Still time to see sense on local plan

Although generally supportive of new housing I find the proposals to develop green field sites as wrong. My patch of Warwick north will not escape if the proposals go ahead and, following a public meeting in my patch to discuss the 180 houses for Lowes Farm, there was much annoyance that ancient hedgerow and an ecological site of great importance will be destroyed to make way for housing. That is why I am objecting to the proposals.

Brownfield sites need to be looked at before any decimation of greenfield land is even considered. Some would say that Coventry, which has plenty of brownfield sites, needs to be considered as an option because over the years, in terms of housing figures, it has not taken its fair share. That burden has always fallen to WDC which has built more than its fair share to take up the slack.

The projected housing development over the planned period is based upon assumptions of population growth which are not supported by population estimates and which reflect the core strategy population figures, which the district council has previously considered unrealistic.

And the local plan does not accept that the quality of life and and the environment should be its guiding principles and not levels of growth which cannot be absorbed by communities.

Infrastructure also plays an important role in supporting these developments - which is a county council responsibility - and supporting these proposed developments would require a significant shift in both road building and transport initiatives. Contributions would be required off developers which would exacerbate our already existing road network.

In order for new developments to be designed more usefully, they need to be spread throughout the district to better reflect local need, thereby avoiding any single community or locality being subjected to the disproportionate impact of development.

With the first consultation period over and another one due in winter 2013, WDC have time to reflect on all the comments that have come forward and I would hope they will take stock of the direction they are travelling in and see some sense. - Cllr Martyn Ashford, County Councillor, Warwick North.