PO15: Green Infrastructure

See attached Response Forms

See attached Response Forms

Scanned representation

Scanned representation

Attached

Letter attached

See attached documents

I am commenting on the Prospectus 'Garden Towns, Villages and Suburbs'. My comments are confined to Green Infrastructure and to trees in particular.

National background

Trees in Towns II was published by DEFRA in 2008 and still represents the best overview of the subject. Among its findings were:

* We have a strong heritage of trees planted in twentieth century, widely taken for granted. But many trees will need replacing soon. We face a loss of up to 80% over the next 40 years, especially the larger species of tree. Without planting there will be a massive drop in tree population.
* The benefits of trees are increasingly evidenced by science.
* Local authority resources devoted to trees are in steep decline.
* Two third of urban trees are in non-council ownership, mainly in gardens. We need to think in term of the 'urban forest', ie all trees regardless of ownership.

Among its recommendations were:

* Wherever possible, plant en masse, rather than single specimens.
* Scale and proportion (including eventual scale) are critical.
* Plant in the ground, not in planters.
* Plant in such a way (eg depth, soil type) that trees will be self-sustaining and don't need watering after initial establishment - although they will never do as well as in their natural environment.
* For significant planting, services (eg utilities) need to be rationalized.
* Avoid small trees and trees that have become clichés, eg Raywood Ash, Chanticleer Pear.
* Wherever possible go instead for big trees. They deliver the most benefits in terms of amenity, aesthetic value, climate proofing, biodiversity.
* Don't be confined to native species, which are few in number. Many non-native trees are good for wild life

I set out these points because they are all relevant if the concept of the Green Infrastructure is to mean anything in practice.

The local position

Warwick District has a few good streets, including those shown in the consultation document. I note in passing that the best of these do not include native trees. They also occur in relatively wide street settings.

On the whole, however, the District is not particularly noteworthy for good street planting, especially in the town centres. Equally relevant, there have been some disasters. The worst is Chase Meadow, where there are no street trees at all. That is highly relevant in considering new housing developments from a green point of view.

Specifically, why are there no street trees in Chase Meadow. The answer is to be found in bureaucratic politics. Typically, Planning Departments and County Council Highways Departments are opposed to street trees. They cost money to plant and maintain; they interfere with infrastructure and signage; they take up space. These attitudes are echoed by developers.

If nothing in particular is done to champion street trees then we will end up with another Chase Meadow situation.

What should be done?

What is needed is a recognition of the problem and the designation of someone with responsibility for this aspect of planning. That individual or team needs to be involved at the very outset, in such matters as decisions on the width of streets. This is a difficult job because it means cutting across the lines of power within local authority departments. Without support at elected member level little will happen.

I could make various suggestions about planting. They would broadly follow the recommendations of Trees in Towns II. In particular:

* Include trees that will become large, not just small or medium-sized ones.
* Do not confine planting to native species. The inclination to do so is understandable in sentimental terms and is widespread. It is, however, ill-informed and wrong-headed.

I would be happy to get involved in this aspect of planning, in an advisory role. I am a Tree Warden and have written a number of guides to local trees, two of which have been published by the Warwick District Council.

