RDS3: The Council's Preferred Option for the broad location of development is to:

see-attached

see-attached

see-attached

see-attached

see-attached

see-attached

see-attached

see-attached

see-attached

see-attached

see-attached

see attached

see attached

see attached

Please see below my representations to WDC's Consultation Programme on the Revised Development Strategy for the Local Plan. I object to the proposals on the following grounds:

* The increase in the number of people associated with the developments would put undue pressure on the local hospitals and schools.
* The increase in the number of people associated with the developments would put undue pressure on the amenity services such as water and drainage.
* There would be increased traffic congestion on all the roads in this area (for example: Banbury Road, Bridge End, Myton Road, Europa Way etc. and the knock on effects beyond). These roads do not cope well with current levels of traffic and any improvements to traffic flow would only improve it for that traffic and not for the vast increase in traffic flow associated with the proposed developments. All car and bus journeys in these areas would become much slower and the increase in the need for town centres car parking would be put under yet further pressure.
* The District Council has proposed the need to provide about 12,000 houses of which nearly half are to the south of Warwick and Leamington, even though the local need is for fewer than 6,000 new houses by 2030.
* The combined sites result in a large loss of agricultural land when there is a need for more and cheaper food and the local farming community losing jobs from the rural economy.
* WDC should balance its plans within the county to allow site development to the north of Warwick, Leamington and Kenilworth by reviewing its Greenbelt Policy.
* WDC should identify Brownfield sites within the urban areas of Kenilworth, Warwick and Leamington as alternatives to the proposed sites and exploit those properly first.
* WDC should combine its requirements to provide Gypsy and Traveller sites as part of the Local Plan for the proposed major new housing developments in Kenilworth, Warwick and Leamington. The sites would be more suitable, sustainable, and fully integrated with the proposed and existing local amenities and facilities without the need to access them using motorised transport and adding to the congestion on the road network.
* WDC should designate large areas of land the south of Warwick and Leamington including Warwick Castle Park and its surrounds, The Asps and proposed Gypsy and Traveller Sites 5, 6, 9, 10 as Greenbelt to protect the natural beauty of this part of the county (as it is to the north of the county) and to retain the identity and boundaries of the villages by surrounding them with Greenbelt to include proposed Gypsy and Traveller Sites 12, 16 and 20. This will spread the pressure around the county for new developments rather than focus it to the south.
* The proposal to build 70-90 new houses in Barford (a "Secondary Service Village") would have a negative impact on Barford St. Peter's School which is just going through an expansion currently to better accommodate the current school children. The school would not be able to accommodate more school children associated with this additional housing and is therefore not sustainable.

Having reviewed the Council's proposals for a new Local Plan we have the following observations and objections.
Viz: It is likely that according to a recent study that the need for new housing in the district is less than 6000 rather than the grossly inflated figure of 12000 new homes as proposed by the Council. Such great numbers will require building on farmland and considerable infrastructure development - Fire Protection, Policing, Roads, power, water, sewers, transport,education, healthcare and sufficient work available to sustain such a proposed development.The district has many brownfield sites which should first be developed. Homes do not have to be single dwellings. Flats, of low skyline intrusion would surely meet the needs of many of the projected growth population.
Whilst we object to all of the proposals in the Whitnash/Harbury Lane/Gallows Hill areas we are particularly concerned of the area east of the railway line in Whitnash for this area is in the heart of the Whitnash - Harbury ridge valley, an area rarely visited at the moment by other than dog walkers. It is in fact an area of extreme beauty, quintessentially English. Rural England at it's best; a tranquil, housing free, area of productive farmland from Whitnash Church to Chesterton Windmill to Harbury and round to Radford. An area supporting considerable wildlife and at the time of writing a 'golden valley' full of ripening barley. The Valley provides not only food for us all but gives us an area of valuable air quality. Which is going to be needed even more so if we are to be surrounded by 12000 new houses.[have any councillors visited this area?]
Our specific objections include Fieldgate Lane -application W/13/0858 - 94 houses on a rural area that is already subject to flooding will cause roads,already congested to be overloaded. and a further demand on local and district services.
As far as 'travellers' sites are concerned the district is being held to ransom. We have all seen the devastation of sites visited by travellers and have had to contribute through local taxes to the enormous cost to the community of cleaning up after them. Why; the Council cannot even collect parking money when travellers park for 10 days or more on a pubic car park ( Myton Fields) yet I am expected to pay. If travellers want a permanent site they should be encouraged to do as the rest of the community, to buy a permanent house. But then they would be subject to all of the responsibilities of us other citizens.
We are shrinking Island with a finite land area, we cannot afford to waste it by concreting it over. We are the trustees of the earth as were our forebears before us, we have a responsibility to protect the earth and in this case Warwick District from the devastation that is being thrust upon us.
Please give close consideration to our objections outlined above.

I am writing to raise and log my objections and concerns to the Warwick District Local Plan.

I am a resident of Bishops Tachbrook and feel the proposals will have a detrimental effect of the health and well being of many residents, not only in the Village itself but in the surrounding areas of Whitnash and including Warwick and Leamington Spa.

Firstly I would like to raise an objection to the number of houses that is currently in the plan. 12, 300 homes seems very extreme. Projections (based on 2011 Census data in 2013) seem to suggest that around 5,400 homes would be needed in the area, allowing for migration and natural growth of the population. Warwick District council's own consultant Gil Hearn gave an Economic and Demographic Forecast Study in December 2012. In this study only 4,405 new homes were needed.
These figures indicate the housing figures in the Local Plan is more than double what is actually needed..

The current Local Plan bases most of the homes in the South of the District. As it stands it would fill a vast area of rural and agricultural land between Warwick, Whitnash and Bishops Tachbrook. Building here would just merge our built areas, making them a single suburban sprawl. Currently there is a rolling landscape with far reaching views. I understand a country park would be planned at the border of Bishops Tachbrook but this is felt to be ineffective as the excessive new homes would be highly visible and the beautiful views we currently enjoy would disappear.

The majority of the housing is proposed to the South of the town centres. This will have a massive impact on congestion making it even more severe at crossings over the canal, river and railway in the area where there is no available solution to the current infrastructure. The current locations of this housing would encourage an even greater car- dependent culture, increasing traffic and worsening congestion on the two north and south routes through Leamington Spa and Warwick.

The concentration of these homes will, I believe, have a detrimental effect on Bishops Tachbrook. There will no doubt be an increase in the traffic on the minor road through the village (Mallory Road). This is already used as a cut through by speeding cars trying to avoid the already overloaded road network. This will have dramatic effect on the community, putting people's lives at risk crossing a much busier road with motorists driving at speed, whilst trying to access the village's facilities such as the local shop, doctors surgery, community/playing facilities and the primary school. The village could be split in two by this road and go from a community where local children are allowed some freedom and independence to access our excellent play facilities to a community where social isolation is prevalent as they are terrified by a very busy road. An increase in the amount of vehicles passing through will also increase the risk to the health of villager's especially the children with an increase of air pollution.
Indeed the increased number of cars 12, 300 homes will bring will have far reaching consequences for our air quality. Already pollution from car exhausts in many streets in Warwick town centre and some in Leamington is already worse than legally permitted. Air quality is needed to be improved on by Warwick District Council but this Local Plan and its transport strategy would exacerbate it further. Long term health of residents would be even more threatened with damage being brought to the local economy as businesses and tourism would damaged by the Plan .There would no longer be the beauty currently found in historic Warwick or the spa town of Leamington.

There is the consideration of other infrastructure, in theory there is funding for this. However in reality this could surely not be enough. I am aware that times are tough currently in the NHS with services being reconfigured and cut to save money. Services are stretched to capacity now so a further 12, 300 homes some perhaps with families living in them would push our healthcare facilities beyond breaking point.

The Proposed Gypsy and Travelers sites are again concentrated in the same area. There are several sites proposed around Bishops Tachbrook. One site situated on Banbury Road/ Mallory Road is extremely unsuitable as it is so near a busy main road (will be increasingly busier with many more homes just down the road!!) so is not suitable for the travelers and their families in terms of safety or access. It also currently floods and floods down through the Village through the back gardens of where I currently live. I feel that hard standing for proposed travelers site will create less surface area for the water to soak away and increase the volume of water flooding down through the Village, instead of just flooding gardens, it will flood through homes.
These sites would also impact on the local facilities, the school is already at capacity and the GP practice is just a branch surgery with limited opening hours. At the time that Warwick Gates was build we were promised a school on Warwick gates. This never happened putting a further strain on the schools in the area. Now the children from Bishops Tachbrook are no longer eligible for Myton School, they have to pass Myton School and carry on several miles further to Aylesford School. This makes me feel what we are going to lose this time.

I feel that the points I have raised just add up to a poorer quality of life and health for those who reside in the south of the District.

I feel there are better alternatives such as lower housing numbers to meet local need, a gradual releasing of land for development as and when demand grows, priority being given to use brown field sites nearer to schools, shops and railway stations, homes being built close to jobs and cooperating with other local councils instead of competing with them over development.

1. Level of Development required.

The assumptions for the overall growth of the housing market in WDC was taken prior to the recent publication of the 2011 census results which showed a smaller than expected population for the area, This means the the growth for the period 2001 to 2011 was less than expected. If this lower than expected growth continues then the demand for extra development in the area should be less than that in the Plan. To add weight to this the figure of 550 new homes per year has never been achieved in a single year let alone for 15 consecutive years. This whole section should be reviewed in the light of the new figures.

2. Sources of Development Land

The level of brownfield site allocation seems to be low. These sites have appeared more frequently in the past and the migration of industrial sites from town centres is by no means complete. We hope that this area could be reviewed.

