Warwick District Council plans 100 houses in. Radford Semele

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1 Page I (This information circular is issued by Radford Semele Parish Council) Warwick District Council plans 100 houses in Radford Semele 1.1 Warwick District Council will make a decision during 2014 on which site(s) will be developed in Radford Semele containing 100 houses. Warwick District Council s preferred site is marked Site No 1, on the map on Page 3. The location is to the rear of properties on the north side of Offchurch Lane (East of Church Lane). There is strong opposition from interested residents to the development of this preferred site. If the residents objections are successful then one of the other sites marked on the map will be selected as an alternative. 1.2 Warwick District Council (WDC) has declared a Consultation Period which opened on 25 th November 2013 and ends on the 20 th January ) A consultation event is booked by WDC in the Radford Semele Community Hall. on 7 th January 2014, open between 4pm and 8pm 2) Local Plan Documents are obtainable from Leamington Town Hall, Monday- Friday 8-45 to 5-15pm (4-45 Fridays). The Parish Council also has copies. 3) Online, all Local Plan information is available on the WDC website The website includes an opportunity to comment directly on the plan before 20 th January. Please record your comments. 1.3 Radford Semele Parish Council is fully aware that the locating of a large housing development in the village is a divisive issue for many residents, making it difficult for the Parish Council to decide in favour of one location rather than another. The Parish Council has a responsibility to reflect the views of residents of the village and a duty to protect the long term interests of the village when responding to this planned development. The Parish Council will advise the Warwick District Council of its concerns that arise from development at each of the sites in their Plan. This it will do at the end of the Consultation Period. The final decision on the site selected is the responsibility of Warwick District Council. Warwick District Council are bound to consult all parties but are not bound by any advice that they receive from the Parish Council or other interested parties.

2 1.4 Radford Semele Parish Council considers that at this stage in the Consultation Period, information on the village sites issued by WDC, together with the Parish Council s objections and concerns, should now be circulated to all residents to help form opinions. After the WDC s consultation event in the Community Hall on 7 th January (4-8pm) the Parish Council will then distribute the Local Plan Village Housing Response Form to all houses in the Parish. Please complete this form when you receive it. A high response will demonstrate public concern for the future of the village. ( Printed 9 th December 2013 )

3 Page 2 Warwick District Council s Preferred Option Pages 2 & 3 are extracted from WDC s Local Plan 2.1 WDC-Background Information This non-green Belt village is located about 2.7 miles to the south of Leamington Spa. Census information indicates it consists of 803 dwellings and a population of The village has a good range of services and facilities, including a primary school, early years nursery, community hall, village shop and post office. The village is also well serviced by public transport with frequent half hourly services to Leamington, taking about 10 minutes. 2.2 WDC-Demographic and Household Headlines In line with other villages, Radford Semele has witnessed a decline in the number of 0-15 year olds from 2001 and 2011 based upon census information (down in numbers from 228 in 2001 to 175 in 2011). The village also witnessed its highest growth in numbers in the year old group during the same period (up from 132 to 192). Sharing similar characteristics to other villages the settlement has also witnessed an increase in people with professional occupations. The number of owner occupied household tenures is above the district average (73.7% compared to 66.6%). In terms of housing stock, the village has above district average percentages of semi-detached and terraced housing, and consequently lower levels of detached housing (43.5% of semi-detached compared to district average of 30.9% and 33.9% of terraced properties compared to the district average of 21.5%). 2.3 WDC-Key Housing Issues It is anticipated that the village faces similar issues to some other locations in relation to affordable housing. There may also be particular issues about helping to re-balance distortions in the housing stock. Similar issues may be shared with Bishop s Tachbrook, which also has extensive estate developments.in terms of accommodating growth, the Parish Council has indicated a need to minimise residential impact and is keen that the settlement maintains its strong physical and community identity. There is a particular sensitivity to avoiding development in areas which may encourage a degree of coalescence between the west of the village and Sydenham. 2.4 WDC-Sites Review 14 site options have been identified for Radford Semele. Of these initial options, 10 were discounted at an early stage in the process to a wide range of issues detailed in the Council s Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA), but include flooding in a number of locations and high landscape impact. Of the remaining 4 options which progressed to a detailed assessment, 3 of these have been discounted and 1 has been suggested as a Preferred Option. The recently discounted options are: 2) Land south of Southam Road high landscape impact and insufficient vehicle access; 3) Land north of Southam Road - high landscape impact and insufficient vehicle access; 4) South West Radford Semele impact on main village centre and potential to encourage coalescence of settlements. In line with many other villages there are no easy options in Radford Semele with regard to ideal housing sites. The site selected attempts to strengthen the built form in the area and takes some of the development pressure off the main settlement with its narrow road network.

