Object

Representation ID: 56573

Received: 29/07/2013

Respondent: Warwickshire County Council Physical Assets Business Unit

Agent: Savills

Objects to the proposals for part of this land to be used for employment and/or park & ride uses but supports the inclusion of this land for an urban extension to contribute to the overall provision of housing (up to around 1250 dwellings) and associated infrastructure (open space, play areas and Green Infrastructure).

Whilst previous support by WCC was on the basis that WDC was proposing a residential-led allocation and no specific land area was identified for employment.

However, circumstances have now changed and WDC's revised strategy for releasing sites south of Warwick / Leamington for development is now seeking to allocate a single employment site.

On the basis of the evidence WDC has in respect of the direction of the urban expansion of Warwick / Leamington and the employment land supply and demand, WCC Property considers that its land should be promoted for residential development only and that alternative sites should be identified for employment later in the plan period.

The employment site allocation should be made from the list of alternatives considered by the Employment Land Review Study and only the least sequentially preferable site for housing should be considered for employment development in the early part of the Plan Period.

The landscape evidence does not dismiss the land to the south of Gallows Hill as being appropriate for employment development in principle. Land south of Gallows Hill could provide a suitable expansion of WTP with a direct link from a new junction close to or opposite one or both of the existing access points to WTP. With appropriate landscaping and signage, the expansion could be designed to be properly integrated as a second phase of WTP.