3. Allocation of new Greenfield Development Land

The allocation of 10% of the development land to the rural areas seems suspiciously arbitrary and appears to be a political decision to "share the pain". Similarly the selection of 5 "larger" villages to absorb 100 new homes is decidedly arbitrary. Firstly, the 5 selected villages do not have any special characteristics over a number of other villages or rural conurbations. The exclusion of Cubbington, Leek Wootton, Bubbenhall and the Hatton Park/King Edwards conurbation seems perverse. Secondly, the choice of villages which are deemed to have the infrastructure to take the extra development puts extra strain on the existing overburdened infrastructure, especially traffic in these areas. An alternative route, to expand the areas with poorer infrastructure so as to improve the quality of life in these areas does not seem to have been considered. In the case of Hampton Magna and Hatton Park/Kings Meadow and the West Warwick (Chase Meadow) developments, Hampton Magna's facilities are used in great measure by the other two conurbations. An improvement in their local facilities would improve the quality of life in their communities and relieve the strain on the facilities in Hampton Magna, We use this example as we are well aware of our local situation and feel that there may be other areas that also have other communities that are acting as cuckoos in their nest. This strain on the infrastructure of existing communities could be lessened by improving the infrastructure in the satellite communities by the application of CIL money generated from a modest expansion there.

The New Local Plan has to be evidence-based. The arbitrary choice of the five villages, the arbitrary allocation of the same numbers in each of them and the the policy of adding to the already straining infrastructure of these villages rather than improving the infrastructure of those suffering from lack of amenities all show a lack of being based on any evidence at all . We hope that this whole section could be reviewed

4. The situation of Hampton Magna

Hampton Magna was built on a 1960s brownfield site to wit the Royal Warwickshire Barracks at Budbrooke. It was built in the late 60s/early 70s and so is in its fifth decade. As such it has well defined historical boundaries, ie the Barracks perimeter. There has been a little infill over the years and the Parish Council invited Warwickshire Rural Community Council to carry out a Housing Needs Survey which identified a need for 5 houses in the Parish. The need for further development is not locally required nor, according to the Parish Plan is it supported by the local residents who gave their views in a long questionnaire that formed the basis for the Plan.

The basic built infrastructure of Hampton Magna has changed very little from the the early 1970s when the building of the houses was completed. The village is served by C class roads that link us to the Warwick/Birmingham road and Warwick/Henley Road. The electricity supply is very similar to that supplying the barracks and the sewerage system was put in by builders during the period of "the lump". The school has been extended, but is, in essence, still the standard 1960s/70s building that is seen all around the county.

The roads leading to and inside the village become very busy at the peak time, in the morning and evening. The locally generated traffic is increased by the use of the C roads as short cuts from the Birmingham Road to the Henley Road and the A46 and the M40 at junction 15, and by traffic going to and from Warwick Parkway Station. The A 4177 at Stanks roundabout which is the main exit/entry to the village is severely congested every morning and afternoon.

The electricity supply is frequently interrupted for a shorter or longer periods, showing the fragility of the current arrangements

The sewerage system was not adopted by Severn Trent Water Authority until privatisation, when the Authority agreed to adopt the system prior to flotation. The system has not been improved and one of the areas where the system was extended to accommodate a few new house frequently suffers from problems.

The school is very popular and has recently had its standard number increased. Whilst this has improved the viability of the school, it has also lead to a great deal of school time traffic congestion at the beginning and end of school.

The infrastructure of Hampton Magna in these areas is at the limit of its usefulness. There is little that can easily be done to improve the local traffic situation, because of the need to cross canal and railway lines. We are not aware of any plans to improve the electricity or sewerage system locally. The introduction of such a large number of house into this village would lead to a complete overload of these services. We hope that you will look again at the need to use this village as one of the villages for expansion and will take a more pragmatic approach, allowing infill in non village areas and improve the infrastructure in other areas.

5. Overall

The residents of Hampton Magna have long been strong supporters of the green belt, not just around Hampton Magna, but throughout the District. There is a deep suspicion of moving green belt boundaries and if any such changes do prove necessary anywhere in the District it should be done with clarity, leaving no area for doubt or future challenge.

see attached

see attached

see attached

KENILWORTH ACTION PLAN NOTES
Kenilworth lies within the jurisdiction of Warwick District Council which is required by Government to put in place a Local Plan to govern its development for the next 15 years. This plan must make provision for the amount of housing and employment land which will be required during that period and where it will be sited. The plan will not only deal with these issues but also the infrastructure and facilities that will be required to service them and how such developments will benefit and complement the area.
The plan will deal with the District as a whole and must also take into account the needs of neighbouring authorities in the sub region. Further the Plan will require to be examined and approved at a Public Enquiry by a Government Inspector. This enquiry will require robust evidence to show that what is proposed is sufficient to meet the needs of the District and its sustainability in the view of the Government or it will fail. These requirements affect all parts of the District including Kenilworth and have been borne in mind by the Town Council in drafting its Action Plan.
Kenilworth was a medieval settlement attached to the Augustinian Abbey and Castle both of which were nationally prominent until the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the Civil War when the Abbey and the Castle respectively were ruined. These two historical features still govern the character of the Town in the form of the Abbey Fields and the Castle ruins and it is the Town Council's intention to ensure that the character that these features have engendered is preserved.
The population of the Town has grown over the last 50 years by something of the order of 140% but despite this it has been able to preserve the intimacy, image and character of a small market town.
Kenilworth is a Town that supports a variety of community projects including two Cricket Clubs, Rugby and association football clubs, two theatres together with numerous charitable organisations and voluntary associations together with Church communities representing a variety of faiths. Further all of our Schools are of a very good standard at all levels. All of these assets are bound in a reasonably tight community which sees the Town as an important entity which we wish to preserve.
It is with this in mind that the Council has approached the Action Plan. Our view is that the Local Plan is not only about the number of houses that will be allowed or the amount of Industrial land allotted but how these will be developed and what effect they will have on the existing structure and character of the Town.
It is our view that this development must complement and preserve that which exists. This will require infrastructure that will connect those developments to the town and complement what we have. The Plan's object should be not only to preserve current facilities but to improve them in order to provide for the new developments. It should ensure that the Town continues to enjoy improved facilities and that those existing are not degraded.
Our object is to ensure that the new developments become part of our community and thus enhance it.
Funding for many of the projects or improvements that are required could and should be financed by the large sums that will be generated by the developments that will be allowed by the Local Plan. This funding should be used to improve the Town which has attracted the development as it will be necessary to keep services and facilities at their current level for the Town and its new residents.
In relation to this Action Plan we have found it necessary to consider a number of areas in detail in the first instance and then how these will be integrated into the Plan as a whole and their effect on the adjoining areas and the infrastructure and services.
In regard to those areas which merit particular mention in our plan we have the advantage of a recent consultation which has gathered opinions from over 1800 respondents as well as comments from owners of some of the areas affected and other organisations.
The following areas and subjects amongst others will need detailed consideration:-
The Abbey Fields
The Abbey Fields is in many respects the heart of the Town and is an essential part of its history and character. As a result any development within the Fields should be viewed very critically. As an ancient monument it has protection and has for many years only seen an evolution of existing uses. It was on this basis that the swimming pool was allowed because it fell within the footprint of that which had existed since the turn of the previous century
A) Swimming Pool.

The Swimming pool has recently been renovated and is an important asset of the Town and has the advantage of an out door pool. We feel that both of these should be preserved as the main pool is well used and together with the outdoor pool provides excellent exercise facilities which can be and are used by people of all ages.

B) Children's Play Area
The Children's Play Area has been relocated onto the bowling green which has been redundant for many years. This now provides a secure area for this feature and being fenced facilitates the exclusion of dogs from the area. The existing Pavilion is in our view an important feature in the Fields and should be found an alternative use such as a shelter for the users of the play area, provided that this can be achieved without any breach of safety for the play area
C) Picnic Area
Some of the site of the Old Play area is not now needed for the new scheme and should be converted into a picnic area. This area adjacent to the Play area and the Swimming Pool will complement these facilities and also the ancient Barn which houses the Abbey Museum.
D) Tennis Courts
We propose that the existing surface of the tennis courts be replaced with a more modern self-draining surface so as to allow for greater usage of this existing facility in the interests of providing more facilities for sport and the health giving exercise that flows from it.
 
E) Performing Arts

The relocation of the Play area may also allow one of the standings formerly used by the play equipment to be used as hard standing for the Bands and other entertainments that play and appear from time to time in the Fields. This will again enhance the picnic area and other facilities in the Fields. Otherwise an alternative site should be found.

F) Car Park

The refurbishment of the car park surface is already approved but we would wish it to be included in our plan. It is important that careful drainage arrangements are made and maintained on a regular basis so as to improve the drainage in the meadow below the car park and ensure it is not made worse by any run off.

Great care must be taken to comply with the requirements of English Heritage in respect of any works to ensure no damage occurs to the Ancient Monument of the Abbey beneath this area.
It is also essential that the landscaping of the car park is dealt with sympathetically in order to preserve the character of the Fields and that in particular that any trees that are removed are replaced.

This car park is not only essential for visitors to St Nicholas Church and the Abbey Fields but also to certain local residents and businesses which have no parking facilities. In those circumstances it is essential that there is a regime of charging which makes allowance for this as otherwise there is a danger that local streets will become congested and businesses will suffer.

G) The Lime Walk

The works to the car park are also necessary for the protection of the Lime Walk and part of the plan must be the protection of the Lime Walk trees from the compaction around their roots. The compaction resulting from parking has caused damage to these important trees and already shortened their life span. The plan for this area of the Fields should provide for the replacement of the trees in the Walk during the next 20 years.

H) Annual Fair

Traditionally this has taken place on the meadow adjacent to Bridge Street. This area is within the flood plain and as such this has presented a problem from time to time. It is suggested that this problem could be alleviated on a permanent basis by relocating the fair and other similar events to the area of the fields below Abbey Hill and adjacent to Forrest Road /Borrowell Lane. The entrance from that side should be improved to allow for easier access although it should remain gated as at present to allow for control of this use.


