The statements made are correct regarding the need for a range of new homes if older residents are to have the opportunity to downsize. However there is a need to consider that residents with either large or difficult to maintain homes (perhaps older properties or homes with large gardens) do not necessarily wish to move to small two bedroom homes or to new village developments.
Parishes such as Rowington are simply dying due to a lack of new middle age residents because of the lack of suitable new housing. Meanwhile management and employees of high growth companies such as Jaguar Land Rover fail to find suitable homes in the very same area. Rowington parish is quite centrally located re the various sites of some of these companies including JLR and its suppliers. The only planned preferred sites within the current local plan are unlikely to meet the needs of many current residents or indeed provide housing opportunity for potential younger middle age / middle class families.
Without such stimulus communities such as Rowington will continue to die re lack of younger, vibrant participants in village activities. The current proposal has failed to take heed of opportunities re sites which were suggested (at Pinley) which would modestly help this current imbalance. There is a need for greater distribution of housing to include smaller sites.