Object

Revised Development Strategy

Representation ID: 63448

Received: 28/07/2013

Respondent: Mr David Ramsbottom

Representation Summary:

There is currently a major health issue with pollution levels ABOVE the legal limit and errors in the predicted numbers of cars adding to the traffic and the effectiveness of the traffic flow and bottleneck works will mean an increase in this pollution health risk.

A review on the expected levels of traffic based on the currently demographic of the area and not a model that the council are allowing developers to use (as quoted to me by a representative) is needed.

This plan proposes changes to the local area that have health and flooding risks that affect existing residents that have not been addressed or any mitigations adequately published.

A full independent health study on the pollution levels and the effects of increased traffic is needed.

A full review of the flooding risk is required.

I do not know of a single home in the area that is not opposed to the proposed local development plan and I find it hard to accept that it will be pushed through given the clear issues that have not been addressed.

Full text:

I am writing to voice my objection and concerns about the revised development strategy.

Having attended several of the public meetings and discussed the proposals with representatives I feel that I must object to the current plan on a number of points.

TRAFFIC
It is widely known and accepted that there are issues with the traffic in the area around Europa way and the plan to develop up to 1200 homes within this area will generate a significant increase in the current traffic volumes.
I am concerned with the calculations and models being used to predict the expected increase in traffic as the numbers are significantly less than 1 car per household.
It is my understanding that a national model has been used to predict the number of cars yet t he average number of cars per household in the area is significantly more than this.
Much of the traffic mitigations are aimed at not making the current situation worse, and little has been done, or made public to validate the models being proposed. The recent junction changes for the new supermarket have not in my experience improved the traffic situation as the traffic lights mean traffic is forced to back up.

POLLUTION
There is currently a major health issue with pollution levels ABOVE the legal limit and and errors in the predicted numbers of cars adding to the traffic and the effectiveness of the traffic flow and bottleneck works will mean an INCREASE in this pollution health risk

FLOODING
During the recent periods of heavy rain, the cycle path and some houses newly built on the site of the old school have flooded.
This is with all the land off Europa way being farmland and hence available to soak away rainfall. The amount of water that runs off into the culvert is significant and building on the land will dramatically reduce the amount of soakaway and I am concerned that the current plans will not address this significant flood risk.
Should any existing homes flood after any development I would expect the council and or developers to be liable for any subsequent flooding and premium increases that may result.

There has been much discussion about improving traffic flow from the south of the leamington/warwick, indeed directing it around the towns. Surely it makes sense to actually build the homes to the North where all the traffic is heading.
It has been stated that land to the north cannot be built on unless there is no other places to build, yet the King Henry VIII land was protected from development, a condition of the building of the technology park and the council already has a legal obligation to resucr eht pollution - this surely will not be possible with the addition of all the extra traffic.

This plan proposes changes to the local area that have health and flooding risks that affect existing residents that have not been addressed or any mitigations adequately published.
I would need to see

1. A full independent health study on the pollution levels and the effects of increased traffic.
2. A review on the expected levels of traffic based on the currently demographic of the area and not a model that the council are allowing developers to use ( as quoted to me by a representative)
3. a full review of the flooding risk.

I do not know of a single home in the area that is not opposed to the proposed local development plan and I find it hard to accept that it will be pushed through given the clear issues that have not been addressed.