Object

Representation ID: 54752

Received: 25/08/2013

Respondent: Mr Nigel Hamilton

RDS is seeking to meet the needs of hypothetical future people who may wish to come to the Warwick District and not the housing and development needs of the current population. The logic of this approach is bizarre and can be moulded into whatever policy an official saw fit, irrespective of facts or probability.

The level of growth is not sustainable. Level of infrastructure, its distribution, housing location and jobs, do not match the population growth forecast. A 40% increase in Warwick's population over 15 years is clearly unsustainable and will cause immense, irreversible damage to the character of the Town.

A realistic forecast of need would mean that the District already has the required five-year supply of sites, balancing housing with employment growth and matching the housing market. Projected housing need of 12,300 new homes to be built is much too high. Less than half that number would meet local needs. It is wrong to forecast as far into the future as 2029, and to allocate greenfield land now.

More than 50% of national growth from immigration over the last two decades. Government wishes to reduce future net immigration: why is Warwick District planning for an even greater level of growth over the next 15 years? Recent government figures show that demand from migration is now falling. Why is the RDS assuming a rapid increase in demand for single occupancy households when the actual demographic trend is away from this? Is the modelling based on current data, or is it simply looking at the demand during the decade of rapid growth and easy availability of mortgage loans pre the 2008 crash?

A greater emphasis should be given for multi generational living, with semi independent adults. RDS does not consider that many from outside the area may choose to live at the new town proposed for Gaydon rather than within the District.