I) Cycle Access
The Town Council wishes to encourage more cycling within the Town as this not only leads to improvement in health but also less congestion on the roads and car parks. However we feel that it
Is necessary to separate cyclists from pedestrians in the same way we would wish to see cyclists
separated from vehicular traffic where possible. As a result we would not wish the pedestrian path ways in the Abbey Fields to be used for cycling.
We would propose that as an alternative a separate cycleway be constructed which would run from the bridge in Bridge Street along the side of the Brook to the Swimming Pool and then connect to a new cycle path running along side the existing path to Brookside Avenue. This would connect the cycle paths running up Bridge Street Bridge from the University through the Fields to Borrowell Lane and thence into the Town Centre or the cycle path into the Castle Farm. This new route would avoid the barrier that Abbey Fields creates at the moment and at the same time would provide separation between pedestrians and cyclists which we believe to be essential for the enjoyment of the Fields.

Castle Farm Sports Complex

A) Extend Sports Offering

The complex together with the fields does offer a valuable benefit to the Town for exercise sport and recreation and we would wish to extend that offering as part of the plan. This would however require the acquisition of further adjacent land in order to meet those wishes.

B) Use with Sports Clubs

The Rugby Club and Wardens Cricket Club have indicated a wish to relocate from their existing sites in order to provide additional facilities for their large memberships. This is something that the Town Council would support in order to increase their facilities which are so beneficial particularly for the younger members of our community.

However, their relocation creates a double problem as there is no land for their relocation without loss of further green belt and the possible loss to the Town of their relocating elsewhere. This could be solved by them being accommodated in this area on the west side of the Town and adjacent to the Castle Farm complex. We would then have the benefit of providing an area catering for a multiplicity of sports.

With the concentration of these sporting facilities in this area there would be an opportunity to increase the cooperation that already exists for sharing pitches when available and appropriate. We would also envisage that there would be opportunities to develop joint facilities that could be used by all which might otherwise not be available or practical for a club on its own.
We would envisage that an area set aside in this way for all sports could provide a Running track and other such facilities. Further the provision of this area would leave a large area of open space. The Clubs would obviously wish to restrict access to their pitches and we think that in these circumstances it would be essential that an area around their sites should be acquired as public open space to allow for existing footpaths and general recreation. Our support for the relocations of the Clubs which are in the green belt would be on the basis that no development of their current sites would be allowed until alternative site for their relocation had been agreed and approved.



Relocation within the Green Belt

During our consultation three possible new locations were suggested for relocation of the Clubs. These were in Glasshouse Lane, Warwick Road and Castle Farm. We would only be prepared to support Castle Farm.

The other two would be unacceptable as they will be on green belt land and will present a further temptation to build on that land in the future. They would be a further incursion into the green belt in sensitive areas without defendable boundaries once opened up. The Castle Farm site however would be protected by the Castle on the west side and also by public open space which should be provided as a result of these arrangements with WDC.


C) Access

This is an important issue as the concentrated use would lead to greater use of the current access point at Fishponds Road. This could be alleviated by the use of the current access together with new access points at Farm Road and John O Gaunt Road. This would need careful planning to avoid undue nuisance from traffic congestion and could perhaps be dealt with by and in and out one way system

Open Space
A) At Thickthorn

The new development will be of a size that will require the provision of open space if it is to meet the District's own standards and also the requirements of the Garden Suburbs Policy which the District intends to apply to all developments and which in the view of the Town Council is essential.

B) Extension to Castle Farm

As mentioned previously it will be necessary to acquire additional land over and above that for use by the Sports Clubs in order to allow for the continuance of existing footpaths and general recreation.

C) Crackley Triangle

This area is not in the green belt at the present time because of we believe of an error in the last Local Plan which intended that it should be included in the Green Belt. It lies in the very sensitive Crackley Gap which is the only defence against coalescence with Coventry. Further the prospect of the development of HS2 will be a further breach of this sensitive area and will further degrade the green belt in this area.
Whilst we are aware there are proposals for its development we do not think that these are feasible because there is no viable vehicular access.
This site would be an ideal acquisition for Open Space. Adjacent to the Green Way and the Common it would be an area which could be added to the open space that the Town needs and with this use access would not cause any problem.



D) The Common

The Common is a valuable asset for the Town and should be preserved in its natural state and protected from any further incursions and any attempts to make it a more formal area resisted.
The Castle
1) Improve connection with the Town
It is essential that safe pedestrian access is made between the Castle and the Town and the Abbey Fields to avoid the separation that occurs at the present time. This could be achieved by the provision of a footpath from the main car park entrance in the direction of the town. Further the provision of a pedestrian refuge adjacent to the Ford could provide a connection to a new walk way through the Castle grounds and thus avoid the entrance way to the car park.
These proposals would provide visitors with access to the Town in one direction and would open up the Ancient Monument of the Abbey in the other. The latter would also provide visitors and residents easier access from the Castle to the beauty of the Abbey Fields which many visitors do not see because of the lack of access.
2) The Mere
The reintroduction of the ancient Mere around the Castle is a project that has been under consideration for many years and has always been supported by the Town Council. It is a project that would not only enhance the Castle but would provide a Tourist attraction not only for Kenilworth but for the District and the region. Further, it could be used to control the flooding that occurs in The Ford, Abbey Fields and the whole of the valley.
The preliminary study carried out by Warwick University Business School suggested a number of ways in which this could be developed and the uses that would be necessary to make the project viable. This required the development of a hotel or some similar development consistent with a rural setting.
Any such project would require very careful consideration bearing in mind the huge cost that is likely to be incurred and also its effects on the local area.
It is also apparent from our survey that the developments that would be required to fund this project would not be acceptable to our respondents having regard to the effect on the area around this important Monument and the developments in the green belt that would be necessary.
This is a view that the Council shares as there would be a large incursion into the green belt which would be inappropriate in the sensitive area of the Castle which is an important national Ancient Monument.
Consideration should be given to the project on the basis of the provision of a nature park surrounding the Castle ,which would protect and enhance the current uses in this area, and a mere that could be developed on a scale that was acceptable in financial terms without the need for large intrusive developments. This would provide a valuable addition to the open space within the Town together with the equally valuable drainage advantages that could be obtained from it
The Civic Centre
It has been an objective of the Town Council and the District to have a Civic Centre at Smalley Place and this was one of the objectives consulted on locally at the beginning of the refurbishment of the Town Centre and which is still in progress.

a) Theatre

There is room between Jubilee House and the Library for the provision of a Theatre which could not only provide a new home for the Talisman Theatre Company but also an occasional cinema and meeting hall. We would expect that arrangements could be made to allow the Company to have access to the Theatre in order to be able to run their normal programme and allow space in the calendar for occasional cinema and meetings when not being used as a theatre. This would enable them to have a new and modern theatre to replace their current home, which is much in need of refurbishment at a cost below its replacement costs. Further, the other uses would allow the subsidy of this project because of the alternate uses for the public good.

b) Clinic
It was the original aim when purchasing Jubilee House to re-house the PCT Clinic on the ground floor and thus provide a modern facility for the Clinic patients and the staff in place of the current facility which is in need of replacement. This has stalled because of the reorganisation of the Health Service but whatever the change in the structure of the Health Service, we assume and expect that a clinic will still be provided and as such the original resiting of the clinic in this way would be a beneficial move for all concerned and would allow for the development of the clinic site.
c) Medical services

The town has two Doctors Partnerships serving the Community, who, we believe, with extra staffing will be sufficient to serve the enlarged Community. Whilst we are sure they will wish to remain independent, the relocation of the Clinic would provide an opportunity for them to relocate to a site adjacent to the Clinic. This would give them the opportunity to share such services as are acceptable and appropriate to them. It would also enable them to provide additional services in partnership with the Clinic to the community that may not be feasible separately.

This proposal is one that the Council would support but is obviously one that would have to acceptable to the parties concerned. In this respect there would, we believe, be a case for assistance to be given by the Local Authorities and the NHS to support this proposal which would have considerable benefit to the Community and be in keeping with the present policy of using all NHS services in cooperation to increase the service available.

d) Other Uses

A business case and survey is being conducted by the District on the Civic Centre site which will no
doubt considers all of the above suggestions and others relating to the remainder of the site. We would wish to support this and remain involved as in previous efforts to reach the goal of a full Civic Centre bringing together the various services that our Community needs.

Community Facilities

The Town has the benefit of The Kenilworth Centre which has recently been taken over and is now being run by a Charity. This charity has been supported by significant funding from the Town Council for the first three years in order to give the project stability until it is able to become self funding in that period. There is no doubt that this facility is extremely important to the Community and must be preserved and its work expanded.

Adjacent to it, the Senior Citizens Club is nearing completion and it is hoped that the Club will within the next twelve months take occupation of the premises and thus release their temporary accommodation at Jubilee House. This purpose built accommodation for senior citizens will allow for an improved service to this part of our Community having regard to its situation in the centre of the Town.

