Police called in as Barford housing row gets heated

Opposition is growing to a planning application that would see more than 60 '¨houses built on a green field site in Barford.
Residents of Barford campaigning against the Taylor Wimpey development.Residents of Barford campaigning against the Taylor Wimpey development.
Residents of Barford campaigning against the Taylor Wimpey development.

The application has been submitted to Warwick District Council by developer Taylor Wimpey.

The developer is seeking planning permission to build 63 houses on land off Bremridge Close, which is located between the village and the A429.

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Taylor Wimpey recently built 60 houses just off Wellesbourne Road in Barford.

According to the developer’s design and access statement the access to the site will be in Bremridge Close.

Residents in the village are concerned with many objecting to the proposed development and the site access.

Resident Claire Kime said: “The plans are completely at odds with the county’s highways guidance, and if approved would cause traffic chaos both during building and after completion. The site is entirely unsuitable for this scale of development.

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“A Neighbourhood Plan was developed last year, with overwhelming local support, to ensure that development in the village is sustainable and proportionate. Potential development sites were identified, and this was not one of them. It is the wrong scheme, in the wrong place, at the wrong time.”

At a public meeting in the village last Tuesday more than 50 residents came out to discuss the planning application.

Concerns were also raised after contractors working for the developers had started netting the trees and hedges on the proposed site, which could have an impact on birds and bats.

According to some residents some trees with bat boxes have also been felled by the contractors.

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Because of these concerns the police were called down to the site last Tuesday. The contractors have since withdrawn from the site.

A spokesperson from Warwickshire Police said: “On April 11 at approximately 9.50am Warwickshire Police received a report of wildlife crime in Barford. Warwickshire police are working in conjunction with the Bat Conservation Trust. Enquiries are continuing.”

A Taylor Wimpey spokesperson said: “As common practice we began to install netting to the hedge boundary of the site.

“However, after local residents raised concerns, as a gesture of goodwill we have informed our contractors to cease the ongoing works.”

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Richard Heath, a resident in the village, is urging people to have their say. He said: “This is a poor and inappropriate application and really is a land grab.

“The contractors have now withdrawn from the site. I would urge people to have their say and to exercise their opportunity to comment on this application.”