Object
Proposed Modifications January 2016
Representation ID: 70058
Received: 22/04/2016
Respondent: CPRE WARWICKSHIRE
Legally compliant? Yes
Sound? No
Duty to co-operate? Not specified
Need for housing will rarely be sufficient to constitute the very special circumstances required for inappropriate development in the Green Belt.
North of Milverton (H44) would constitute a substantial northward extension of Leamington Spa into the Green Belt, bringing it significantly closer to coalescence with Kenilworth. The Kenilworth Road is an important entry to the historic town and the Conservation Area extends to the built-up area boundary here. The safeguarding of a large area of additional land to the west for future development (DS New 2) makes the present proposal just the thin end of the wedge. The dualling of the A452 is not feasible and may not be affordable. The proposed H44 Milverton housing area is about 21 hectares in extent. (No area measurement is given in the Plan Modifications.) The land south of Edgehill Drive and west of the Stratford Road is very similar in extent, about 20 ha. However after more than a decade Tournament Fields remains largely undeveloped. The reason for the lack of developer interest is that the price required for the Tournament Fields land to achieve a return for the current land-holder is higher than could be justified by a developer of the land for employment uses. Other less expensive locations are available in the sub-region for buildings for employment use. The only way that Tournament Fields can be developed viably is for housing.
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