I made a contribution to the consultation on the original plan. This was based mainly on the premise of the importance of the this greenbelt area for a variety of recreational purposes in addition to parts in use as a nature reserve. A lot of others clearly thought similarly. However, the planners have not agreed with the objections and the development of the Thickthorn area appears to be going ahead.
I was at the Kenilworth Forum meeting last Monday and heard about the latest plans. As a result I would like to raise a few points.
1. Mention was made at the meeting that the trees bordering Rocky Lane are to be preserved. No mention was made of the fate of the mature trees bordering Glasshouse Lane including the nature reserve at Glasshouse Spinney. Are these going to survive as a screen for the development? I believe mature trees of this age often have preservation orders.
2.The positioning of the primary school and the community facilities at the northern extremity of the site appears to be somewhat bizarre. Surely both should be at the centre of the community. Some parts of the site will be over a mile from the school. Bearing in mind that some of the pupils will be as young as 5, it is inevitable that they will be brought to school by car leading to even more congestion in the morning rush-hour. I accept that as a cost-cutting exercise the Warden's ground could easily be made into playing fields for the school and the ageing clubhouse could form the skeleton for the community centre. The development will cost millions and I would have thought the developers could contribute generously to the building of the facilities in the heart of their community. There is a lot of flat farmland in the appropriate area. The present proposed siting will only make sense if the planners are already looking ahead to a further development up to Crewe Lane in which case their positioning would then be central. I trust the double-glazing in the school will be good as there is considerable noise from the adjacent by-pass. Surely a position
nearer to Glasshouse Lane would be less stressful for both pupils and staff.
3.The planners seem to assume that most people would exit the development in a southerly direction, hence the improvements at the Thickthorn and Jet islands. I assume as well as the spine
road connecting with the Thickthorn island there will also be exit points at intervals onto Birches and Glasshouse Lanes.I guess a lot of traffic will turn right onto these roads heading to Crewe Lane and Dalehouse Lane. The exit from Knowle Hill onto Dalehouse Lane is difficult and very busy in the rush-hour already but there has been no mention of improving this junction.
4.It has been reported that the Wardens and the Rugby Club are likely to relocate to Castle Farm. When this happens there will be no sports facilities left on the eastern side of town. This would be to the disadvantage of the large number of youngsters who use them at the moment, numbers that are likely to increase immensely with the development.