I wish to register my objection to the Councils proposed Local Plan and in particular to the proposal to develop on Green Belt land to the North of Leamington Spa. The need to identify land as Green belt was done for very sound reasons to prevent urban sprawl, the merging of conavations and to secure vital environmental assets.

I was aware that a Local Plan prepared in 2009 recognised the need to maintain Green Belt and identified land for development to the south of Leamington Spa. This proposal would seem to be incompatible with managing traffic and transportation within the town as existing national road and rail connections, retail areas and areas of employment are also located south of the historic town centre. Developing land to the North of the town centre would generate intolerable traffic congestion in the town as the additional traffic generated would journey across town to reach these amenities.

I note that the draft Plan refers to 'employment and community facilities' as well as proposed housing in the proposed development areas north of the town. I presume this is likely to be manifest as supermarkets and retail units. This would destroy the current leafy, sub urban residential nature and character of North Leamington which makes it such a desirable place to live.

Green Belt land should not be developed unless there are exceptional reasons or circumstances to do so. The draft Plan does not identify any exceptional circumstances or reasons and previous Plans have identified other more suitable areas which are not designated Green Belt to the south of the town centre. To propose the development of Green Belt over non Green Belt areas would render the classification meaningless.