I am writing about the issues that are involved with the Local Plan. I am 13 years old, and go to King's High School in Warwick, and I live in Bridge End. I have heard about the plan from the worries of many local residents and after a little research, feel the need to express my anxiety over the proposals.
Firstly comes the environmental aspect. The colossal amount of proposed development land in Warwick alone is unbearable. With so much natural land destroyed, not only will there be ever less land for the already rapidly declining hedgehog populations (of which may I point out you are readily encouraging) as well as other plants and animals' natural habitats, but even the basic need for a clear horizon will not exist. I've even heard that the Ribbon Development Act doesn't allow this much destruction of natural land. All over the world natural habitats are being destroyed, to my disgust, at an ever increasing rate. But when this comes to home, I begin to feel horrified of how real this all is. The natural habitats of the area are already being strained out, and although you may "express concerns", I believe you do not. I feel ashamed that my home country is turning as industrious as the rest of the world - it is becoming less and less special. You will prize it more, in your eyes, but not us. For you this is simply a business matter but for us this is our lives, and through all this paperwork, all you're really doing is thwarting the beauty out of them. It really comes to a point of the tolerable and the intolerable.
Secondly, and very potently, the health aspect. As a local along with at least 25 people in Bridge End walk to Myton, King's High, and Warwick Boy's School. After a trip to Cornwall, I remember saying "Dad, can't you smell something really... you know, like dust, like stale air.." and Dad said "the car fumes. I love Cornwall, it's so clean from the sea, it's a shame I guess...". And I do notice it even now. When I walk up to school through the town centre, the fumes are really noticable, and horrible. England, like the rest of the world, is shrouding itself in it's own filth. Also, all of the girls and boys from Warwick Prep, King's High and Warwick Boy's have PE lessons in the playing fields. Many of my friends have asthma, and all of us can actually taste the pollution in the air. The huge amount of housing means extra roads, extra roads mean extra cars, which mean thousands more inputs on air pollution. I've heard the air pollution in Warwick is at or even over the legal limit. Is this true? It doesn't surprise me. You may claim otherwise, but it's a fact. The increase in air pollution will be significant. It will go over the legal limit, very much to your knowledge, yet you readily accept and move on thinking "we are not liable. This is not through our cause, but of the new local residents." This has serious health effects, or else the limit wouldn't have been made! Buildings as well as people will be affected, including the Castle and other historic sites. As a cross-country runner who loves to train on the school track, I know as much as everyone that it's not only horrible, it's damaging me as I run even though I'm meant to be getting healthier from excerise! Isn't that what you encourage, because it can't be for long. It's illegal, and we shouldn't put up with it.
And finally, the actual effect of the quality of life on the residents, visitors and tourists. The Bridge. Shown in countless postcards of Warwick, it's an enormous cultural significance. I walk across it twice a day to get to school. I used to throw snowballs over the edge when I was little with my Mum. People row their boats down the timeless stonework. Photographers use it to catch that beautiful sunset view of the castle, where, on a plaque that countless feet have walked across, reads "one of the finest views in England." So many new cars may, over calculations, seek an end to this masterpiece. You simply cannot wish to achieve this! One of the finest views in England, replaced by a cold, budget replica, because all of this is really about money. You are rejecting one of the best treasures of the River Avon, the most famous river in your country.
I already know all too well that every morning, every afternoon at rush hour the traffic queues are some of the largest in the area. Even when the traffic lights turn red to let me cross the road, the queue will often grow 500m. For large events, like concerts, and the folk festival, the traffic can extend as far as you can see over the bridge in all directions. Add to this thousands more cars, and I don't think many can cope. Some people may want to drive because of the illegal air fumes, so these extra cars (that would have been healthier walkers, may I add) create even more unwanted fumes. Others may want to walk because of the unbearable traffic, but they hate to because of the horrible fumes! You have to drive either way. Many of my friends' parents drive them to school, as well as their siblings. With so much extra traffic in the area, the journey between sibling's schools will be extended, to the point that (already being tight) one may have to miss some school in the morning. The money you pay for many schools wasted, as pupils cannot attend the first ten minutes - no, not an exaggeration, a real concern amongst everyone! This may seem little, but over the course of a childhood will have a noticeable effect on their education - often the start of a lesson is the most important! You may say the extra roads will spread the traffic out more, but we don't need more roads, we have plenty to get around. What these new roads really are doing is turning half the town into a parking lot!
Tourists and visitors will likely be put off too. Even from entering Warwick, "the heart and soul of England", actually an industrial skyline of fields of grim, identical looking houses just like these people have back at home, huge employment buildings, like at home. Traffic that reduces their day spent in Warwick, also simply off-putting. Who wants to know that the beautiful, idyllic town of Warwick has decided to replace it's history and wonder with industry, money and power? The history lost from the bridge, the nature lost from development and replaced with the things these people already have and are trying to escape from in order to experience new places to their fullest - will surely put tourists and visitors off. Meant to be a quiet place, not just for tourists, but for families and the retired, Warwick will have a terrible increase in noise pollution. I love the great outdoors and it's quiet serenity, that makes it so at peace. The noise of traffic and people in town are already starting to drown out my thoughts. Why go further? Not only will all this have an effect on your reputation from outsiders (and insiders) from within and without England alike, it will eventually decrease the steady flow of tourists that many people's livelihoods remain on. They get poorer, you get less tax, until many become unemployed and seek your help - which you are trying to solve by building an employment building!
My letter may seem somewhat defensive, but I feel it has to be. So many people feel these things but their voices are blatantly being ignored, which makes me feel even more passionate about having the voice that our country is meant to give us. Of course I realise that this isn't simply a matter of acting on the plan or not, as there are a lot of issues that you are trying to solve, and a lot of things tying you down. But I am concerned that far more issues will be made taking action in the plan - the ones above are simply a sampler of the concerns that I and indeed all the locals harbour. These cons will affect you too - they threaten all of us. The new residents coming to live here will also experience them, and word of mouth will leak to them of the side effects of this development, which they shall not be proud of. This is a long term commitment - 18 years altogether - that not many can take. Residents will leave, so this plan to get more people to stay will surely not balance as planned? This is my entire childhood, and all my friends, which will stay with us for the rest of our lives. Warwick will be a less green place, a noisier, more claustrophobic, and grimier, less interesting or beautiful place. Many people decided to retire here for what it truly is. You are about to deny them that and force them to live the most precious part of their lives in misery - they don't deserve this!
Please make the most out of our country. It upsets me that if the people who contributed to the history of Warwick, who helped make it such a beautiful place, were able to see the disrespect and ingratitude that some people nowadays have on them and their country - they would feel ashamed and disappointed. I feel grateful for what fortune has given me and my family - all of my childhood memories come back to here. Please show a love to other people's lives, like you promised you would, and help Warwick continue to be the prosperous, green, homely community it already is. Please let me know I am in good hands.