Objection to development on this site

We purchased our house in September 2011, after looking for a semi-rural location near Warwick. Our property backs onto farmland, part of the site demarcated as a potential 'preferred area' for the development of 1600 dwellings along with other facilities. We have concerns that this potential development will hugely adversely affect the area and ourselves, and while we fully accept that new development is necessary, we believe this development would be far more suitably placed elsewhere, for the following reasons.


1. This wedge of green land forms a 'partition' between Leamington Spa and Warwick, helping the two towns to maintain their distinct identities. This is a factor which was highlighted in the document 'Core Strategy Preferred Options: Report of Public Consultation', published in February 2010. Seven hundred out of 756 responses in response to this site being hallmarked for development were objections. It is fairly difficult to comprehend that, given this overwhelming majority of people not in favour of developing this area, the council now believe it is a good idea. Other objections raised in this document were:
* Inadequate infrastructure to serve development
* Environmental impact - loss of habitat & arable land; increased pollution

2. The access to this site would cause enormous inconvenience while the site was being developed. The road into Warwick (Banbury Road) is already awful at rush hour, and construction traffic is just going to make this worse. The traffic commuting to and from Warwick Technology Park has already been signposted to use the Banbury Road, and the volume of traffic on this road would increase hugely. There have been a number of accidents including two at the Barford junction and one involving a lorry at the M40 junction roundabout in the last 6 months alone.

3. Once completed, the enormous increase in volume of traffic, even with new traffic measures such as signals, would mean our commute to work would be made longer, and more expensive, which was a reason for choosing to live in this area in the first place for us.

4. There is no mains gas or sewerage to this area: We have concerns as to how these would be implemented without significant noise and disruption to those living nearby.

5. Our property currently benefits from a beautiful view over the Warwickshire farmland to the rear. We find this extremely beneficial, and this is one of the major reasons we chose to purchase a house here, as the rear green is safe and peaceful for children to play in, as we anticipate to start a family while living here. This would be ruined by a view over a large development. The presence of a large development backing onto our garden would hugely adversely affect our quality of life, due to noise, being overlooked, traffic etc.

6. The value of our property would be adversely affected if this area were to be formally planned to be developed. As mentioned before, one of the main reasons for us buying this property was the location, and if we'd wanted to be overlooked in a suburban area we would not have bought this house. Resale value will be massively affected if this is to go ahead, meaning that we will stand to lose a substantial sum of money, which, especially in the current economic climate, could have a devastating effect on us.

7. Warwick is a beautiful town, and is just that; a town. It should not have its historic and country feel taken away by sprawling estates in areas which are currently adding to its rural appeal. Tourism would be adversely affected by this choice of site, as it would be visible from Warwick Castle and its grounds, and severely detract from the otherwise beautiful setting it currently enjoys.