The Club has always hosted other Societies and we would hope that not only would this continue but be expanded to become a centre for all older persons within the town including for instance the Waverley Day Centre. Whilst that would be a matter for the two Societies we feel that a move of this nature would enhance the facilities provided for Senior citizens as a whole and help to ensure the continued viability of this service. This new facility together with the Kenilworth Centre would thus become a hub for assistance to the community.
Abbey End
There is a plan in existence for Abbey End which accords with the Town centre Plan. This was consulted on widely in the Town and agreed upon some years ago. We would like to see the completion of this. The Shopping Area has developed well to date but unfortunately the development of the rear of the shops and restaurants that was envisaged has never been completed. This should be encouraged with the current Tenants and Owners in order to present a more pleasing and attractive aspect to the car park and encourage entrance to those businesses direct from the car park.
This in our view has become even more essential with the development of the Kenilworth Centre, The Senior Citizens Club and also the redevelopment of Wilton Court. These three important new developments provide a new opportunity to Abbey End as effectively a new street front has been created on the other side of the car park and there is an opportunity for the shopping centre to benefit from it.
Talisman Square
Similarly there is in existence a plan for the completion of Talisman Square which accords with the Town Centre Plan. We would hope to see the completion of that development as a further contribution to the refurbishment of the Town Centre.
Station Road/Warwick Road
Semi Pedestrianisation of Station Road
It was decided when the new plans for the Town Centre were adopted, that the eventual aim was to make the Warwick Road end of Station Road from the car park entrance onwards, pedestrian friendly by the use of block paving and the slowing of traffic so as to allow a mix of vehicles and pedestrians, in a manner similar to West Street in Warwick. This plan met with mixed reaction in our survey and if advanced should receive further consideration as o it feasibility
Warwick Road
It is similarly essential that we put in hand measures to make the pavements in Warwick Road more user friendly. We do not believe there is room for the pavements to be widened without the provision of a one way system which would not be acceptable. The management of the footpaths could however be improved by limiting the number of A boards which appear to proliferate year by year and there should be restrictions on their positioning. There should also be a more careful positioning of the planters, which we feel must be retained. Careful management of the footpath furniture should be used to ensure that the pavements are kept as clear as possible.
Town Centre Shop Fronts
The Kenilworth Society produced a helpful Guidance document concerning shop fronts in the Town Centre. Whilst we would not wish to incorporate this without further consideration, this is a matter which should be given detailed consideration in order to improve the street scene and to give some conformity to the main shopping centre. We would wish at a later stage to agree a similar policy for implementation for the future and as part of the guidance for new developments
Car Parking in Town Centre
The Town car parks are already well used and on many occasions are completely full. With the advent of possibly 1000 more cars at Thickthorn or on new developments, we envisage that there will be insufficient parking in the Town centre. We would wish to take advantage of the new development to increase the viability of the Town Centre and thus it is essential that not only is there easy access to the Town but also more parking provision is made available.
The location of the existing car parks does not lend themselves to multi-storey parking as they are close to residential development. In this situation we feel that the only reasonable option would be to redevelop Square West in a similar fashion to the Waitrose car park with the first floor being semi sunk so the second tier would not be a high level. This would also allow for Pay on Foot parking which we believe would encourage shoppers to stay longer.
Like wise a similar method of construction could be considered in Abbey End Car Park where it could take advantage of the gradient that exists.
The Rail Station
Re-establishment of the Station on its original site at the junction of Priory Road and Waverley Road has been a desire of the Town Council for many years and has been discussed on many occasions. Kenilworth is the largest Town in the Country without the benefit of a railway station and the addition of a further 3000 in population make the provision of a station essential. The necessary land for the provision of Platforms and car parking are in place and in the ownership of the County Council. Further, its business case for this development is strengthened by the additional development proposed by the plan and the recent announcement of government support is welcomed.
It will be necessary however, for this development to have regard for the Traffic that will be generated in this area by reopening of the station. It will also be necessary to make provision for a connection with the local bus routes and thus provide a public transport network which would bear in mind the needs of the
Town and Warwick University which could benefit from the reintroduction of this service
The Fire Station
The provision of a fire station has been established as essential for the Town and confirmed recently after careful evaluation and consultation by the WCC. However, the station is not full time and is not ideally situated in School Lane which is a narrow residential street.
The allocation of employment land at Thickthorn presents an option for the establishment of a full time Fire Station near the Thickthorn junction. This location next to the by- pass would allow for easy access to Leamington and Warwick. It is also ideally placed to serve the new proposed developments at Baginton and Stoneleigh Park and the large area of the University now situated in the County thus benefitting the whole Distinct. The Town would also benefit from having a full time station within its boundaries.
This would also allow for the development of the existing site at School Lane for housing which would be a more appropriate use for that site as well as being of benefit to the public purse.
Allotments
Beehive Hill
There are insufficient sites to meet demand as there are currently some 150/200 applicants on the waiting list. This has to some extent resulted in the more efficient use of some of the sites by offering half plots which are sufficient for most users. We feel that in these circumstances that the area allotted in Beehive Hill should be increased by a similar number of similar size plots to those now existing.
Thickthorn
If the new development proceeds consideration should be given to a provision for allotment land
Thickthorn Estate Development
This development will provide for Employment land as well as housing and facilities. It is a large area and may take several years to complete. For the benefit of the Town and also those who will come to live in this area, it is the view of the Council that this area should have a defined plan to cover all of the infrastructure and the development and that this overall plan should be a prerequisite to its removal from the green belt for this purpose.. Having regard to its size it may well be that the work will be carried out by a number of builders and in such circumstances it is so essential that there be an overall plan is put into effect. Only in this way can the Town Council's objective of preserving the Town's Character be ensured.
We are convinced that if this estate is developed in the light of an overall plan it will be a better place to live and work in as well as an asset to the Town rather than a liability. An overall plan will avoid several parts being bolted together and thus losing the atmosphere of a Garden Suburb which is the District's wish for all its developments.
Kenilworth in many respects has the character of a garden suburb not only on the private estates but in the areas of the Council accommodation with adequate space allowed for a pleasant setting for residents. We feel it is essential that this is carried on through the new developments.
The overall plan must therefore address:-
a) Road Layout
The layout of the original roads is an essential component for the proposed scheme. This should take into account the pressures that will accrue from the development use as a whole when complete. There should be a spine road through the estate which is able to cope with through traffic as well as that for the estate. This should be used to alleviate traffic through the town which is already congested by traffic using roads constructed before the increase in the use of the motor car.
This road could be used for traffic accessing the east of the Town from the Leamington direction and thus avoid the town centre. Likewise, access from the estate or from the east of the Town can also avoid the Town centre and thus ease congestion. The construction of this road should be a pre condition for commencement of work on the site as a whole in order to keep construction traffic out of the Town as the roads are too narrow and congested to bear any further burden. Bearing these requirements in mind, it should be of a width that will allow for its being a through route as well as access to the new development. Further, it should be landscaped to provide a pleasing environment and access to the town.

b) House layout
It is the stated desire of the Local Plan that all development shall be carried out on the principles of the District Council's Garden Suburbs Policy. Our desire is that the new development shall be required to be in accordance with this policy. This type of plan is essential for it to be in keeping with the character of the town which we are anxious to protect. We also wish to ensure that the new estate becomes part of the town and benefits it, as well as benefiting from it. If this can be achieved, then the number of houses which are to be constructed will be more acceptable and be accepted as less of a problem. We wish the development to compliment the character of the Town, and thus become part of it. This can be achieved only by careful planning.

c) Business layout
The positioning of the employment land is an extremely important feature of this development. At present it is shown adjacent to Warwick Road which could have a detrimental effect on this important and pleasant entrance to the town. We suggest this area to be located along the Highway boundary. This would still have the advantage of easy access to the highway junction and further it would serve as a barrier to noise from the Highway. The noise from the A46 is considerable and the employment units could form a noise barrier which would be an advantage to the proposed housing and also that which already exists in adjoining areas.

The employment land should not in our view, allow for industrial use as this would be inappropriate in this area. It should be limited to Business Park /office type use and no retail out of town shopping should be allowed or envisaged. The introduction of any out of Town shopping provision would be devastating to our small town centre.

d) Open Space
In keeping with the character of the Town and also the Garden Suburb principle, there will be a need for open spaces in an area of this magnitude and provision must be made for this so that there is an opportunity for children and adults to have room to breathe. The current District suggestion that approximately 45% of the site should be occupied by open spaces and similar uses would appear to us to be reasonable and attainable in relation to the proper development of this site.

e) School
Having regard to the number of houses suggested the provision of a primary school for the new population would appear to be essential. This should be situated on the estate and should be located so that safe access can be easily being gained on foot. Such access should be encouraged in order to promote health and also prevent additional car movements and congestion. This should form part of the overall plan. There will also be a knock on effect on the need for Secondary School places which is estimated to be over 100. This in its turn will affect Kenilworth School.

f) Community Safety

The overall plan should also allow for Community safety to be taken into account. This should not only be from the point of view of safety in relation to the construction of the buildings but also affect the lay out of the estate from the point of view of criminal activity and road safety. Whilst this is a requirement, it is frequently overlooked. We would hope that this would form a significant feature in the development of the area so as to benefit those living there in the future and the Town as a whole as part of its community.

G) Roads

Connections

The access to and egress from the development needs very careful consideration as it could cause extreme congestion. We would have thought that a new island at the Leamington Road end of the entrances road would be the preferred option. This island would allow traffic to flow more easily than a set of traffic lights.

We believe that it would also allow for a slip road to be constructed from the new development to access the A46 and thus allow a filter of traffic from the estate directly to the highway slip road without entering either this island or the main junction island. This would spread the traffic and also allow access through the estate from eastern Kenilworth without gaining access through St Johns.
Likewise the access into Dalehouse Lane /Glasshouse Lane would require another island which would provide easier access than the provision of traffic lights.
H) Routes
The estate will require a spine road and this could be used to benefit the development by separating the employment element from residential. It should also be used to spread traffic into and out of the Town as previously indicated. It will also need to be constructed in a way that reduces the speed of traffic using it for that purpose. This would hopefully be attained by its shape rather than speed humps or similar methods. It is essential that this is borne in mind in the design of the road as other wise there is a danger of excessive speeds and the danger that flows from it.

J) Rocky Lane

It has been the Councils view that development of this area should stop at Rocky Lane in order to have a clear and defensible boundary to the incursion into the green belt that this proposal makes. Further this tree lined road is an important local feature that should be retained especially as it gives access to the countryside. The preservation of Rocky Lane and its character is essential, in the view of the Town Council, as part of the conservation of the character of the area. It should be preserved and allocated as a Local Wild life Site.

K) Thickthorn Ancient Wood and Glasshouse Spinney
The wood and also the Spinney running along Glasshouse Lane and Rockey Lane are important features of the area and should also be preserved by being allocated as local Wildlife Sites. They should also be protected by a 50 metre buffer. Not only is this important from the point of view of conservation, but it will also serve to soften the effects of the proposed development and also preserve the character of the area and its charm.

L) Boundary of the Development

It has become apparent that using Rocky Lane as a boundary would not accommodate the amount of housing and employment land that would be ultimately expected for the Town and that extra land will be needed to the north of the Lane. The need for a barrier still remains however and the Council would propose that this should be in the form of a Public Open Space dedicated to the District Council along the Northern boundary of the proposed developable area. This would not only form a barrier against further encroachment to the North but provide further open space which could accommodate areas for use by Local organisations such as the Scouts.

