Plans for 200 new homes and open space in Leamington have been submitted

An illustrative layout image of the proposed Phase 1 development in Sydenham by AC Lloyd

Property development company AC Lloyd, which has headquarters at Tachbrook Park in Warwick and which won the Property Business of the Year and Business of the Year titles at the Leamington Business Awards 2019, has put forward an outline planning application for up to 200 houses on land at the southern end of Sydenham.

The site is the first phase of a larger area of land that was selected for new housing by Warwick District Council through the adoption of the 2017 Warwick Local Plan, and it is also earmarked for housing in the 2015 Whitnash Neighbourhood Plan.

Over the last two years, AC Lloyd has assembled a team of consultants and carried out detailed technical work before holding a public consultation and having meetings with Whitnash Parish Council ahead of submitting its application.

The plans involve creating a mix of homes including 40 per cent of affordable housing.

Des Wynne, managing director of AC Lloyd strategic land, said they were seeking outline planning permission for the first phase of new homes at the site in Sydenham – an area which the company has been involved in over the last 50 years.

“The planning application follows two years of preparation which started with a public consultation in summer 2018, a presentation to the Parish Council in 2019 and a lengthy period of discussion with Warwickshire County Council over the possibility of bringing an additional access to the site through the grounds of Campion School alongside the railway line,” he said.

“Those discussions are ongoing but inconclusive so we have sought to bring forward just this first phase utilising the existing roads through Sydenham.

“The possibility of creating a second access via the school is still our aim since we believe it would support the wider site.

“As well as the new homes, the Phase 1 proposals include over eight acres of new public open space and an ecological habitat alongside Whitnash Brook which will both protect and significantly enhance the existing local nature reserve.”

People are able to give their feedback on the proposals via Warwick District Council’s planning website.