Scanned representation

Scanned representation

Scanned representation

Scanned representation

Whitnash Town Council respond to each of the Preferred Options in turn, and
make comments in respect of the Vision and Objectives.
Vision and Objectives
We broadly support the Vision and Objectives for the Local Plan, but reserve
our position on the level of housing supply, for the reasons set out in our
response to PO1 below.
PO1 - Level of Growth
In principle we agree that sufficient housing should be provided across the
District to meet future housing needs. However, we are unable to comment on
the proposed level of an average provision on 555 per annum on allocated
sites, plus windfalls, as housing numbers are an immensely technical issue.
Notwithstanding this, we are very concerned that Warwick District and
Coventry City Councils are failing to exercise their statutory Duty to Cooperate
under the Localism Act 2011 by not addressing the important matter
of cross-boundary housing need.
We are concerned that, in its current state, the proposed strategy will be
found to be "unsound" by the Inspector at the eventual Examination. This
could well result in additional housing provision having to be made, and this
would have clear implications for non-Green Belt areas, such as those
surrounding Whitnash.
We therefore urge the District Council to effectively exercise the Duty to Cooperate
with Coventry in respect of cross-boundary housing provision at this
WHITNASH TOWN COUNCIL
Franklin Road Town Clerk
Whitnash Mrs J A Mason
Warwickshire Email: jenny.mason@whitnashtowncouncil.gov.uk
CV31 2JH
Telephone and Fax: 01926 470394
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stage, therefore preventing the danger of the Local Plan being found
"unsound" in the future and the Council having to consequently revise its
strategy and land allocations.
PO2 - Community Infrastructure Levy
We fully support the District Council in seeking to introduce a CIL scheme as
the Town Council considers it vital that full and appropriate infrastructure
provision is made, in advance of development wherever possible. It is
essential, however, that the funds raised are used to develop infrastructure in
the areas where the impacts will be felt, irrespective of Town and Parish
administrative boundaries.
We look forward to seeing and commenting upon the Infrastructure Delivery
Plan in due course.
PO3 - Broad Location of Growth
We support the strategy to make Green Belt releases to the north of
Leamington. For the first time in many years, this will allow a spatial
rebalancing of the urban form and provide for significant development in areas
away from the southern edge of the Warwick/Leamington/Whitnash urban
area.
Apart from relieving some of the development pressure on the south, it also
represents sensible planning practice by creating a more rounded and
balanced urban area, enabling greater accessibility, especially for the town
centres, and should enable more effective transport planning through
maintaining a more compact urban form with Leamington and Warwick Town
Centres as two central hubs.
Past development allocations had resulted in Leamington Town Centre
becoming increasingly less "central" to the urban area as development
extended to the south. The proposed strategy ends this practice and is
therefore welcome.
PO4 - Distribution of Sites for Housing
At this Preferred Option stage, we do not have detailed proposals for any of
the sites covering, for example, access arrangements, amounts of
employment land, types and forms of community facilities to be provided, and
such like.
Therefore, we wholly reserve our position in respect of objection to, or support
for, any of the sites and we will make strong representations in this respect at
the Draft Local Plan stage.
However, we have a number of concerns in respect of several of the sites. We
draw these to the District Council's attention at this stage so they can be
addressed in formulating detailed proposals.
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Education Provision
A general comment we wish to make is that it is critical that detailed
consideration is given, up front, to the level and location of future school
provision, both Primary and Secondary.
In Whitnash we have suffered from the lack of provision of a Primary School
at Warwick Gates. The draft Development Brief included a school, but this
was subsequently deleted as the County Council, as LEA, took the view that a
better option was the expansion of the existing three schools in Whitnash. As
this was, in planning terms, "policy neutral", the District Council amended the
Development Brief accordingly and deleted the school site.
This has led to problems for the residents of Warwick Gates and we would
seek to ensure that such a situation does not arise again through this Local
Plan process.
Our comments on education more specifically related to individual sites as
follows.
Sites 2 and 3 - if these sites progress, these should be seen as incorporating
a possible location for a Secondary School.
Site 6 (Whitnash East) - we understand that access could only be achieved
through the Campion School site. We are concerned that the school should
remain viable and continue to be located where it is.
Site 10 (Warwick Gates Employment Land) - consideration should be given to
siting a Secondary School on this land, given its advantages in terms of
accessibility from across the south of the urban area. The opportunity should
also be taken to explore the siting of a Primary School on the site, to meet the
needs both of existing Warwick Gates residents and also the needs arising
from any additional housing, on the site itself or in the vicinity.
Site 2 - Myton Garden Suburb
Our concern in respect of this proposed allocation is that its development will
result in the coalescence of the three components of the urban area, Warwick,
Leamington and Whitnash. We consider that this will result in a loss of
individual identity for the three towns.
Site 3 - South of Gallows Hill
We raise the following concerns in relation to this site:
* The land is extremely prominent in the landscape and will be highly
visible when entering the urban area from the south
* The site does not represent a logical extension of the current urban
form. It is in no way "rounding off" and would constitute a "peninsula" of
development extending to the south
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* It would have a negative impact upon the setting of Warwick Castle
Park
Site 6 - Whitnash East
We raise the following concerns in respect of this site:
* We are not convinced that access to the site is feasible. Our
understanding is that the South Sydenham development constituted the
maximum number of dwellings that could be accommodated off a cul-de-sac.
Given that access to the site via Church Lane or Fieldgate Lane is clearly not
