Helping Shape the District

(1)What are the important issues?

Over the last few years, we have asked local communities, businesses and members of the public what they think are the important issues affecting their communities. Based on these responses and the other information we’ve collected, we believe the following are the important issues facing the local area today. They are in no particular order.

1. (22)The effects of the recent recession and not knowing how the local economy will change in the future.
2. (17)Relatively high house prices limiting local people’s ability to buy or rent property in the area, creating the need for more affordable housing for families in towns and villages. Another issue is the need to provide more housing to meet people’s needs in the future, particularly those of older people.
3. (8)The economic strength of the town centres of Warwick, Leamington Spa and Kenilworth, and the threat to these from retail and leisure developments elsewhere.
4. (2)The size and condition of existing community facilities and services (particularly schools and health-care facilities) and whether they can meet current and future needs.
5. (6)People’s general health and well-being, and the need for people (particularly teenagers and young people) to have access to sport and cultural experiences, such as cinemas and community events.
6. (10)Road congestion and air pollution, particularly around the main junctions along the A46 and M40, the routes into the towns, and within the town centres.
7. The threat of flooding of homes and businesses in some areas, particularly where surface water may flood towns and villages, and the concern that the threat of flooding will increase because of climate change.
8. Areas of poverty in Warwick and Leamington Spa.
9. (4)The pressure for new development threatening the high-quality built and natural environments in the district, particularly historic areas, and the cost of maintaining historic buildings and areas.
10. (1)Crime and the fear of crime, particularly in town centres, and the need to protect the community from harm.
11. (1)The Government’s planned High Speed 2 rail line and its possible effects on the area. (The Government is consulting the public separately on this issue.)

Do you agree that these are the important issues facing your local area today?

Are there any important issues we’ve missed?

We have explained why we picked out these issues in a background technical paper published separately on our website: www.warwickdc.gov.uk/newlocalplan or available to view at one of your local Council offices.

Some of the issues are more relevant to particular parts of the district than others. We realise that different areas may have different issues, so we have also included what we consider to be the important issues for specific areas of the district in the background technical paper.