dear sir/madam

unfortunately i cannot respond to your revised development strategy through your website and so i am emailing you and hope that this is sufficient to log and raise my opinion/concerns.should i need to use the link throught the wdc website then please let me know before 29th july.

my opinion:

i raised my opinions in a formal manner at the earlier consultation stage - 'preferred options' - urging you not to build on the greenbelt land north of leamington spa. i gave several resons for this, including:

the footpath and green belt land accessed from Bamburgh Grove across the greenbelt land of Old Milverton is used by lots of people who also enjoy using this greenbelt land for recreational purposes. This greenbelt land should be protected and kept as it is for the local community to enjoy. The recreational value of this greenbelt land is immense. It keeps our town looking nice - appealing to locals and visitors to the town. It encourages people to live and stay in our town. It helps to educate younger people - allowing them to easily get out into the countryside. It is good for people's well-being and fitness. building on the grenbelt land would have a negative effect on peoples' health and well-being.

(2) This greenbelt land is also highly important environmentally - it provides habitat for wildlife and is an area filled with lots of different types of plants and trees. The WDC has a responsibility to protect this area.

Greenbelt land is important to stop towns merging into one another. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that the Government attaches great importance to Greenbelts and that the fundamental aim of Greenbelt is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open. Therefore, the greenbelt land in Old Milverton and Blackdown should NOT be built on otherwise the towns of Kenilworth, Leamington Spa and Old Milverton village would eventually merge together.

The NPPF states that Greenbelt boundaries should only be altered in exceptional circumstances. As there are alternative sites, there are no exceptional circumstances which outweigh the harm caused by altering the Greenbelt boundaries in Old Milverton and Blackdown and allowing development on this land.

The Greenbelt in Old Milverton and Blackdown fulfils the 5 purposes of Greenbelt set out in the NPPF and therefore should remain as open Greenbelt land for ever. It ...

o Prevents the unrestricted sprawl of Leamington to the north
o Prevents the merging of Leamington and Kenilworth
o Helps safeguard the countryside from encroachment
o Helps preserve the setting and special character of Leamington (a historic town)
o Helps urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land

i agree with the sites which have been currently identified by WDC as being able to be developed that are not in any greenbelt area. These sites were included in Warwick District Council's previous plan (the 2009 Core Strategy) and most are south of Leamington where there is already lots of employment opportunities and infrastructure already in place - so being land suitable for building and development; NOT greenbelt land so no greenbelt destroyed; land more suitable for housing etdc as places for jobs, shopping and roads already in place and easier to develop. I believe that this non-greenbelt land land should be used for development in preference to the greenbelt land to the north of Leamington (or any other greenbelt land).

further concerns:

i have become aware that due to the plans of coventry city council the greenbelt land of old milverton and blackdown may still be at risk of development.

at this point i would like to raise my concerns again and urge you to safeguard the greenbelt land north of leamington spa (old milverton/blackdown areas) and prevent it being built on. it would cause urban sprawl and have a detrimental affect on the town of leamington and the health and well-being and quality of life of many of its long standing residents.

so please log this email as a second formal response - and response to the revised development strategy - PLEASE keep our greenbelt land as it is for future generations to enjoy and to best preserve leamington spa as the lovely town that it is.