feasible, access would have to be achieved via land within Campion School.
As this would involve relocation of school buildings, we are sceptical that the
number of houses proposed could fund the necessary works required to
achieve this solution
* Given the above issue, and our earlier comments on the wider subject
of education provision, we do not wish to see the future location of Campion
School prejudiced by this development
* There are, in the immediate vicinity of the proposed site, substantial
areas of both historical and nature conservation interest. Any development
must not have an adverse impact on any of these cultural, historic and natural
heritage resources
* In the event that the site is developed, we would wish to ensure that
sufficient community facilities are provided within the development and also
that adequate footpath and cycleway links are provided between the
development and the existing community of Whitnash
Site 10 - Warwick Gates Employment Land
We raise the following concerns in respect of this site:
* The site appears to be proposed for development at an extremely low
density. We make this observation elsewhere in respect of other proposed
allocations. We are concerned that, to accommodate the projected housing
need, land is allocated at appropriately high density, thus reducing the overall
level of new land that is needed
* This site is currently a high quality employment land allocation and we
understand that a reason the land has not been developed is landowner
aspirations, rather than demand for such a site. It is essential that the Local
Plan provides a balanced supply of employment land to meet all sectors of
demand, if economic growth and prosperity is to be fostered. There is
currently no other site in the urban area that offers this amount of land area in
such an accessible location. We are therefore concerned at its proposed
reallocation from employment to housing
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Site 11 - Woodside Farm
We raise the following concerns in respect of this site:
* We fail to see how two access points could effectively be achieved to
this site. We do not consider access from Harbury Lane to be feasible due to
the existing road alignment. We doubt whether access could be achieved
from Tachbrook Road due to the proximity of the Ashford Road and Harbury
Lane junctions to the north and south of the site respectively. Construction of
a roundabout at the Tachbrook Road/Harbury lane junction would offer
potential for one access point, but we are concerned about the impact of such
construction on the important oak trees in the vicinity
* We also doubt whether the development could carry the cost of such
highways works. The option of gaining access via Landor Road is utterly
unacceptable due to the road alignment and lack of vehicle capacity.
Furthermore, it appears that physical access could only be gained through
demolition of existing buildings
* In the event that a single access point was sought, we consider that
this has the potential to isolate the housing from the existing community and
also lead to unnecessary and unsustainable vehicle movements
* The site would be highly prominent in the landscape - there is
therefore a concern about visual impact
* The presence of underground High Voltage electricity cables will limit
the site layout
* There is considerable local opposition to the proposed allocation of the
site. It is our duty as a Town Council to inform you of this high level of
opposition
Site 12 - Fieldgate Lane/Golf Lane
The raise the following concerns regarding this site:
* We consider there to be fundamental access problems and have
concerns about the capacity of the Coppice Road/Morris Drive and Whitnash
Road/Golf Lane junctions to accommodate the additional movements
generated by the development, especially at peak periods
* We are concerned that, at a proposed level of 90 dwellings, the site
density is too high. This would be a prestigious site and the proposed density
should reflect this. Our argument does not run contrary to that made in
respect of other sites, where we consider the density to be too low, as
provision needs to be made at varying densities to reflect different sectors of
the housing market. This includes provision of sheltered housing and singlestorey
dwellings on appropriate sites. This may or may not be the case at
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Fieldgate Lane, but should certainly be considered across the portfolio of
proposed housing allocations
PO5 - Affordable Housing
We support the provision of appropriate levels of affordable housing but would
seek this to be distributed across all sites to ensure the development of
socially balanced communities
PO6 - Mixed Communities and a Wide Choice of Homes
We support the Preferred Option PO6.
PO7 - Gypsies and Travellers
Given that Whitnash has experienced particular problems through unlawful
traveller encampments in recent years, we support the principle of the
Preferred Option of proper site provision
PO8 - Economy
We support the principles of PO8. However, we reiterate our concern that
appropriate levels of employment land should be provided, in the right places,
and this should constitute a balanced portfolio of sites to meet as wide a
variety of needs and demands as possible
PO9 - Retailing and Town Centres
We support the principles set out in PO9
PO10 - Built Environment
We support the principles set out in PO10
PO11 - Historic Environment
We support the principles set out in PO11
PO12 - Climate Change
We support the principles set out in PO12
We will seek to ensure that any future development in Whitnash seeks to
reduce the Town's overall carbon footprint through the application of
sustainable development and design principles
PO13 - Inclusive, Safe and Healthy Communities
We support the principles set out in PO13
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PO14 - Transport
We support the principles set out in PO14 with the exception of the section
relating to High Speed 2.
Whitnash Town Council neither objects to nor supports HS2
We urge the District Council to ensure that the final Infrastructure Delivery
Plan takes full account of public transport needs and the principles and
policies set out in Warwickshire County Council's Local Transport Plan 3
PO15 - Green Infrastructure
We support the principles set out in PO15
PO16 - Green Belt
We support the limited release of Green Belt sites as set out in PO16 as this
will create a more balanced and sustainable urban area and urban form
PO17 - Culture and Tourism
We support the principles set out in PO17
PO18 - Flooding and Water
We support the principles set out in PO18

See attached

Submission attached.

Scanned representation

Submission Attached.

Documents attached.

Submission Attached.

Submission Attached.

See attached representations.