Kenilworth houses near flood risk zone approved for second time

The approximate location of the three new houses off Inchbrook Road. Copyright: Google Earth

5 Inchbrook Road will be demolished to make way for the houses, which will be close to Canley and Finham Brook.

Warwick District Council’s planning committee were forced to debate the plans again at a meeting on Tuesday August 16 due to a mistake in the officer’s original report coming to light.

The council originally approved the plans a month earlier, and reached the same decision on Tuesday’s meeting, although a note will be sent to the applicant asking them to keep the design similar to neighbouring houses..

Access to the site will be on the right of this house

Over 40 public objections to the plans were received, mainly from Inchbrook and Highland Road residents.

Speaking on behalf of several residents on both roads, Vic Lewis said: “There is a need for a flood assessment as the flood plain adjoins the site, and is critical to the area.

“The impact of a new dwelling under current calculations will increase the flood risk further down stream without doubt.”

Although the planned houses do not cross the Environment Agency’s flood risk line, they are very close to it.

Despite this, council officers felt a full flood risk assessment was ‘not necessary’.

Kenilworth Town Council disagreed with this, and were concerned about the amount of houses being built.

At the first meeting in July speaking on behalf of the town council, Cllr George Illingworth said: “Three houses shoehorned into that space does not respect the existing style, and it requires a flood risk assessment.