Baginton and Bubbenhall Neighbourhood Plan

(10) 5.0 Baginton

The Baginton Oak

Early historical development

5.1 There is an early record of the village in the Domesday survey, which records Baginton under the name of "Badechitone". Although there is an indirect reference in a grant of land about 1150, the church is first mentioned specifically in the reign of Henry II (1154-1189) as a chapel attached to the church at Stoneleigh, when that church was given to Kenilworth Priory.

5.2 Nothing of this chapel (or earlier buildings) remains and the present building was built (or reconstructed) in the 13th century. At that time the manor included 12 villeins and 12 freeholders; that is 24 families excluding the castle.

5.3 By 1730, there were 27 houses in the village, and 5 on the "waste" (or common). In the 19th century Baginton was typical of many South Warwickshire villages and derived its income mainly from agriculture.  Baginton Hall was home to the Bromley family which had included  a former Speaker and Secretary of State and hosted a visit by Queen Anne.

5.4 Lucy Price was the last of the Bromleys and her death in 1822 meant that continuity came to an end. However, the Hall continued with to a succession of tenants. These included the younger brother of the Prime Minister Robert Peel. The brother and members of his family are buried in the churchyard.

5.5 In 1889 Baginton Hall was destroyed by an enormous fire. Thus, by the end of the century the Hall had gone and with it the focal point of the community. The village had also lost what had once been its main employer. Only the Church and Corn Mill remained to give evidence of what was a distinguished and ancient community. To replace it, the only significant new building that took place during the century was the School Hall (now the old School House) built in 1873 and the Row built for Agricultural Labourers in 1877.

5.6 With the hall ceasing as a major employer and with the growing industrialisation of Coventry where wages tended to be higher, it is unsurprising that over the course of the century the population declined from 300 at the time of the first census in 1801 to just 174 people 100 years later.

5.7 The sale of the Bromley estate in the 1920s led to much of the land being bought up by property developers and ensured that a steady supply of new housing came on the market over the remainder of the century. In addition, it provided employment in building, quarrying and industrial development.

5.8 During the second half of the century Baginton started to lose many of the services that were fast disappearing from most small rural communities. The school closed in 1976. The last rector at Baginton Church left in 1960 and the village policeman left soon after. Baginton currently continues as a community proud of its past and secure in its future. It has ceased to be the isolated rural community of former centuries but it has remained an identifiable community and looks set to remain so in the 21st century.

Baginton Today

Church Road, Baginton

5.9 Baginton is a thriving community of around 600 people. There are a number of active groups including walkers, junior football, gardeners, WI, artists, church groups, RSPB events, car enthusiasts, thriving allotment association etc. and regular events, including an annual 'Party in the Park,' summer and winter fairs, cycling events, Guy Fawkes night etc.

5.10 To keep villagers informed there is a monthly newsletter which is delivered free to every house in the parish as well as a website.

5.11 Local businesses which serve the villagers, as well as visitors and provide employment include two public houses, a shop / post office, takeaway, five nurseries, a dog grooming business and the Royal British Legion. There is a unique quarry garden within one of the garden centres.

5.12 There are no formal educational or medical services in the village so all the children and anyone wanting to consult a doctor have to go out of Baginton. There is a village hall used for a range of village events and there is a highly-regarded air museum and an electric railway museum in the Parish.

5.13 There is a children's playground and also the Millennium field which is used for village events, football, picnics, walking and includes a community orchard. Adjacent there is the village green and ancient Baginton Oak tree, spinney, pond and operational Smithy.

5.14 The village enjoys the openness of its rural surroundings within the greenbelt, which provide an effective buffer against urban sprawl. There are adequate road links and cycle routes connecting Baginton to the industrial heartland of Coventry and the rest of Warwickshire and the West Midlands. The 539 bus goes through the village 5 times each way, per day. In recent years, there has been a huge increase in both vehicles and cyclists passing through the village. Baginton has also lost bus services in recent times. These cut backs have resulted in a dependency on cars for transport which in turn has led to the social isolation of young people as well as the elderly.

5.15 The village is rich in history, including the Grade I listed church, the Roman Lunt Fort, ice house, ancient mill [now one of the pub / restaurants] and Baginton Castle which is now becoming a popular visitors centre after years of neglect. The largest building in the village is the Exclusive Brethren Meeting Hall. A large part of the village is within a conservation area and the village enjoys variety of large and small dwellings, varying widely in age and design.

5.16 Villagers accept the need for additional housing.

5.17 The Parish also includes the Middlemarch Business Park and Coventry Airport, both of which provide employment for large numbers of local people.

