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I am writing to provide a business perspective on your recent development plans for Warwick District.

As one of the largest local employers, there are a number of issues that we face in employing people to support business growth. One really key point for recruitment, and for existing employees, is the lack of affordable housing close to our factory location at Heathcote Industrial Estate. As a consequence, we have always been anxious that the local areas that you had previously designated for development close to our site would be given the go ahead as part of your new plan.

We are very positive that your plans to build affordable properties are included in the new proposals, but, from a business perspective, we are dismayed that a substantial part of the proposed development is to the North of Leamington away from the business parks & employment. Apart from older workers who have been in the area for many years, most of our work force has to commute from Coventry or Birmingham putting a strain on car parking both on our site and on the roads in the industrial estate.

Almost all the job opportunities in the area are to the south of Leamington/Warwick, unless you include people commuting to other areas. Obviously, one important factor in locating new housing is proximity to jobs. In an ideal world we need to create new developments where people can walk (or cycle) to access local employment opportunities. By locating a substantial part of the development proposed away from the main business areas the people who are attracted to live in this area will be forced to commute to work, creating an unnecessary negative impact on the environment & quality of life. In addition, commuting from the north of the Leam in Leamington to the south, is restricted to 2 bridges, and these routes are already very heavily congested.

I would like to suggest, on behalf of the major employers in this area, that you reconsider your proposals and locate all of the new development to the south of Leamington/Warwick close to the employment opportunities.