Hundreds of homes coming to site near Burton Green

Up to 425 homes will be built on a site near Burton Green after a major plan was agreed at a meeting last night (Tuesday June 19).
The homes will be built on land between Cromwell Lane, Westwood Heath Road and Bockendon Road.The homes will be built on land between Cromwell Lane, Westwood Heath Road and Bockendon Road.
The homes will be built on land between Cromwell Lane, Westwood Heath Road and Bockendon Road.

The homes will be built on a site between Westwood Heath Road, Bockendon Road and Cromwell Lane. The site was identified in Warwick district's recently adopted Local Plan.

Despite 147 letters of objection from nearby residents, as well as from Burton Green Parish Council and Westwood Heath Residents' Association, the plans were agreed by Warwick District Council's planning committee by six votes to four.

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The plan is split into two parts, a detailed plan for 129 homes (Phase 1), and an outline plan for the remaining homes (Phase 2).

Developers Crest Nicholson will build 11 two-bed, 33 three-bed and 32 four-bed houses in the Phase 1 site, with the remaining 53 being ‘affordable’ homes. Phase 2 of the site was only agreed in principle, meaning the mix of the remaining houses is not yet known.

Before the committee debated the plans, Burton Green parish councillor Archie Taylor spoke out against them, claiming the idea that the road network could cope with the likely increase in traffic was 'farcical'.

And ward councillor for Abbey, Cllr George Illingworth, claimed the site would not even have been included in the Local Plan if better traffic data had been available when it was drawn up.

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He said: "I have two concerns about this application - drainage and traffic. Drainage has been well covered by conditions (in the plan). Traffic is quite another matter.

"I believe that had the traffic information available now had been produced then, the allocation may well not have been approved by the Local Plan.

"For the sake of current and future residents, please sort out this situation."

During the debate, Cllr Felicity Bunker (Con, Park Hill), expressed her frustration at the site's existence in the Local Plan.

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She said: "If it hadn't been for Coventry (its unmet need for housing), we wouldn't need this site anyway. It's not something we're very pleased about."

But Cllr Andrew Day (Con, Bishops Tachbrook) supported the plan despite saying he sympathised with objectors.

He said: "The balance and mix of houses across the whole development is crucial to make a community. We've got 40 per cent affordable housing here right from the outset, which is a big benefit.

"I think it's a difficult decision, and I do entirely sympathise with the (earlier) speakers. I have been in their place and I have heard their arguments."

The committee eventually approved the plan by six votes to four.