential to address the climate change emergency. This should be the preferred approach and it should be ensured that new housing is located where residents can walk to the railway station. In particular, growth to the north of Kingswood offers great potential to respond to the climate change emergency as the settlement is one of the few with a ‘Major Positive Impact’ score in the Sustainability Appraisal Table 5.1 in terms of accessibility and the north of Kingswood in particular scores the highest in terms of connectivity in the Connectivity Analysis.

Appropriate strategy

Inappropriate strategy

Inappropriate strategy

Inappropriate strategy

Inappropriate strategy

Given the findings of the Connectivity Analysis in terms of north of Kingswood having the best connectivity, it is surprising that Figure C.13.1 of the SA does not include the area north of Kingswood in the areas outlined in brown, identified as ‘Small Settlement at Kingswood’ in the key. Presumably these give an indication of the areas into which the settlement could be expanded, but the area around the junction of Rising Lane and Station Lane is not included, despite it having good connectivity with the railway station, as confirmed by the Connectivity Analysis. In view of the good accessibility and connectivity as outlined above, the area north of Kingswood should be included in the area of search for potential extensions to the settlement. SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL OF THE SOUTH WARWICKSHIRE LOCAL PLAN REGULATION 18: ISSUES AND OPTIONS STAGE – NOVEMBER 2022 We support the finding that the potential new settlement area C1 (Kingswood) is the best performing in terms of accessibility (para 6.13.3). However, given the Connectivity Analysis identifies the area north of Kingswood as having the best connectivity; the reason for considering a new settlement location at Kingswood is the rail connectivity; and the development of a new settlement would in any case involve the provision of new facilities and as such it is not necessary to locate it adjacent to the Kingswood village core; it is not justified that the area of search for a new settlement at Kingswood is to the south of the settlement, away from the railway station. If the SWLP is to seriously tackle the climate change emergency by locating growth where rail services can be conveniently accessed for commuting, then the first priority must be to locate growth close to the railway station. The area north of Kingswood should be considered for a new settlement location as it has the potential to achieve this objective and it has fewer heritage constraints as it relates to the 20th Century part of Kingswood, where there are fewer heritage assets.

Nothing chosen

HERITAGE AND SETTLEMENT SENSITIVITY ASSESSMENT FOR WARWICK AND STRATFORD-ON-AVON LOCAL PLAN (SWLP) – SEPTEMBER 2022 This assessment confirms that the area north of Kingswood has few heritage constraints, stating that development may be possible with careful protection of designated assets and their setting and giving the area a ‘green’ score, whereas the other areas around Kingswood are ‘red’ or ‘amber’. In particular, the area south of Kingswood, indicated as an area for consideration for a new settlement, is scored as ‘red’ and it is stated that the heritage assets in this area retain their links to the rural landscape which provides an important contribution to the significance of these assets. It concludes that this area has little potential to accommodate development. Therefore, the Heritage and Settlement Sensitivity Assessment does not support the location south of Kingswood for a new settlement and we would submit that the location north of Kingswood should be considered.