Issue and Options 2023

I am writing in response to the South Warwickshire Local Plan Consultation on behalf of Offchurch Parish Council. I request you accept these responses to inform your consultation process: The Offchurch Parish Council (OPC) object to any further development being considered in Offchurch Village, which is a Conservation and a limited infill area. Two of the sites are on or close to School Hill which is a highly visible area of the Village and if allowed these sites would significantly change the appearance and character of a key part of the Village. One of the nominated sites has already been the subject of a planning application and was opposed by the Parish Council and was rejected out of hand by Warwick District Council. OPC would be very concerned should the site be now eligible for development, given the overwhelming opposition to such a development. The infrastructure of Offchurch does not lend itself to allowing multiple sites being developed. Without wholesale changes the Village is incapable of supporting multiple sites being developed for new houses. We would contest that it is unacceptable to consider the development of a new settlement within greenbelt land, such as Offchurch, there are no exceptional circumstances to justify so doing. It is unacceptable that despite the NPPF principles, multiple new settlement locations are illustratively suggested in the current consultation document. We also consider any further sites within Offchurch put forward in the second call for sites would fall into the above opinion. Offchurch has been significantly blighted and the landscape changed dramatically as a result of HS2. Further loss of greenbelt and development in Offchurch would impact adversely on residents.