5.18 The village depends on the greenbelt designation to maintain its residential village feel and all recent surveys and consultations show villagers are determined to that Baginton should remain washed over by greenbelt.

5.19 The Village Hall is a centre of local activities and is frequently utilised for village and private events. It attracts dog club shows from all over the country.

5.37 The playing fields in Baginton are owned by the Parish Council. The playing fields contain numerous pieces of play equipment for young people of all ages. The village hall sits on separate land also owed by the Parish Council, with a large amenity field. The hall has a large central room which can be used for meetings, functions and indoor activities as required, with a separate smaller committee room. The management committee that runs the village hall has implemented a programme of refurbishment to bring the hall up to modern day standards and user expectations.

5.38 The village green and spinney is also owned by the Parish Council and is designated as common land. The pond is in need of refurbishment and the Old Oak needs attention.

5.39 The Millennium Field is rented by Baginton Parish Council for Coventry City Council for a peppercorn rent with over 80 years remaining on the lease. It is used for activities in the village including the football club, Bonfire and Party in the Park.

5.40 The green field between Baginton and Coventry, south of the A45/46, must be maintained as local green space to prevent urban sprawl.

5.41 The NPPF sets out in paragraphs 76 – 78, that subject to certain criteria, local communities can identify and protect local green spaces.

Para76. Local communities through local and neighbourhood plans should beableto identify for special protection green areas of particular importance to them. By designating land as Local Green Space local communities will be able to rule out new development other than in very special circumstances. Identifying land as Local Green Space should therefore be consistent with the local planning of sustainable development and complement investment in sufficient homes, jobs and other essential services. Local Green Spaces should only be designated when a plan is prepared or reviewed, and be capable of enduring beyond the end of the planperiod.

Para77. The Local Green Space designation will not be appropriate fo rmost green areas or open space. The designation should only beused:

● where the green space is in reasonably close proximity to the community it serves;

● where the green area is demonstrably special to a local community and holds a particular local significance ,for example because of its beauty, historic significance, recreational value (including as a playing field), tranquillity or richness of its wildlife;and

● where the green area concerned is local in character and is not an extensive tract of land.

Para78. Local policy for managing development within a Local Green Space should be consistent with policy for Green Belts.

5.42 Table 1 below sets out the justification for the identified local green spaces in Baginton.

Table 1 Local Green Spaces

Planning Policies - Protecting Local Services, Assets and Amenities

Baginton Village Hall

5.43 The Baginton Parish Plan of 2011 identified the need to enhance and maintain the Baginton Small Services Directory annually, with details of local facilities and services providers. The Baginton Emergency Plan is also revised annually and recent new service included the provision of a public use defibrillator. There are many clubs in the village, such as the Baginton Gardeners, Dog Club, Parent and Toddler group, Art group, Children's Swimming Club, Coffee Circle, Baginton Walkers and others. It is intended to ensure these clubs are nurtured to ensure they survive in the long term. At this time there is no medical services provision in the village. Consideration could be given to the provision of a visiting medical service if this can be justified.

5.44 The Parish Council is therefore committed to the following actions:

5.45 Baginton village has many assets and amenities, including the old Oak tree, village green, pond and spinney, Lucy Price playground, Millennium Field, village hall and grounds, village website & notice boards, old smithy and other open spaces, the Church and grounds, the Lunt Fort and the Castle ruins. Other amenities include the facilities provided by the Old Mill Public House, The Oak Public House, and the British Legion as well as other businesses.

5.46 The 2011 Parish Plan recognised these amenities and sought to maintain and develop these in order to gain value and enhance benefits. Ideas included refurbishing the playground, adding new sporting facilities to the Millennium Field such as tennis courts, cricket pitch and bowling green. It also identified the need to consider and provide facilities for young people within the village, looked at how use of the facilities could be better communicated and how the amenities could be better utilised for the benefit of villagers and neighbouring communities.

5.47 The Parish Council is therefore committed to the following actions:

1. The proposal includes alternative provision, on a site within  the locality, of equivalent or enhanced facilities. Such sites should be accessible by public transport, walking and cycling and have adequate car parking;or

2. There  is  no  longer  a  need  for  the  facility,  and  this  can    be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the ParishCouncil.

Developmentwhichcontributestowardstheimprovementofexisting, or provision of new recreational facilities will beencouraged.

A Green Infrastructure (GI) approach will be promoted for all new publicopenspaceproposalsinordertosupportcommunityaccessand protect and enhance the natural and historic environment. Proposals must be designed to provide open space, sport and recreation uses which:

 Are accessible toall;

 Safeguard and enhance the natural and historic environment; and

 Protect priority species and enhance habitats and sites of special biodiversityinterest.

