I write as a Kenilworth resident and hence my primary interest is the Thickthorn development.

1- The proposed Thickthorn & Old Milverton sites are adjacent to one another on either side of the A46. They currently provide essential greenbelt separation between the towns of Leamington Spa & Kenilworth. If both sites are developed then this will create a continuous urban sprawl and the two towns individual identities will be lost. The situation could be eased by not developing Thickthorn but instead, building on the land between Wardens and Kenilworth Golf Club. I question though whether the majority of the electorate in either town wish these developments to happen? WDC seems to have been so preoccupied in complying with Government, landowner & developers wishes that it has lost sight of both the purpose of greenbelt legislation and its own requirement to serve its electorate. Sooner rather than later, WDC need to accept that Kenilworth cannot grow any further without losing its identity. The County's housing needs are best served by using brownfield sites in existing towns and creating a new town to the north-west of Warwick.
2- The development sites are located on either side of the A46 at its junction with the A452. Because of the A46 location, the proposed industrial & housing developments will attract interest from the entire length of the A46 corridor and hence significantly reduce its intended benefit to local residents. It will also cause road chaos!

3- Currently the A46/A452 junction cannot cope with traffic flows at peak times. The proposed developments will greatly increase traffic and will require both the re-development of the junction and a new road system in and through Kenilworth. These need to be in place before development commences in order to avoid total traffic chaos. WDC should also note that any new road system should take into account:
- the new 'school run' traffic flows once all Kenilworth secondary school education is located solely at the Keynes Lane site
- the proposed new rail station for Kenilworth which will attract commuter traffic from far & wide
- and the KTC's proposal to pedestrianise Kenilworth town centre.

4- WDC has still to acknowledge it's responsibility of care to the future residents of the proposed sites, particularly in respect of their health since being sited so close to the A46, residents & workers may experience respiration & hearing problems. No medical centre is proposed at Thickthorns but one is necessary since the two existing Kenilworth GP surgeries are unable to cope with the current demands of residents.

5- The Government asks for new developments to be self- sustainable. In the case of Thickthorn I would suggest the intended industrial section be used exclusively for this purpose and include:
- woodland sufficient to provide a locally sustainable source of wood for wood-burning stoves in the houses
- a wind farm sufficient to provide electricity for all homes
- water collection, treatment and storage plant to service the homes
- an incinerator for the disposal of waste
- a mixed, livestock, arable & horticultural farm sufficient to feed all residents
- a suitable infrastructure for the healthcare, education & recreational needs of the residents.

6- Land for self-build needs to be included in these developments. WDC propose modeling the sites on a traditional English village centre but the council has failed to recognise that English village style & character was forged not by developers but by the villagers themselves. The only way to recreate this is by providing an area offering plots for individuals to purchase & build to their own requirements. I suggest that the sites be split equally between self-build, speculative developer housing and social housing thus creating a more typical village setting.

7- No mention is made of the financial arrangements for these developments - presumably WDC wishes to abide by the Freedom of Information Act and will ensure that all transactions between the council, councillors, landowners and developers are fully declared and made available to its electorate.