Dear Development Policy Manager,

We are writing to express our views about the Local Plan.

We believe that the best option would be to develop land to the south of Leamington Spa, rather than the north. There are several reasons for this. First, we understand that land to the south has previously been identified as being suitable for development by the Council. Developing this land would expand the Heathcote community and help develop the existing local facilities there. Second, it would result in quicker links to the M40, avoiding the need for residents to pass through the centres of Warwick and Leamington. Third, residents would have quick and easy access to the local railway stations. Fourth, residents would be closer to existing employment areas, and fifth it would reduce the need to develop Green Belt.

In contrast, development of land to the north of Leamington Spa would involve Green Belt land and would result in greater traffic through the already congested town centre. It would dramatically increase traffic on the A46 and A445, and it would require a new road to be built, resulting in far greater expenditure than development to the south of the town. The money required to build this road would be better invested in improving the existing infrastructure south of the town.

As residents of the area to the north of Leamington Spa, we believe the development of Green Belt land in this area would have a dramatic detrimental impact on the local community and should only be considered as a last resort. Since sufficient land outside the Green Belt that is suitable for the proposed development is available to the south of Leamington, to the east of Radford Semele and to the south of Bishops Tatchbrook, we can see no compelling reason for developing the Green Belt land to the north of Leamington Spa.

Yours sincerely,

Prof Gregory Challis and Dr Alison Foster