Object

Proposed Modifications January 2016

Representation ID: 68278

Received: 16/04/2016

Respondent: Mr David Stevens

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? No

Representation Summary:

1)Other more suitable sites are available closer to Coventry;
2)It removes a natural barrier between Leamington and Kenilworth;
3)It uses productive farm land;
4)It takes away very popular public footpaths that are in daily use;
5)Access to this land can only be via Old Milverton Lane. Even more people will then use the very busy junction between Old Milverton Road and Rugby Road;
6)The park and ride scheme is not needed and is in the wrong location anyway;
7)Construction of a new railway station at Old Milverton is not feasible

Full text:

This scheme is part of the 6,000 houses needed to meet Coventry City Council's housing needs. Surely it does not make sense to identify an area which is nearly 10 miles from Coventry when there are other sites which are much closer to Coventry and more suitable for this city's requirements? Otherwise, you are encouraging more people to commute between Leamington and Coventry;
* The proposed location is on Green Belt land immediately adjacent to the main road that links Leamington to Kenilworth and the busy A46 by-pass. Why build on land that provides a natural barrier between Leamington and Kenilworth when alternatives are available that would not do this?
* The land in question is currently used for productive farming. Why lose a productive farming area when there is less productive land available closer to Coventry?
* For many decades, residents in North-West Leamington have been able to walk to the bottom of Guy's Cliffe Avenue and out on to the fields where they can turn left to Old Milverton or right to Northumberland Road. These public footpaths are not ones that are used occasionally by weekend ramblers. They are used daily by dog walkers, runners, ordinary walkers and others. Why choose a location which has busy footpaths when there are alternative locations which have no public footpaths or footpaths which are only used occasionally?
* There will need to be access to this plot of land. It is difficult to see how there is enough space to create an entrance on to Northumberland Road which is already congested. The Kenilworth Road is the main road between Leamington and Kenilworth and it is illogical to create a new entrance on such a busy main road. Therefore, access would need to be via Old Milverton Lane. Whilst the roundabout on the Kenilworth Road could probably handle the additional traffic, many people who want to travel in the direction of Warwick will be tempted to turn left through Old Milverton. The only exit point is at the junction of Old Milverton Road and Rugby Road. That is already a busy junction. Realistically, how could it cope with all the additional traffic?
* The proposed park and ride scheme makes little sense. It is too close to Leamington and, assuming it is needed in the first place, it should be located closer to Kenilworth and the busy A46. However, why is it needed in this location in the first place? There is plenty of parking in Leamington itself. In addition, potential users will have no dedicated buses which means they will have to time their visits with whatever the bus timetable is;
* A new railway station at Old Milverton is included within this proposal. Has anyone actually visited the area in question? There is a very deep cutting in Old Milverton which surely means that the construction of such a railway station is simply not feasible?