Residents urged to vote 'yes' in Kenilworth Neighbourhood Plan referendum

Kenilworth Town Council is calling on the town's residents to vote 'yes' in the upcoming referendum on the Kenilworth Neighbourhood Plan, which could help shape the future of the town.
Kenilworth Town Council has urged residents to vote 'yes' to the Neighbourhood PlanKenilworth Town Council has urged residents to vote 'yes' to the Neighbourhood Plan
Kenilworth Town Council has urged residents to vote 'yes' to the Neighbourhood Plan

The Neighbourhood Plan aims to give the town more control over new developments. If adopted, developers would have to follow its rules or risk their projects being denied planning permission.

It would also mean more money from developers would go back into the town.

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It will sit alongside Warwick district's recently agreed Local Plan, which is bringing thousands of homes to Kenilworth.

The Neighbourhood Plan cannot stop the homes from coming, but can mitigate the possible harm the new homes might cause.

But for the Neighbourhood Plan to be adopted, the town's residents must vote for it in a referendum. This will take place on Thursday November 15.

In a leaflet soon to be sent out to every household in Kenilworth, the town council has put forward its case for voting 'yes' to the plan.

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It says: "Using the District Plan as a guide it defines things like green spaces and local Heritage Assets and keeps all the things that give Kenilworth its unique and special character in place during the major building and relocations due to take place.

"There is nothing to gain by voting no, but much to lose."

Some of the key policies in the Neighbourhood Plan include supporting 20mph speed limits at new developments, supporting a two-storey car park in Square West or Abbey End as long as electric charging points and bike parking are included, and support for prioritising pedestrians and cyclists on new or changed roads.

The Neighbourhood Plan also aims to make sure Castle Farm remains accessible to the public when the leisure centre is changed and Kenilworth Wardens move there, as well as ensuring nearby roads can accommodate predicted traffic increases.

Voting yes on the plan would also mean more of the Community Infrastructure Levy, which landowners or developers have to pay to Warwickshire County Council when a large new development is built, would go back into Kenilworth.

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If the Neighbourhood Plan is adopted, 25 per cent of that levy could be used to fund new projects in Kenilworth. Without it, Kenilworth would get 15 per cent of the levy.

View the plan in full online or in Kenilworth Library.

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