M) Green Belt

The Council has always been concerned by the possibility of encroachment into the green belt running along the town side of the A46. Once encroachment is allowed in this area there is a danger for it to continue along the highway to the District Boundaries and thus mean coalescence with Coventry. This is particularly sensitive because the gap between the Town and Coventry in the Crackley Gap is only a field's width in places. Whilst the District is not even proposing this at this time it is felt that this danger should be emphasised in order to confirm the need for a barrier such as we suggest.

Other matters that may need to be covered further by the Plan

a) Cycling elsewhere in the Town other than Abbey Fields

The provision of cycle ways throughout the Town would be the ideal solution but it is difficult to see how these could be provided as the existing roads are mostly either inadequate or only just adequate for current use. The use of pavements for joint use by pedestrians and cyclists is not acceptable in the Town Councils view within its boundaries. However, in rural areas where there is little pedestrian traffic we could accept that this would be a reasonable proposition .The suggestion that the pavements between Kenilworth and Leamington and Leek Wotton be used on a joint basis would not seem unreasonable.

Scout & Guide Provision
B] Scouts and Guides
Provision will need to be made for the Scouts & Guides if significant changes are made to Castle Farm then they are essential. Further ideally with the extension of the Town to the east we should consider additional space for these organisation and similar groups.

C) The New Developments

These fall within the Parish of St.John's Church. The Church has indicated that it wishes to be involved and help with the provision of community facilities. We would be supportive of this offer by the Church as it already has facilities available within easy reach of the area and we would hope that this would be developed.

D) Kenilworth School and Sports College

It has become apparent from our consultation that the School is experiencing considerable difficulties as a result of being located on two separate sites and an amalgamation would be beneficial. Further, the additional demand from the new development will increase the problems it is experiencing.

It would not be possible for the Sixth Form to be relocated to Leyes Lane and it is therefore likely that the school will need to be relocated to a site where both parts can be accommodated together with the additional intake expected.

This would obviously be beneficial to the School and in view of its sport facilities and culture perhaps this would provide an opportunity to locate in the area agreed for the sports clubs
With the emphasis that is placed on Sport at the School this would give further impetus to providing a sporting area where partnerships could be formed to increase the availability of sporting facilities to all of the Clubs and an increase in the Sporting offering available to the town.
E) HS2
Although only a short section of the safeguarded area of the proposed route of High Speed is within the town boundary (from the A46 to Finham Brook) the route passing through the Crackley Gap and on to Burton Green will have a dramatic affect on the town. Only a small number of residents and the Golf Club will be directly affected but both the construction phase and the completed railway will potentially affect thousands of homes. The environment in the Crackley gap will be devastated by the diversion of the Canley Brook and will take years to recover. The Town Council remains opposed to the scheme, which will be of no benefit to the town, but is working with HS2 to attempt to mitigate the e3ffects on the town should the railway be built

KENILWORTH ACTION PLAN NOTES
Kenilworth lies within the jurisdiction of Warwick District Council which is required by Government to put in place a Local Plan to govern its development for the next 15 years. This plan must make provision for the amount of housing and employment land which will be required during that period and where it will be sited. The plan will not only deal with these issues but also the infrastructure and facilities that will be required to service them and how such developments will benefit and complement the area.
The plan will deal with the District as a whole and must also take into account the needs of neighbouring authorities in the sub region. Further the Plan will require to be examined and approved at a Public Enquiry by a Government Inspector. This enquiry will require robust evidence to show that what is proposed is sufficient to meet the needs of the District and its sustainability in the view of the Government or it will fail. These requirements affect all parts of the District including Kenilworth and have been borne in mind by the Town Council in drafting its Action Plan.
Kenilworth was a medieval settlement attached to the Augustinian Abbey and Castle both of which were nationally prominent until the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the Civil War when the Abbey and the Castle respectively were ruined. These two historical features still govern the character of the Town in the form of the Abbey Fields and the Castle ruins and it is the Town Council's intention to ensure that the character that these features have engendered is preserved.
The population of the Town has grown over the last 50 years by something of the order of 140% but despite this it has been able to preserve the intimacy, image and character of a small market town.
Kenilworth is a Town that supports a variety of community projects including two Cricket Clubs, Rugby and association football clubs, two theatres together with numerous charitable organisations and voluntary associations together with Church communities representing a variety of faiths. Further all of our Schools are of a very good standard at all levels. All of these assets are bound in a reasonably tight community which sees the Town as an important entity which we wish to preserve.
It is with this in mind that the Council has approached the Action Plan. Our view is that the Local Plan is not only about the number of houses that will be allowed or the amount of Industrial land allotted but how these will be developed and what effect they will have on the existing structure and character of the Town.
It is our view that this development must complement and preserve that which exists. This will require infrastructure that will connect those developments to the town and complement what we have. The Plan's object should be not only to preserve current facilities but to improve them in order to provide for the new developments. It should ensure that the Town continues to enjoy improved facilities and that those existing are not degraded.
Our object is to ensure that the new developments become part of our community and thus enhance it.
Funding for many of the projects or improvements that are required could and should be financed by the large sums that will be generated by the developments that will be allowed by the Local Plan. This funding should be used to improve the Town which has attracted the development as it will be necessary to keep services and facilities at their current level for the Town and its new residents.
In relation to this Action Plan we have found it necessary to consider a number of areas in detail in the first instance and then how these will be integrated into the Plan as a whole and their effect on the adjoining areas and the infrastructure and services.
In regard to those areas which merit particular mention in our plan we have the advantage of a recent consultation which has gathered opinions from over 1800 respondents as well as comments from owners of some of the areas affected and other organisations.
The following areas and subjects amongst others will need detailed consideration:-
The Abbey Fields
The Abbey Fields is in many respects the heart of the Town and is an essential part of its history and character. As a result any development within the Fields should be viewed very critically. As an ancient monument it has protection and has for many years only seen an evolution of existing uses. It was on this basis that the swimming pool was allowed because it fell within the footprint of that which had existed since the turn of the previous century
A) Swimming Pool.

The Swimming pool has recently been renovated and is an important asset of the Town and has the advantage of an out door pool. We feel that both of these should be preserved as the main pool is well used and together with the outdoor pool provides excellent exercise facilities which can be and are used by people of all ages.

B) Children's Play Area
The Children's Play Area has been relocated onto the bowling green which has been redundant for many years. This now provides a secure area for this feature and being fenced facilitates the exclusion of dogs from the area. The existing Pavilion is in our view an important feature in the Fields and should be found an alternative use such as a shelter for the users of the play area, provided that this can be achieved without any breach of safety for the play area
C) Picnic Area
Some of the site of the Old Play area is not now needed for the new scheme and should be converted into a picnic area. This area adjacent to the Play area and the Swimming Pool will complement these facilities and also the ancient Barn which houses the Abbey Museum.
D) Tennis Courts
We propose that the existing surface of the tennis courts be replaced with a more modern self-draining surface so as to allow for greater usage of this existing facility in the interests of providing more facilities for sport and the health giving exercise that flows from it.
 
E) Performing Arts

The relocation of the Play area may also allow one of the standings formerly used by the play equipment to be used as hard standing for the Bands and other entertainments that play and appear from time to time in the Fields. This will again enhance the picnic area and other facilities in the Fields. Otherwise an alternative site should be found.

F) Car Park

The refurbishment of the car park surface is already approved but we would wish it to be included in our plan. It is important that careful drainage arrangements are made and maintained on a regular basis so as to improve the drainage in the meadow below the car park and ensure it is not made worse by any run off.

Great care must be taken to comply with the requirements of English Heritage in respect of any works to ensure no damage occurs to the Ancient Monument of the Abbey beneath this area.
It is also essential that the landscaping of the car park is dealt with sympathetically in order to preserve the character of the Fields and that in particular that any trees that are removed are replaced.

This car park is not only essential for visitors to St Nicholas Church and the Abbey Fields but also to certain local residents and businesses which have no parking facilities. In those circumstances it is essential that there is a regime of charging which makes allowance for this as otherwise there is a danger that local streets will become congested and businesses will suffer.

G) The Lime Walk

The works to the car park are also necessary for the protection of the Lime Walk and part of the plan must be the protection of the Lime Walk trees from the compaction around their roots. The compaction resulting from parking has caused damage to these important trees and already shortened their life span. The plan for this area of the Fields should provide for the replacement of the trees in the Walk during the next 20 years.

H) Annual Fair

Traditionally this has taken place on the meadow adjacent to Bridge Street. This area is within the flood plain and as such this has presented a problem from time to time. It is suggested that this problem could be alleviated on a permanent basis by relocating the fair and other similar events to the area of the fields below Abbey Hill and adjacent to Forrest Road /Borrowell Lane. The entrance from that side should be improved to allow for easier access although it should remain gated as at present to allow for control of this use.


I) Cycle Access
The Town Council wishes to encourage more cycling within the Town as this not only leads to improvement in health but also less congestion on the roads and car parks. However we feel that it
Is necessary to separate cyclists from pedestrians in the same way we would wish to see cyclists
separated from vehicular traffic where possible. As a result we would not wish the pedestrian path ways in the Abbey Fields to be used for cycling.
We would propose that as an alternative a separate cycleway be constructed which would run from the bridge in Bridge Street along the side of the Brook to the Swimming Pool and then connect to a new cycle path running along side the existing path to Brookside Avenue. This would connect the cycle paths running up Bridge Street Bridge from the University through the Fields to Borrowell Lane and thence into the Town Centre or the cycle path into the Castle Farm. This new route would avoid the barrier that Abbey Fields creates at the moment and at the same time would provide separation between pedestrians and cyclists which we believe to be essential for the enjoyment of the Fields.

Castle Farm Sports Complex

A) Extend Sports Offering

The complex together with the fields does offer a valuable benefit to the Town for exercise sport and recreation and we would wish to extend that offering as part of the plan. This would however require the acquisition of further adjacent land in order to meet those wishes.

B) Use with Sports Clubs

The Rugby Club and Wardens Cricket Club have indicated a wish to relocate from their existing sites in order to provide additional facilities for their large memberships. This is something that the Town Council would support in order to increase their facilities which are so beneficial particularly for the younger members of our community.

