I am writing to register my vehement opposition to Warwick District Council's proposed removal of the land north of Milverton from the green belt and development plans in the immediate area as sited in modifications 14 and 16(Policy DS15). As a long standing resident and tax payer of North Leamington I am proud to have such a special area of protected land in the green belt area around Milverton and Old Milverton and as a member of the congregation of St.James church in Old Milverton I find the peace and serenity to worship in such a setting a true blessing. As a keen nature lover I regularly frequent the village and surrounding fields in my free time for walking,bird watching and enjoying the beauty held there as I know many other individuals,families and school groups alike do. The land is also a site of highly productive farming and a long established wildlife habitat which we should all fight to preserve. Development would forever spoiling village life for those who have long lived and visited there . I do not believe that developing this land to produce housing would prove desirable or practical to provide the housing needs of those who want to live and work in Coventry and,if developed,the damage to this beauty and habitat would be irrevocable. I do not believe that the 'exceptional circumstances' required to remove the land north of Milverton from the Green Belt has been demonstrated by Warwick District Council and I feel that other sites assessed by WDC and Coventry City Council of a lower Green Belt value on the edge of Coventry would be not only wiser in terms of the lesser environmental and recreational value but also more practical in their proximity to Coventry,reducing the need for unnecessary commuting,inevitable congestion of an already heavily travelled route . Surely those sites with a lower Green Belt value should be used in preference to that North of Milverton! The green lung between Leamington and Kenilworth would be reduced to 1 1/2 miles were development be allowed and the picturesque northern gateway to regency Leamington Spa would be lost to urban sprawl.
In regards to the proposed park and ride scheme I believe that this would be unsustainable as there are no dedicated buses planned so users would have to time visits to coincide with the bus timetable,something which regular commuters would be less likely to do than casual visitors and the site planned is too close to Leamington and would create further gridlock near the town. It would be better sited near the A46 roundabout with the A452,which could form part of the Thickthorn Development,and provide for Leamington,Warwick,Kenilworth,Warwick University and,potentially Coventry. Much of the traffic using the A452 crosses to the south of Leamington where there are major employers. I also believe that shoppers are unlikely to use the park and ride scheme when there is plenty of existing parking in and around Leamington. Furthermore,there are already numerous car parks in the proposed area of Green Belt with impervious surfaces,all of which reduce the area's ability to absorb rainfall and contribute to flooding,something which is already a regular occurrence in heavy rainfall.
I cannot convey strongly enough my opposition to the proposed plans,both on a practical and emotional basis and hope that Warwick District Council will heed the views of its residents before making the mistake of causing irrevocable change and damage. Thank you for your consideration of my views.