Planning Policies - Road Traffic

5.48 The Parish Plan and Neighbourhood Plan consultations in Baginton identified significant safety and nuisance concerns amongst residents about issues such as vehicle volumes, speeding, noise, fumes, large numbers of HGV's and buses etc. Another safety issue is the lack of pavements around the Lunt and Millennium field which force people to cross the road adjacent to some blind bends. The Baginton Bridge pavements are very narrow particularly for parents with children and / or prams. Therefore either a separate footbridge similar to the one in Stoneleigh is required or the existing pavements need to be widened and the bridge made one way with traffic lights at either end. NOTE. If the Bridge was made one-way the chicane adjacent to the allotments would need to be removed.

5.49 There has been large increases in traffic volumes through the village in recent years as a result of the ongoing problems with the A46 / A45, the growth if the In-Transit business based on the Bubbenhall Road, increasing numbers of commuters from the Leamington Spa area, the JLR park and ride scheme based in Rowley road etc. While the completion of the Toll Bar End project may reduce traffic volumes in the medium term proactive efforts need to be made to ensure this happens in practice to deliver progressive reduction. Once the Toll Bar project is complete the large number of "not in service" buses currently using Mill Hill to access their base in Rowley Road should be actively encouraged to use the A45 – A46.

5.50 Twelve or so years ago the In-Transit business was entirely devoted to light weight commercial vehicles. They were then granted a licence to operate the 40 Ton articulated trucks. Since then there has been frequent damage to verges and bollards along Coventry Road towards Bubbenhall. The road is completely unsuited to high frequency use by large articulated HGV's and ways of mitigating the ongoing damage need to be addressed. Objective 6 is to reduce current traffic levels therefore any additional housing or businesses proposed for the area must address the traffic issue and define how traffic control promises will be enforced. Warwick District Council has already approved [outline planning permission] for Close Brethren School in Baginton and the traffic increases associated with this development have not been clearly addressed.

5.51 The 7.5 tonne limit on the Baginton Bridge over the River Sowe is poorly signposted and rarely enforced. The County Council are working to improve signage so that the rule is clear and that any transgressions will therefore be deliberate. The speed bumps in Baginton which were replaced recently are ineffective and continually have to be repaired because of their poor design and construction. There are many examples of effective speed reduction methods in other parts of Coventry and Warwickshire and around the UK. Baginton needs effective solutions to speeding and many think a 20mph limit should be introduced. Overall it is appropriate that developer contributions and other funding should be sought to improve traffic management and therefore enhance local quality of life in the Parish.

Policy BAG6 Traffic Management and Transport Improvements

Traffic measures which improve local road safety and the health and wellbeing of residents will be supported.

Developer contributions, Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) payments and other funding will be sought towards the following initiatives within the Parish:

1. Joint working with Warwick District Council, Warwickshire County Council and the police to measure traffic flows and speeds inBaginton;

2. Development of a comprehensive long term plan for managing safety, volumes, speed, HGV's etc including such measures as effective speed humps, speed measurement, chicanes, speed limits, Community Speedwatch, adequate parking arrangements, enforcement of the parking regulationsetc;

3. Improvements in public transport and working with the Councils and providers to meet theseneeds;

4. Making Baginton a safe and attractive route for cyclists and pedestrians. In addition to vehicle traffic management this includes for example, roads and pavements free of pot holes, pavements of adequate useable width and additional pavements in some areas. New / improved cycle routes to surrounding towns, villages and places of employment are also needed.

Planning Policies - Commercial / industrial development and employment issues

Smiths Nurseries, Baginton

5.52 Baginton has SME (small and medium sized) businesses located in and around the village and the airport. In addition, there larger manufacturing and service enterprises located in the Middlemarch Business Park. Middlemarch Business Park has over 70 business including a major Royal Mail depot, food manufacturing, packaging manufacture, distribution depots etc. There are a wide range of engineering and business support companies as well as a children's soft play business.

5.53 In the village there is the village shop and Post Office, two pub / restaurant / hotels, bed and breakfast, four garden centre businesses, a takeaway, the Royal British Legion, tree and garden services and a range of services based in residents' homes. The airport has a number of businesses including air freight, executive jets, helicopter training and services, flight simulator, aero club, air museum, electric railway museum, DC6 restaurant, granite processing etc. In the Parish around the village there are farms, livery, pet boarding, an aero products company, transport company and others.

5.54 In consultations villagers have been clear that they want Baginton to remain as primarily a residential area. Villagers will support any sustainable business that provides employment and fits in with the residential nature of Baginton.