Local Plan: war declared on plan for thousands of homes

Concerns raised include traffic congestion – including fear of part of Whitnash becoming a “rat run”, fears of “suburban sprawl” and loss of the area’s character.

There’s also a claim of political manoeuvring by the ruling Tory group on Warwick District Council favouring north of Leamington.

At a recent meeting of the Warwick Society, members “declared war” on the huge home expansion plans and accompanying traffic infrastructure that they said would lead to places like the Bridge End roundabout becoming a major road junction.

Chairman James Mackay said: “Building on green field land in this volume would be disastrous for Warwick town centre. It would increase traffic congestion, leading to streets and public spaces being dominated by cars and make the town’s rural setting into a continuous suburban sprawl.”

The Local Plan’s projection is 11,853 homes needed up to 2029, with new space needed for 6,622.

Land south of Warwick and Leamington and on the edge of Whitnash will get 4,550 homes, 700 will be built at Thickthorn in Kenilworth and 1,000 shared between villages.

Independent Whitnash councillor Bernard Kirton said : “We are sick and tired of everything being put south of the river in Leamington and Warwick.”

Green belt land north off Northumberland Road, Leamington, to Old Milverton, was originally earmarked for homes.

Cllr Kirton said: “It’s pretty obvious that the Conservatives have met the residents of Northumberland Road.

“I think it was for political reasons because the county council elections were in the offing. They have made the excuse it was green belt, but they knew it was green belt before they allocated the houses. They have removed it at the 11th hour.

“The Conservatives said they would put a fair share of housing all over the district, now we see all the housing south of the river.”

Cllr Kirton said he feared Church Lane becoming a “rat run” , adding that independents on the district would not support the Local Plan.

Jonathan Chilvers, who won the Leamington Brunswick seat for the Green Party during the county council elections, said: “It’s ridiculous that the council and site owners are struggling to find developers for brown field sites like that around Morrisons, whilst profit-hungry construction companies eye up our local countryside.

“We need development that provides housing and employment for those that need them whilst looking after our local environment.”

To encourage the use of brown field, housing on green field should have at least 50 per cent social homes and built to higher environmental standards, both which could be lower for brown field, added Cllr Chilvers.

District councillor Linda Bromley (Con, Warwick South) said: “The 3,500 plus houses planned for Warwick constitute 43 per cent of the new Local Plan total, covering nearly all of the green space between the Banbury Road, Greys Mallory, Europa Way, Myton and technology park.

“This would mean estates more than three times the size of Warwick Gates. This scale of development will undoubtedly impact severely on the character of the town and quality of life.

“The traffic congestion that Warwick already suffers will probably be exacerbated by 8,000-plus extra cars, bringing with it increased pollution in areas where air quality is already over the limit.

“It has been said that Warwick South is not too bothered, so now is the time for us all to take action to save Warwick from this catastrophe.”

Cllr Gerry Guest (Con, Warwick South) said he was worried about how Warwick Hospital would cope and was concerned that developers were putting in planning applications ahead of any finalised plans.