Object

Publication Draft Local Plan: Focused Consultation

Representation ID: 67237

Received: 09/12/2014

Respondent: Hugh Furber

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? Not specified

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

Representation Summary:

A relatively large open space for a football stadium will have a damaging impact on on-street parking and tidal movements of traffic from teams and spectators through the residential area.
Noise pollution
Physical and visual intrusion of grandstands/lighting pylons
Light pollution from the floodlighting
Proposed Country Park a better location where the stadium can contribute to the viability of the open space and be less intrusive to neighbours.
The proposal would result in a reduction of the numbers of houses leading to more Greenfield land take.
The stadium is on a prominent hilltop intruding into views from Warwick Castle and St Mary's Church.
It would impinge on the approach to Warwick which has been protected by the District Council.
Inappropriateness of a professional football club being located in a purely residential area.
There is a perfectly adequate football ground at Harbury Lane. Any contribution the council makes represent lost opportunity for investment in other infrastructure which benefits the local community at large.
The community need cannot be met by a football stadium, but should be provided for by means of a lower key sports/social facility.

Full text:

1. Small local play areas and other small local open spaces are justified within the proposed residential area. However, a relatively large open space for a football stadium will have a damaging impact on the amenities of the new residential area through:-
a. on street parking and tidal movements of traffic from teams and spectators through the residential area, predominantly at weekends when children are likely to be around
b. Noise pollution in a residential area
c. Physical and visual intrusion of grandstands and lighting pylons
d. Light pollution from the floodlighting
2. The proposed Country Park to be established to the South of Harbury Lane appears a better location where the stadium can contribute to the viability of the open space and be less intrusive to neighbours.
3. The proposal would result in a reduction of the numbers of houses which can be constructed on the site and by doing so would lead to the need for most Greenfield areas to be taken elsewhere in order to meet the Council's targets for housing in the district.
4. The site of the stadium is on a prominent hilltop. Its pylons and stands will stand out for miles around and will intrude into views from Warwick Castle and from St Mary's Church. The recent rejection of the planning appeal at Bishops Tachbrook shows the concerns that the Planning Inspectorate has over the need for protection of the context of listed buildings and we heed to apply that lesson in this case.
This proposal is potentially even more damaging by intruding into the context of not only the buildings referred to above but also into views of the Grade 1 Listed Castle Park and into and out of the historic designed landscape area adjoining the Banbury Road. This forms an approach to Warwick which has been protected over previous iterations of the local plan and even by the District Council in the conditions attached to Warwick Technology Park. The latter required a deep landscaping strip to protect the area from the potential intrusiveness of the new developments there.
5. Surely the Council will appreciate the inappropriateness of a professional football club being located in a purely residential area. (the "Brakes" ground was moved from Tachbrook Road years ago for this reason and even the Coventry City Football ground was relocated to an area far from any residential area).
6. There is a perfectly adequate football ground at Harbury Lane for the club and while we do not know the inducements the council has offered to the club to move, any contribution the council makes to the development costs represent lost opportunity for investment in other infrastructure which benefits the local community at large rather than caring for the interests of a small community, the investors in Leamington Football Club.

The community need cannot be met by a prescriptive, perimeter controlled football stadium, but should be provided for by means of a lower key sports/social facility making possible a wide range of sports and recreational activities which are accessible 24/7 for all sections of the community self-run by the community.