Object

Representation ID: 56596

Received: 29/07/2013

Respondent: Lenco Investments

Agent: RPS Planning

Although it is agreed that brownfield land should be prioritised for development, it is evident that to deliver a higher level of housing (as suggested in representation on RDS1), further Greenfield and Green Belt land will need to be released as there is a lack of suitable urban brownfield sites available.

RDS4 indicates the broad location of development, which focuses 4,550 dwellings on sites at the edge of Warwick, Leamington and Whitnash, with 700 dwellings at Kenilworth, 380 dwellings on urban brownfield sites, and 1,000 dwellings allocated to village development.

This number of allocations is considered to be significantly lower than what should be delivered to meet the projected increase in population and housing requirements.

It is also lower than, and therefore contrary to, the key principles within the Strategic Vision (paragraph 3.5) which state that 550 dwellings a year should be provided on new allocated sites, which equates to 9,900 allocated dwellings to be delivered in the plan period.

The Local Plan should include references to the level of cross-boundary growth that will be provided to meet adjacent authorities' needs, which should be in addition to the level of housing suggested (in representation on RDS1) to meet Warwick's own needs and reflect the predicted levels of growth as identified through the evidence base.

Further greenfield and Green Belt sites in sustainable locations should therefore be allocated to deliver this housing.

The 2012 Coventry SHLAA indicates that Coventry cannot meet their housing needs in their administrative boundary.

Lenco's site at Baginton/Coventry Gateway could provide approximately 1,000 dwellings and community facilities, and therefore should be favoured by the Council as an allocation to assist with cross-boundary provision, and support employment growth within the area particularly the recently approved Gateway scheme which will provide up to 10,500 jobs and 6.5ha of Warwick's employment needs.