4 Page WDC-Preferred Option The Preferred Option is site No 1 on the map below:- Land to the east of Church Lane 3.55 ha developable area and site capacity for 100 dwellings. A detailed phased masterplan will be required for the site and further detailed work will be required on landscape impact and site access. Map - Radford Semele Showing sites 1, 2, 3 & 4.

5 3.1 Site No 1 (0n Plan) East of Church Lane Page 4 Radford Semele Parish Council observations and concerns WDC s Preferred Option - Land to the east of Church Lane site capacity for 100 dwellings. This is land at the rear of existing houses on the north side of Offchurch Lane. The WDC plan maintains present views of the church from Southam Road. The Parish Council has not made previous observations on this site to WDC. It became known that the land was for sale only on 26 th Oct It has since become apparent that plans for this site have been under consideration for some time. The Parish Council s main objections/concerns are:- 1) This area of land is in an attractive rural setting. Development on this scale will transform the location from an established small superior ribbon on Offchurch Lane to a significant mixed housing location. 2) Access to the proposed development will require an entry point on to the main Southam Road. (This entry point has not been confirmed) 3) If traffic is directed in and out through Church Lane, as appears likely, then traffic lights would be essential as access and exit to/from Church Lane and School Lane are already difficult and dangerous 4) Exiting from Offchurch Lane is already difficult and dangerous at this blind junction. Hundreds more homes are planned for Southam and the surrounding district. Many of those residents will commute daily through Radford Semele adding further to congestion at this point in the village. A pedestrian crossing, traffic lights controlling four traffic flows, plus Offchurch Lane will all concentrate at this point. 3.2 Sites Nos. 2&3 (On Plan) South east of the village off Southam Road. Sites not preferred by WDC because of their high visual impact when approaching Radford Semele from the Southam direction, also due to access problems on to Southam Road. The Parish Council s main objections/concerns are:- 1) The Parish Council, in its previous submission (July 12) to WDC recognised the two objections raised by WDC. The Parish Council was of the opinion however that a small development on each side of Southam Road, forty on each side, at this point offered less impact on residents than any other site. It would not impact significantly on traffic within the village and avoided coalescence with Leamington Spa. The submission also included twenty houses at Cedar Tree Farm on Fosse Way which WDC has also rejected. 2) The Parish Council was concerned that new property designs would not readily interface with existing properties. 3) Road modifications to accommodate the exits would be needed and the 30mph speed restriction extended. 4) Footpath improvements from the sites to Lewis Road would be essential.

6 3.3 Site No. 4 (On Plan) South West of the village, accessed from School Lane Site not preferred by WDC because of high impact on the village centre and coalescence with Sydenham, Leamington Spa The Parish Council s main objections/concerns are:- 1) The two objections raised by WDC are paramount. Protection from merging with Leamington Spa is vital to preserving the future separate identity of the village. Protection of the rural landscape to the south is important. 2) Access to this site is via the narrow School Lane which has no possibility for widening. School Lane exits on to Southam Road which would then need traffic lights with an integrated pedestrian crossing. Traffic tail backs from the lights on Southam Road would be the result at busy times. 3) Access to the school in School Lane is already a congestion point, requiring police intervention. It is the key pick-up and drop-off point for school children. Congestion would increase in the future with the resulting population growth. 4) Heavy construction traffic initially and then future increased traffic in School Lane would be a perpetual hazard for future generations of school children. 4.4 The Parish Council hopes that this paper has contributed to a fuller understanding of the issues. (Chairman David Chater Tel Clerk David leigh-hunt Tel see also