RILED residents are campaigning against a proposed new town of some 6,700 houses near Stratford.
They are staunchly opposed to the “massive” development earmarked for land between Wilmcote, Pathlow and Bearley, which is one of several potential options laid out in the South Warwickshire Local Plan to increase housing stock in the area.
And the specially-formed Wilmcote Action Group turned out in force to wave their placards at a South Warwickshire Development Plan team event at the Maybird Centre in Stratford on Saturday (February 15).
The new town would span across 329 hectares of green belt land and include 6,762 dwellings. It would also require a new secondary school and up to four new primary schools as all nearby schools are at capacity.
A campaign spokesperson said: “We must act now before it’s too late and we lose the countryside and communities we know and love. The beauty and tranquility of our area will be lost forever.
“Wilmcote, Pathlow and Bearley will be consumed by 6,700 houses. This is an increase of 800 per cent creating a new town the size of Alcester.
“This won’t just impact Wilmcote village. All the surrounding communities will be swamped with increased traffic, air, noise and emissions pollution, flooding and pressure on public amenities, health and education services and policing.”
The site is one of 12 being considered to help Stratford District Council and Warwick District Council deliver an additional 28,000 homes before 2050. The Wilmcote site is currently one of the councils’ top four favoured sites.
The others are land at Hatton, land at Long Marston and land south of Leamington/Whitnash and west of the B4455 Fosse Way.
Residents and businesses can have their say on all the proposed developments through a “preferred options” consultation on the South Warwickshire Local Plan, which runs until March 7.
A SDC spokesperson said that not all of these locations will ultimately be needed to meet the area’s needs and the councils will be undertaking further analysis to conclude which locations should form part of south Warwickshire’s growth strategy.
To find out more about the South Warwickshire Local Plan visit www.southwarwickshire.org.uk/swlp
