Object

Representation ID: 63408

Received: 26/07/2013

Respondent: Mr Chris Braithwaite

Objects to development South of Warwick particularly south of Harbury Lane. Queries number of new homes needed across the district, Ray Bullens paper based on the 2011 census reaches a natural growth figure of 5400 and Warwick District's own consultants PROJ5 option arrived at 4405. Queries figure for Bishops Tachbrook when the housing need survey identified a need for 14 homes a mixed development of 25 to 30 homes could provide 10 affordable homes.

The plan states the need to avoid coalescence but proposes to extend the urban area towards Bishops Tachbrook, Warwick Gates can already be seen from the village and the proposals would fill the northern side of the Tachbrook Valley. It is suggested that perceptions of urban sprawl could be overcome by a network of green corridors but the view from the southern approaches will be dominated by housing. How will it be guaranteed that the boundary of the green park will be the permanent boundary of the urban area. The 2009 Landscape report stated that this area should not be built on and the Inspector at the Local Plan inquiry in 2006 stated that Woodside Farm should not be built on now or in the future.
How will businesses be attracted to the proposed employment land, when units elsewhere are empty. As this will only provide in the region of 2000 jobs where will the other residents live? The supply of housing for JLR at Gaydon will surely be met by Stratford. Why are houses not being built by the employment site at Coventry Airport, green belt boundaries should be reviewed to do this. Surely the need to build homes for businesses is a perfect example of exceptional circumstances.
THe plan will increase traffic to an unrealistic level and the mitigation measures are not adequate. Traffic congestion is already considerable and the roads are potholed and cannot cope. There is no mention of how the mitigation measures will be funded and no evidence this can be dont through developer contributions or CIL. Air quality will be affected as well as businesses due to traffic jams. It seems that most of the improvement to cycleways are proposed in the north of the district despite the homes being provided in the south.
Warwick hospital is already at capacity and there is no room for expansion. A more rational approach would be to spread development across the district and locate houses next to employment. Greenbelt boundaries should be reviewed to prevent coalescence, preserve the character of Bishops Tachbrook and protect prime agricultural land.