However, their relocation creates a double problem as there is no land for their relocation without loss of further green belt and the possible loss to the Town of their relocating elsewhere. This could be solved by them being accommodated in this area on the west side of the Town and adjacent to the Castle Farm complex. We would then have the benefit of providing an area catering for a multiplicity of sports.

With the concentration of these sporting facilities in this area there would be an opportunity to increase the cooperation that already exists for sharing pitches when available and appropriate. We would also envisage that there would be opportunities to develop joint facilities that could be used by all which might otherwise not be available or practical for a club on its own.
We would envisage that an area set aside in this way for all sports could provide a Running track and other such facilities. Further the provision of this area would leave a large area of open space. The Clubs would obviously wish to restrict access to their pitches and we think that in these circumstances it would be essential that an area around their sites should be acquired as public open space to allow for existing footpaths and general recreation. Our support for the relocations of the Clubs which are in the green belt would be on the basis that no development of their current sites would be allowed until alternative site for their relocation had been agreed and approved.



Relocation within the Green Belt

During our consultation three possible new locations were suggested for relocation of the Clubs. These were in Glasshouse Lane, Warwick Road and Castle Farm. We would only be prepared to support Castle Farm.

The other two would be unacceptable as they will be on green belt land and will present a further temptation to build on that land in the future. They would be a further incursion into the green belt in sensitive areas without defendable boundaries once opened up. The Castle Farm site however would be protected by the Castle on the west side and also by public open space which should be provided as a result of these arrangements with WDC.


C) Access

This is an important issue as the concentrated use would lead to greater use of the current access point at Fishponds Road. This could be alleviated by the use of the current access together with new access points at Farm Road and John O Gaunt Road. This would need careful planning to avoid undue nuisance from traffic congestion and could perhaps be dealt with by and in and out one way system

Open Space
A) At Thickthorn

The new development will be of a size that will require the provision of open space if it is to meet the District's own standards and also the requirements of the Garden Suburbs Policy which the District intends to apply to all developments and which in the view of the Town Council is essential.

B) Extension to Castle Farm

As mentioned previously it will be necessary to acquire additional land over and above that for use by the Sports Clubs in order to allow for the continuance of existing footpaths and general recreation.

C) Crackley Triangle

This area is not in the green belt at the present time because of we believe of an error in the last Local Plan which intended that it should be included in the Green Belt. It lies in the very sensitive Crackley Gap which is the only defence against coalescence with Coventry. Further the prospect of the development of HS2 will be a further breach of this sensitive area and will further degrade the green belt in this area.
Whilst we are aware there are proposals for its development we do not think that these are feasible because there is no viable vehicular access.
This site would be an ideal acquisition for Open Space. Adjacent to the Green Way and the Common it would be an area which could be added to the open space that the Town needs and with this use access would not cause any problem.



D) The Common

The Common is a valuable asset for the Town and should be preserved in its natural state and protected from any further incursions and any attempts to make it a more formal area resisted.
The Castle
1) Improve connection with the Town
It is essential that safe pedestrian access is made between the Castle and the Town and the Abbey Fields to avoid the separation that occurs at the present time. This could be achieved by the provision of a footpath from the main car park entrance in the direction of the town. Further the provision of a pedestrian refuge adjacent to the Ford could provide a connection to a new walk way through the Castle grounds and thus avoid the entrance way to the car park.
These proposals would provide visitors with access to the Town in one direction and would open up the Ancient Monument of the Abbey in the other. The latter would also provide visitors and residents easier access from the Castle to the beauty of the Abbey Fields which many visitors do not see because of the lack of access.
2) The Mere
The reintroduction of the ancient Mere around the Castle is a project that has been under consideration for many years and has always been supported by the Town Council. It is a project that would not only enhance the Castle but would provide a Tourist attraction not only for Kenilworth but for the District and the region. Further, it could be used to control the flooding that occurs in The Ford, Abbey Fields and the whole of the valley.
The preliminary study carried out by Warwick University Business School suggested a number of ways in which this could be developed and the uses that would be necessary to make the project viable. This required the development of a hotel or some similar development consistent with a rural setting.
Any such project would require very careful consideration bearing in mind the huge cost that is likely to be incurred and also its effects on the local area.
It is also apparent from our survey that the developments that would be required to fund this project would not be acceptable to our respondents having regard to the effect on the area around this important Monument and the developments in the green belt that would be necessary.
This is a view that the Council shares as there would be a large incursion into the green belt which would be inappropriate in the sensitive area of the Castle which is an important national Ancient Monument.
Consideration should be given to the project on the basis of the provision of a nature park surrounding the Castle ,which would protect and enhance the current uses in this area, and a mere that could be developed on a scale that was acceptable in financial terms without the need for large intrusive developments. This would provide a valuable addition to the open space within the Town together with the equally valuable drainage advantages that could be obtained from it
The Civic Centre
It has been an objective of the Town Council and the District to have a Civic Centre at Smalley Place and this was one of the objectives consulted on locally at the beginning of the refurbishment of the Town Centre and which is still in progress.

a) Theatre

There is room between Jubilee House and the Library for the provision of a Theatre which could not only provide a new home for the Talisman Theatre Company but also an occasional cinema and meeting hall. We would expect that arrangements could be made to allow the Company to have access to the Theatre in order to be able to run their normal programme and allow space in the calendar for occasional cinema and meetings when not being used as a theatre. This would enable them to have a new and modern theatre to replace their current home, which is much in need of refurbishment at a cost below its replacement costs. Further, the other uses would allow the subsidy of this project because of the alternate uses for the public good.

b) Clinic
It was the original aim when purchasing Jubilee House to re-house the PCT Clinic on the ground floor and thus provide a modern facility for the Clinic patients and the staff in place of the current facility which is in need of replacement. This has stalled because of the reorganisation of the Health Service but whatever the change in the structure of the Health Service, we assume and expect that a clinic will still be provided and as such the original resiting of the clinic in this way would be a beneficial move for all concerned and would allow for the development of the clinic site.
c) Medical services

The town has two Doctors Partnerships serving the Community, who, we believe, with extra staffing will be sufficient to serve the enlarged Community. Whilst we are sure they will wish to remain independent, the relocation of the Clinic would provide an opportunity for them to relocate to a site adjacent to the Clinic. This would give them the opportunity to share such services as are acceptable and appropriate to them. It would also enable them to provide additional services in partnership with the Clinic to the community that may not be feasible separately.

This proposal is one that the Council would support but is obviously one that would have to acceptable to the parties concerned. In this respect there would, we believe, be a case for assistance to be given by the Local Authorities and the NHS to support this proposal which would have considerable benefit to the Community and be in keeping with the present policy of using all NHS services in cooperation to increase the service available.

d) Other Uses

A business case and survey is being conducted by the District on the Civic Centre site which will no
doubt considers all of the above suggestions and others relating to the remainder of the site. We would wish to support this and remain involved as in previous efforts to reach the goal of a full Civic Centre bringing together the various services that our Community needs.

Community Facilities

The Town has the benefit of The Kenilworth Centre which has recently been taken over and is now being run by a Charity. This charity has been supported by significant funding from the Town Council for the first three years in order to give the project stability until it is able to become self funding in that period. There is no doubt that this facility is extremely important to the Community and must be preserved and its work expanded.

Adjacent to it, the Senior Citizens Club is nearing completion and it is hoped that the Club will within the next twelve months take occupation of the premises and thus release their temporary accommodation at Jubilee House. This purpose built accommodation for senior citizens will allow for an improved service to this part of our Community having regard to its situation in the centre of the Town.

