Issue and Options 2023

Yes

Warwickshire has many fine gardens, and the Warwickshire Gardens Trust (WGT) works, inter alia, to record and protect gardens and parks of outstanding quality from neglect and inappropriate development, including those held only on local lists. The Gardens Trust, to whom the Warwickshire Trust is affiliated, has been appointed a statutory consultant on planning matters relating to registered gardens. The WGT is therefore pleased to be able to comment on the South Warwickshire Local Plan proposals. In order to protect our garden heritage, it is vital that gardens and their settings and other green spaces on the local register be given the same degree of protection/consideration as other heritage assets such as conservation areas, Listed Buildings, Scheduled Monuments, and archaeological sites. The Historic Settlement Sensitivity Assessment for Warwick and Stratford-on-Avon looks at a number of settlements but does not cover all of the two districts. It is, therefore, important to note that all areas of the combined district should be assessed against development proposals by the same RAG methodology in order to bar or mitigate any damage to our garden heritage. The question posed in the consultation was whether the correct approach was to include a high-level strategic policy within the Part 1 plan and to utilise heritage assessments to inform the growth strategy, and delay detailed policies to Part 2? The WGT believe that this is the correct approach – but would ask that all areas be included.