Support

Revised Development Strategy

Representation ID: 52573

Received: 27/06/2013

Respondent: Mrs Louise Wilks

Number of people: 2

Representation Summary:

Support for the Revised Local Plan, in particular RDS3 and RDS7 which suitably reflect comprehensive, objective and independant evidence, assessments and information in a way which is now compliant with national and local planning policy requirements. The assessments and conclusions from the independent studies commissioned by Warwick District Council, namely Landscape Study, Review of Employment Land study and the updated Strategic Transport Assessment conducted since July 2012 collectively provide powerful justification for RDS3 on the basis of objective planning evidence not subjective opinion.

Full text:

We welcome the Revised Local Plan, in particular RDS3 (Page 14) and RDS7 (Page 30) which we believe suitably reflects comprehensive, objective and independent evidence, assessments and information, in a way which is now compliant with national and local planning policy requirements:

(1) previously supplied as part of the evidence base in June/July 2012 for devising the Local Plan,
(2) additionally provided by a range of stakeholders as part of the consultation process on the 2012 proposed version of the Local Plan, and
(3) arising from further assessment commissioned by Warwick District Council since the previous version in 2012, and supplied within the updated evidence base for this Revised Local Plan.

We note in particular the assessments and conclusions from the independent studies commissioned by Warwick District Council, namely Landscape Study, Review of Employment Land study and the updated Strategic Transport Assessment conducted since July 2012 collectively provide powerful justification for RDS3 on the basis of objective planning evidence not subjective opinion.

A key point we wish to highlight is that in the context of the need for the Local Plan to comply with the National Planning Policy Framework, the evidence has proved the "exceptional circumstances" do not exist for justifying housing development on the Green Belt to the north of Leamington e.g. as clearly stated in Paragraph 4.3.10 of the Revised Local Plan, the updated Strategic Transport Assessment analysis refutes any justification on traffic grounds, which previously has been a key justification for development to the north of Leamington.

Finally, we recognise that given the predominant location of housing development under the Revised Local Plan is to the south of Leamington, previously silent and new respondees will raise objections to this Revised Local Plan. The Local Plan must be based on objective evidence not who shouts loudest and thus we wish to re-emphasise that the Revised Local Plan now appropriately reflects objective and independent evidence in a way which is now compliant with national and local planning policy requirements. We trust that on this basis Warwick District Council will adopt this Revised Local Plan.