Dear Sirs,
I write to provide my support for the New Local Plan Revised Development Strategy; in particular I support the absence of development on the North Leamington Green Belt around Milverton and Blackdown.
It is refreshing and valuable to see politics in action that has listened to the concerns and Planning Objections based on fact, that has seen the removal of development in Milverton/Blackdown.
It is essential that the plan does not return to a scheme involving any development on the North Leamington Green Belt. It must not be permitted.
I base my support on the fact that the Green Belt in the area mentioned meets the 5 key roles of Green Belt and is an excellent and well used cultural and exercise related resource. I note and draw attention that development in Kenilworth, Baginton and Lillington has already taken land from this essential Green Belt. Further development on it would not be sustainable.
I would also like to make the following points in this letter of support:
1. If the Joint Strategic Housing needs analysis currently being performed with Coventry City Council identifies that it is necessary to increase the number of houses above those currently proposed I believe that there is sufficient non Green Belt land to accommodate this additional development.
2. I recognise there are rejections to the plan based on "Fair Distribution" of housing - however point out as I hope you will to those objectors that the Revised Development Strategy has a fair distribution of new housing across the District - there are still plans for new houses in the Green Belt at Thickthorn and Lillington as well as proposed development in villages. This makes it entirely fair.
3. Commuting, polution and infrastructure (roads) development can be minimised by the Revised Development Strategy as it now proposes that most of the new development is located close to where employment opportunities already exist (e.g. industrial parks to the South of Leamington & Warwick). This also maximises the opportunity for people to live close to their place of work, improving quality of life.
4. Development in South Leamington does not face the border proximity issues of North Leamington - there is ample space to build to the south of Leamington as the next nearest town is Banbury.
5. Focusing development in the South, in one broad area, ensures adequate public services can be provided and developed to meet the needs of the new population. These services can be designed to meet the exact needs of that new population and planned within easy walking and cycling distance, minimising traffic congestion. I don't believe the plan could respond to an alternative distributed proposal for housing across the district as there will be smaller but threshold breaking impacts on schools, health, policing and council services spread around the district which can't be appropriately responded to with focused investment - just patching up of stretched services.
6. The original Plan involving development of Road Infrastructure in North Leamington to meet the needs of that original plan was unaffordable and waste of tax payers funds and still without issues. The transport assessment clearly shows that development in the North would generate more traffic congestion in the district as it would have forced people to travel south to employment land, shopping (e.g. supermarkets) and the M40. Loss of vital Green Belt recreation land would also have resulted in more people travelling by car for recreation. The Revised Development Strategy provides for improvement to the road network South of Leamington to relieve the existing congestion and to cater for the new development.
6. It is possible that mitigation methods may need to be employed in the Southern areas to reduce pollution and congestion but the work needed to do this would be less than for development in the North. For instance putting the country park in the South next to the existing houses, with new housing beyond it, would make the green-park more accessible. It could be crossed by cycle-ways and would act as a green-lung to reduce air pollution.
In conclusion the exclusion of development in the North Leamington Green Belt enables the plan to comply with the NPPF. Any attempt to re-introduce development in the North Leamington Green Belt would be unacceptable and will be opposed to as no exceptional circumstances exist. I believe the council has a responsibility to protect this vital resource for which many people chose and will continue to chose to live in Leamington Spa. I insist that positive politics continues to work, managing by fact and planning accordingly.
I support the new plan entirely - Development in the South reduces traffic congestion and reduces air pollution, it enables better provision of public services and other facilities with better access to the employment hubs in the South.