Object

Representation ID: 48878

Received: 30/07/2012

Respondent: Old Milverton & Blackdown JPC

The Parish Council objects to proposals to redraw the greenbelt boundary in Old Milverton to permit the construction of 1,980 dwellings, out of town shopping facilities, light industrial units, schools, park and ride and changes in the road network to cope with increased traffic resulting from this development. A large part of the north of the district is covered by greenbelt to prevent the coalescence of Leamington and Kenilworth into Coventry providing a 'green lung' between Leamington and Kenilworth, preserving the identities of these towns. Development is planned in this location despite the Preferred Option seeking to avoid coalescence. Future creeping development will allow Old Milverton to be subsumed by Leamington as the Relief Road will provide a natural boundary for future development. The original 2009 Core Strategy directed most development to the South of Leamington which there is capacity to grow the town sustainably and close to major employment. The NPPF includes the presumption in favour of sustainable development and that significant adverse impacts on the economic, social and environmental aspects of this should be avoided. Development in the greenbelt in this area would be contrary to this. The Preferred Options contravene the requirement in the NPPF for there to be 'very special circumstances' given the existence of alternative sites outside the greenbelt that are deliverable. The proposals ignore the Joint Greenbelt Study which concluded that land at Blackdown was not suitable for development and the March 2011 consultation in which 60% of respondents were against development in the greenbelt. The land provides a countryside environment close to the town centres and is enjoyed by many for walking, cycling and running etc. There is substantial public opposition not only from the two parishes directly affected but from further afield. Turning the A452 into a dual caridgeway will not help traffic flows and building more houses will increase congestion. The Relief road is not required as traffic flows tend to be north to south and will only serve to take new home owners in the area quickly onto the A46. There is an existing road network south of Leamington which could be upgraded at a considerably lower cost. Proposed out of town development will take trade away from town centres and be a blow to independent retailers detracting from the uniqueness of our towns detering visitors. There are two sites west of Warwick which are not in the greenbelt and the previous Core Strategy identified land to the west and east of Radford Semele but it is understood that this is rejected because of gas pipelines. However these do not rule out the entire site but prevent construction within 100m. Grove farm was also included in the previous Core Strategy but was rejected because it was considered that there would be too much development to the south, discussions with developers and consultants suggest these fears are unfounded. Local employers do not appear to have been consulted and a number of residents have expressed significant concern about the consultation process. It is felt that the Council is trying to defend its preferred options rather than presenting alternative options.