Issue and Options 2023

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Are there any strategic cross boundary issues that need to be addressed and/or delivered through the South Warwickshire Local Plan (SWLP)? Yes. Coventry City Council has a long history of working positively and proactively with partners, including Stratford on Avon and Warwick District Councils on a series of cross boundary issues under the statutory Duty to Co-operate. The partnership is known as the Coventry, Solihull & Warwickshire Association of Planning Officers (CSWAPO) which meets monthly and which has a series of sub-groups based upon identified strategic issues: • Growth (housing and employment) • Critical Infrastructure • Transport • Water • Environment The groups have worked together to commission and produce joint evidence (eg the HEDNA, SFRA, Green Infrastructure) and engage with wider partnerships across the region (eg looking at evidence on larger employment logistics sites). Addressing strategic growth needs is a key issue under the DtC. Coventry has long been unable to accommodate its identified needs, particularly in relation to housing and employment and has received considerable support in relation to its adopted 2017 Local Plan in accommodating a significant proportion of the unmet need. The commitment was set out in a Memorandum of Understanding for Coventry and Warwickshire (separate MoUs for Housing and for Employment). Coventry City Council has just embarked upon the process of reviewing its Local Plan which will be informed by the HEDNA. Work to assess the situation is currently underway and Coventry City Council will be consulting on Issues and Options in summer 2023. Housing and employment growth needs will need to be a key element of the DtC deliberations as the SWLP and Coventry Plan reviews progress and Statements of Common Ground will need to be prepared. Other strategic matters have been highlighted above and discussions will continue at CSWAPO as to how best to manage these, once evidence is available.