The Club has always hosted other Societies and we would hope that not only would this continue but be expanded to become a centre for all older persons within the town including for instance the Waverley Day Centre. Whilst that would be a matter for the two Societies we feel that a move of this nature would enhance the facilities provided for Senior citizens as a whole and help to ensure the continued viability of this service. This new facility together with the Kenilworth Centre would thus become a hub for assistance to the community.
Abbey End
There is a plan in existence for Abbey End which accords with the Town centre Plan. This was consulted on widely in the Town and agreed upon some years ago. We would like to see the completion of this. The Shopping Area has developed well to date but unfortunately the development of the rear of the shops and restaurants that was envisaged has never been completed. This should be encouraged with the current Tenants and Owners in order to present a more pleasing and attractive aspect to the car park and encourage entrance to those businesses direct from the car park.
This in our view has become even more essential with the development of the Kenilworth Centre, The Senior Citizens Club and also the redevelopment of Wilton Court. These three important new developments provide a new opportunity to Abbey End as effectively a new street front has been created on the other side of the car park and there is an opportunity for the shopping centre to benefit from it.
Talisman Square
Similarly there is in existence a plan for the completion of Talisman Square which accords with the Town Centre Plan. We would hope to see the completion of that development as a further contribution to the refurbishment of the Town Centre.
Station Road/Warwick Road
Semi Pedestrianisation of Station Road
It was decided when the new plans for the Town Centre were adopted, that the eventual aim was to make the Warwick Road end of Station Road from the car park entrance onwards, pedestrian friendly by the use of block paving and the slowing of traffic so as to allow a mix of vehicles and pedestrians, in a manner similar to West Street in Warwick. This plan met with mixed reaction in our survey and if advanced should receive further consideration as o it feasibility
Warwick Road
It is similarly essential that we put in hand measures to make the pavements in Warwick Road more user friendly. We do not believe there is room for the pavements to be widened without the provision of a one way system which would not be acceptable. The management of the footpaths could however be improved by limiting the number of A boards which appear to proliferate year by year and there should be restrictions on their positioning. There should also be a more careful positioning of the planters, which we feel must be retained. Careful management of the footpath furniture should be used to ensure that the pavements are kept as clear as possible.
Town Centre Shop Fronts
The Kenilworth Society produced a helpful Guidance document concerning shop fronts in the Town Centre. Whilst we would not wish to incorporate this without further consideration, this is a matter which should be given detailed consideration in order to improve the street scene and to give some conformity to the main shopping centre. We would wish at a later stage to agree a similar policy for implementation for the future and as part of the guidance for new developments
Car Parking in Town Centre
The Town car parks are already well used and on many occasions are completely full. With the advent of possibly 1000 more cars at Thickthorn or on new developments, we envisage that there will be insufficient parking in the Town centre. We would wish to take advantage of the new development to increase the viability of the Town Centre and thus it is essential that not only is there easy access to the Town but also more parking provision is made available.
The location of the existing car parks does not lend themselves to multi-storey parking as they are close to residential development. In this situation we feel that the only reasonable option would be to redevelop Square West in a similar fashion to the Waitrose car park with the first floor being semi sunk so the second tier would not be a high level. This would also allow for Pay on Foot parking which we believe would encourage shoppers to stay longer.
Like wise a similar method of construction could be considered in Abbey End Car Park where it could take advantage of the gradient that exists.
The Rail Station
Re-establishment of the Station on its original site at the junction of Priory Road and Waverley Road has been a desire of the Town Council for many years and has been discussed on many occasions. Kenilworth is the largest Town in the Country without the benefit of a railway station and the addition of a further 3000 in population make the provision of a station essential. The necessary land for the provision of Platforms and car parking are in place and in the ownership of the County Council. Further, its business case for this development is strengthened by the additional development proposed by the plan and the recent announcement of government support is welcomed.
It will be necessary however, for this development to have regard for the Traffic that will be generated in this area by reopening of the station. It will also be necessary to make provision for a connection with the local bus routes and thus provide a public transport network which would bear in mind the needs of the
Town and Warwick University which could benefit from the reintroduction of this service
The Fire Station
The provision of a fire station has been established as essential for the Town and confirmed recently after careful evaluation and consultation by the WCC. However, the station is not full time and is not ideally situated in School Lane which is a narrow residential street.
The allocation of employment land at Thickthorn presents an option for the establishment of a full time Fire Station near the Thickthorn junction. This location next to the by- pass would allow for easy access to Leamington and Warwick. It is also ideally placed to serve the new proposed developments at Baginton and Stoneleigh Park and the large area of the University now situated in the County thus benefitting the whole Distinct. The Town would also benefit from having a full time station within its boundaries.
This would also allow for the development of the existing site at School Lane for housing which would be a more appropriate use for that site as well as being of benefit to the public purse.
Allotments
Beehive Hill
There are insufficient sites to meet demand as there are currently some 150/200 applicants on the waiting list. This has to some extent resulted in the more efficient use of some of the sites by offering half plots which are sufficient for most users. We feel that in these circumstances that the area allotted in Beehive Hill should be increased by a similar number of similar size plots to those now existing.
Thickthorn
If the new development proceeds consideration should be given to a provision for allotment land
Thickthorn Estate Development
This development will provide for Employment land as well as housing and facilities. It is a large area and may take several years to complete. For the benefit of the Town and also those who will come to live in this area, it is the view of the Council that this area should have a defined plan to cover all of the infrastructure and the development and that this overall plan should be a prerequisite to its removal from the green belt for this purpose.. Having regard to its size it may well be that the work will be carried out by a number of builders and in such circumstances it is so essential that there be an overall plan is put into effect. Only in this way can the Town Council's objective of preserving the Town's Character be ensured.
We are convinced that if this estate is developed in the light of an overall plan it will be a better place to live and work in as well as an asset to the Town rather than a liability. An overall plan will avoid several parts being bolted together and thus losing the atmosphere of a Garden Suburb which is the District's wish for all its developments.
Kenilworth in many respects has the character of a garden suburb not only on the private estates but in the areas of the Council accommodation with adequate space allowed for a pleasant setting for residents. We feel it is essential that this is carried on through the new developments.
The overall plan must therefore address:-
a) Road Layout
The layout of the original roads is an essential component for the proposed scheme. This should take into account the pressures that will accrue from the development use as a whole when complete. There should be a spine road through the estate which is able to cope with through traffic as well as that for the estate. This should be used to alleviate traffic through the town which is already congested by traffic using roads constructed before the increase in the use of the motor car.
This road could be used for traffic accessing the east of the Town from the Leamington direction and thus avoid the town centre. Likewise, access from the estate or from the east of the Town can also avoid the Town centre and thus ease congestion. The construction of this road should be a pre condition for commencement of work on the site as a whole in order to keep construction traffic out of the Town as the roads are too narrow and congested to bear any further burden. Bearing these requirements in mind, it should be of a width that will allow for its being a through route as well as access to the new development. Further, it should be landscaped to provide a pleasing environment and access to the town.

b) House layout
It is the stated desire of the Local Plan that all development shall be carried out on the principles of the District Council's Garden Suburbs Policy. Our desire is that the new development shall be required to be in accordance with this policy. This type of plan is essential for it to be in keeping with the character of the town which we are anxious to protect. We also wish to ensure that the new estate becomes part of the town and benefits it, as well as benefiting from it. If this can be achieved, then the number of houses which are to be constructed will be more acceptable and be accepted as less of a problem. We wish the development to compliment the character of the Town, and thus become part of it. This can be achieved only by careful planning.

c) Business layout
The positioning of the employment land is an extremely important feature of this development. At present it is shown adjacent to Warwick Road which could have a detrimental effect on this important and pleasant entrance to the town. We suggest this area to be located along the Highway boundary. This would still have the advantage of easy access to the highway junction and further it would serve as a barrier to noise from the Highway. The noise from the A46 is considerable and the employment units could form a noise barrier which would be an advantage to the proposed housing and also that which already exists in adjoining areas.

The employment land should not in our view, allow for industrial use as this would be inappropriate in this area. It should be limited to Business Park /office type use and no retail out of town shopping should be allowed or envisaged. The introduction of any out of Town shopping provision would be devastating to our small town centre.

d) Open Space
In keeping with the character of the Town and also the Garden Suburb principle, there will be a need for open spaces in an area of this magnitude and provision must be made for this so that there is an opportunity for children and adults to have room to breathe. The current District suggestion that approximately 45% of the site should be occupied by open spaces and similar uses would appear to us to be reasonable and attainable in relation to the proper development of this site.

e) School
Having regard to the number of houses suggested the provision of a primary school for the new population would appear to be essential. This should be situated on the estate and should be located so that safe access can be easily being gained on foot. Such access should be encouraged in order to promote health and also prevent additional car movements and congestion. This should form part of the overall plan. There will also be a knock on effect on the need for Secondary School places which is estimated to be over 100. This in its turn will affect Kenilworth School.

f) Community Safety

The overall plan should also allow for Community safety to be taken into account. This should not only be from the point of view of safety in relation to the construction of the buildings but also affect the lay out of the estate from the point of view of criminal activity and road safety. Whilst this is a requirement, it is frequently overlooked. We would hope that this would form a significant feature in the development of the area so as to benefit those living there in the future and the Town as a whole as part of its community.

G) Roads

Connections

The access to and egress from the development needs very careful consideration as it could cause extreme congestion. We would have thought that a new island at the Leamington Road end of the entrances road would be the preferred option. This island would allow traffic to flow more easily than a set of traffic lights.

We believe that it would also allow for a slip road to be constructed from the new development to access the A46 and thus allow a filter of traffic from the estate directly to the highway slip road without entering either this island or the main junction island. This would spread the traffic and also allow access through the estate from eastern Kenilworth without gaining access through St Johns.
Likewise the access into Dalehouse Lane /Glasshouse Lane would require another island which would provide easier access than the provision of traffic lights.
H) Routes
The estate will require a spine road and this could be used to benefit the development by separating the employment element from residential. It should also be used to spread traffic into and out of the Town as previously indicated. It will also need to be constructed in a way that reduces the speed of traffic using it for that purpose. This would hopefully be attained by its shape rather than speed humps or similar methods. It is essential that this is borne in mind in the design of the road as other wise there is a danger of excessive speeds and the danger that flows from it.

J) Rocky Lane

It has been the Councils view that development of this area should stop at Rocky Lane in order to have a clear and defensible boundary to the incursion into the green belt that this proposal makes. Further this tree lined road is an important local feature that should be retained especially as it gives access to the countryside. The preservation of Rocky Lane and its character is essential, in the view of the Town Council, as part of the conservation of the character of the area. It should be preserved and allocated as a Local Wild life Site.

K) Thickthorn Ancient Wood and Glasshouse Spinney
The wood and also the Spinney running along Glasshouse Lane and Rockey Lane are important features of the area and should also be preserved by being allocated as local Wildlife Sites. They should also be protected by a 50 metre buffer. Not only is this important from the point of view of conservation, but it will also serve to soften the effects of the proposed development and also preserve the character of the area and its charm.

L) Boundary of the Development

It has become apparent that using Rocky Lane as a boundary would not accommodate the amount of housing and employment land that would be ultimately expected for the Town and that extra land will be needed to the north of the Lane. The need for a barrier still remains however and the Council would propose that this should be in the form of a Public Open Space dedicated to the District Council along the Northern boundary of the proposed developable area. This would not only form a barrier against further encroachment to the North but provide further open space which could accommodate areas for use by Local organisations such as the Scouts.

M) Green Belt

The Council has always been concerned by the possibility of encroachment into the green belt running along the town side of the A46. Once encroachment is allowed in this area there is a danger for it to continue along the highway to the District Boundaries and thus mean coalescence with Coventry. This is particularly sensitive because the gap between the Town and Coventry in the Crackley Gap is only a field's width in places. Whilst the District is not even proposing this at this time it is felt that this danger should be emphasised in order to confirm the need for a barrier such as we suggest.

Other matters that may need to be covered further by the Plan

a) Cycling elsewhere in the Town other than Abbey Fields

The provision of cycle ways throughout the Town would be the ideal solution but it is difficult to see how these could be provided as the existing roads are mostly either inadequate or only just adequate for current use. The use of pavements for joint use by pedestrians and cyclists is not acceptable in the Town Councils view within its boundaries. However, in rural areas where there is little pedestrian traffic we could accept that this would be a reasonable proposition .The suggestion that the pavements between Kenilworth and Leamington and Leek Wotton be used on a joint basis would not seem unreasonable.

Scout & Guide Provision
B] Scouts and Guides
Provision will need to be made for the Scouts & Guides if significant changes are made to Castle Farm then they are essential. Further ideally with the extension of the Town to the east we should consider additional space for these organisation and similar groups.

C) The New Developments

These fall within the Parish of St.John's Church. The Church has indicated that it wishes to be involved and help with the provision of community facilities. We would be supportive of this offer by the Church as it already has facilities available within easy reach of the area and we would hope that this would be developed.

D) Kenilworth School and Sports College

It has become apparent from our consultation that the School is experiencing considerable difficulties as a result of being located on two separate sites and an amalgamation would be beneficial. Further, the additional demand from the new development will increase the problems it is experiencing.

It would not be possible for the Sixth Form to be relocated to Leyes Lane and it is therefore likely that the school will need to be relocated to a site where both parts can be accommodated together with the additional intake expected.

This would obviously be beneficial to the School and in view of its sport facilities and culture perhaps this would provide an opportunity to locate in the area agreed for the sports clubs
With the emphasis that is placed on Sport at the School this would give further impetus to providing a sporting area where partnerships could be formed to increase the availability of sporting facilities to all of the Clubs and an increase in the Sporting offering available to the town.
E) HS2
Although only a short section of the safeguarded area of the proposed route of High Speed is within the town boundary (from the A46 to Finham Brook) the route passing through the Crackley Gap and on to Burton Green will have a dramatic affect on the town. Only a small number of residents and the Golf Club will be directly affected but both the construction phase and the completed railway will potentially affect thousands of homes. The environment in the Crackley gap will be devastated by the diversion of the Canley Brook and will take years to recover. The Town Council remains opposed to the scheme, which will be of no benefit to the town, but is working with HS2 to attempt to mitigate the e3ffects on the town should the railway be built

I am writing to raise my objections and concerns to the Warwick District Local Plan.

I am a resident of Bishops Tachbrook and feel the proposals will have a detrimental effect on the health and well being of many residents, not only in the Village itself but in the surrounding areas of Whitnash and including Warwick and Leamington Spa.

Firstly I would like to raise an objection to the number of houses that is currently in the plan. 12,300 homes seems very extreme. Projections (based on 2011 Census data in 2013) seem to suggest that around 5,400 homes would be needed in the area, allowing for migration and natural growth of the population. Warwick District council's own consultant Gil Hearn gave an Economic and Demographic Forecast Study in December 2012. In this study only 4,405 new homes were needed.
These figures indicate the housing figures in the Local Plan is more than double what is actually needed.

The current Local Plan bases most of the homes in the South of the District. As it stands it would fill a vast area of rural and agricultural land between Warwick, Whitnash and Bishops Tachbrook. Building here would just merge our built areas, making them a single suburban sprawl. Currently there is a rolling landscape with far reaching views. I understand a country park would be planned at the border of Bishops Tachbrook but I feel this would be ineffective as the excessive new homes would be highly visable and the beautiful views we currently enjoy would disappear.

The majority of the housing is proposed to the South of the town centres. This will have a massive impact on congestion making it even more severe at crossings over the canal, river and railway in the area where there is no available solution to the current infrastructure.The current locations of this housing would encourage an even greater car- dependent culture, increasing traffic and worsening congestion on the two North - South routes through Leamington Spa and Warwick.

The concentration of these homes will, I believe, have a detrimental affect on Bishops Tachbrook. There will no doubt be an increase in the traffic on the minor road through the village (Mallory Road). This is already used as a cut through by speeding cars trying to avoid the already overloaded road network. This will have dramatic effect on the community, putting peoples lives at risk crossing a much busier road with motorists driving at speed, whilst trying to access the villages facilities such as the local shop, doctors surgery, community/playing facilities and the primary school. The village could be split in two by this road and go from a community where local children are allowed some freedom and independence to access our excellent play facilities to a community where social isolation is prevelant as they are terrified by a very busy road. An increase in the amount of vehicles passing through will also increase the risk to the health of villager's especially the children with an increase of air pollution and the diseases this is associated with such as lung cancer and asthma.

Indeed the increased number of cars 12,300 homes will bring will have far reaching consequences for our air quality. Already pollution from car exhausts in many streets in Warwick town centre and some in Leamington is already worse than legally permitted. Air quality is needed to be improved on by Warwick District Council but this Local Plan and its transport strategy would exacerbate it further. Long term health of residents would be even more threatened. The local economy with local businesses and tourism would damaged by the Plan .There would no longer be the beauty currently found in historic Warwick or the spa town of Leamington.

There is the consideration of other infrastructure, in theory there is funding for this. However in reality this could surely not be enough. I am a NHS healthcare worker so can see that times are tough currently in the NHS with services being reconfugured and cut to save money. Services are stretched to capacity now so a further 12,300 homes some perhaps with families living in them would push our healthcare facilities beyond breaking point.

The Prosposed Gypsy and Travellers sites are again concentrated in the same area. There are several sites prosposed around Bishops Tachbrook. One site situated on Banbury Road/ Mallory Road is extremely unsuitable as it is so near a busy main road ( will be increasingly busier with many more homes just down the road!!) so is not suitable for the travellers and their families in terms of safety or access. It also currently floods and floods down through the Village through the back gardens of where I currently live. I feel that hardstanding for proposed travellers site will create less surface area for the water to soak away and increase the volume of water flooding down through the Village, instead of just flooding gardens, it will flood through homes.
These sites would also impact on the local facilities, the school is already at capacity and the GP practice is just a branch surgery with limited opening hours.

I feel that the points I have raised just add up to a poorer quality of life and health for those who reside in the south of the District.

I feel there are better alternatives such as lower housing numbers to meet local need, a gradual releasing of land for development as and when demand grows, priority being given to use brownfield sites nearer to schools, shops and railway stations, homes being built close to jobs and cooperating with other local councils instead of competing with them over development.

I would very much appreciate a reply to the objections I have raised.

I am writing to raise and log my objections and concerns to the Warwick District Local Plan.

I am a resident of Bishops Tachbrook and feel the proposals will have a detrimental effect of the health and well being of many residents, not only in the Village itself but in the surrounding areas of Whitnash and including Warwick and Leamington Spa.

Firstly I would like to raise an objection to the number of houses that is currently in the plan. 12, 300 homes seems very extreme. Projections (based on 2011 Census data in 2013) seem to suggest that around 5,400 homes would be needed in the area, allowing for migration and natural growth of the population. Warwick District council's own consultant Gil Hearn gave an Economic and Demographic Forecast Study in December 2012. In this study only 4,405 new homes were needed.
These figures indicate the housing figures in the Local Plan is more than double what is actually needed..

The current Local Plan bases most of the homes in the South of the District. As it stands it would fill a vast area of rural and agricultural land between Warwick, Whitnash and Bishops Tachbrook. Building here would just merge our built areas, making them a single suburban sprawl. Currently there is a rolling landscape with far reaching views. I understand a country park would be planned at the border of Bishops Tachbrook but this is felt to be ineffective as the excessive new homes would be highly visible and the beautiful views we currently enjoy would disappear.

The majority of the housing is proposed to the South of the town centres. This will have a massive impact on congestion making it even more severe at crossings over the canal, river and railway in the area where there is no available solution to the current infrastructure. The current locations of this housing would encourage an even greater car- dependent culture, increasing traffic and worsening congestion on the two north and south routes through Leamington Spa and Warwick.

The concentration of these homes will, I believe, have a detrimental effect on Bishops Tachbrook. There will no doubt be an increase in the traffic on the minor road through the village (Mallory Road). This is already used as a cut through by speeding cars trying to avoid the already overloaded road network. This will have dramatic effect on the community, putting people's lives at risk crossing a much busier road with motorists driving at speed, whilst trying to access the village's facilities such as the local shop, doctors surgery, community/playing facilities and the primary school. The village could be split in two by this road and go from a community where local children are allowed some freedom and independence to access our excellent play facilities to a community where social isolation is prevalent as they are terrified by a very busy road. An increase in the amount of vehicles passing through will also increase the risk to the health of villager's especially the children with an increase of air pollution.
Indeed the increased number of cars 12, 300 homes will bring will have far reaching consequences for our air quality. Already pollution from car exhausts in many streets in Warwick town centre and some in Leamington is already worse than legally permitted. Air quality is needed to be improved on by Warwick District Council but this Local Plan and its transport strategy would exacerbate it further. Long term health of residents would be even more threatened with damage being brought to the local economy as businesses and tourism would damaged by the Plan .There would no longer be the beauty currently found in historic Warwick or the spa town of Leamington.

There is the consideration of other infrastructure, in theory there is funding for this. However in reality this could surely not be enough. I am aware that times are tough currently in the NHS with services being reconfigured and cut to save money. Services are stretched to capacity now so a further 12, 300 homes some perhaps with families living in them would push our healthcare facilities beyond breaking point.

The Proposed Gypsy and Travelers sites are again concentrated in the same area. There are several sites proposed around Bishops Tachbrook. One site situated on Banbury Road/ Mallory Road is extremely unsuitable as it is so near a busy main road (will be increasingly busier with many more homes just down the road!!) so is not suitable for the travelers and their families in terms of safety or access. It also currently floods and floods down through the Village through the back gardens of where I currently live. I feel that hard standing for proposed travelers site will create less surface area for the water to soak away and increase the volume of water flooding down through the Village, instead of just flooding gardens, it will flood through homes.
These sites would also impact on the local facilities, the school is already at capacity and the GP practice is just a branch surgery with limited opening hours. At the time that Warwick Gates was build we were promised a school on Warwick gates. This never happened putting a further strain on the schools in the area. Now the children from Bishops Tachbrook are no longer eligible for Myton School, they have to pass Myton School and carry on several miles further to Aylesford School. This makes me feel what we are going to lose this time.

I feel that the points I have raised just add up to a poorer quality of life and health for those who reside in the south of the District.

I feel there are better alternatives such as lower housing numbers to meet local need, a gradual releasing of land for development as and when demand grows, priority being given to use brown field sites nearer to schools, shops and railway stations, homes being built close to jobs and cooperating with other local councils instead of competing with them over development.

I would very much appreciate a reply to the objections I have raised.

see-attached

see-attached

see-attached

see-attached

see-attached