CAMPAIGNING residents fear a proposed ‘new town’ of some 6,700 homes in south Warwickshire could be the tip of the iceberg for the area’s green belt.
The Wilmcote Action Group 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, being drawn up by both Stratford and Warwick district councils, to increase housing in the area.
The proposed development would span some 329 hectares of green belt land – the size of some 460 football pitches – and include 6,762 homes for some 16,000 potential residents. 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 the Bearley/Wilmcote development proposal represented “the single most serious threat to the character, sustainability and future” of Stratford.
They added: “This is effectively building a new town, the size of Alcester on Stratford’s doorstep, with minimal infrastructure and an estimated 8,000 additional cars placing further pressure on already congested local roads.
“This is just the beginning. The latest ‘call for sites’ opens the door to even more extensive development in the area.
“If the green belt is breached here, it will be lost forever. This sets a precedent for unrestrained expansion of Stratford, potentially linking it to Henley and beyond – eroding the rural identity and environmental balance of south Warwickshire.”
The site is one of 12 being considered to help Stratford and Warwick district councils 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, at Long Marston and near Leamington and Whitnash off the Fosse Way.
A SDC spokesperson said that not all of these locations will ultimately be needed to meet the area’s needs and the councils would be undertaking further analysis to conclude which locations should form part of south Warwickshire’s growth strategy.
This includes feedback from a public consultation exercise which closed in March, attracting thousands of responses.
The South Warwickshire Local Plan is expected to replace the strategic policies of the existing Stratford-on-Avon Core Strategy which runs until 2031 and Warwick District Local Plan which runs until 2029.
Visit www.southwarwickshire.org.uk/swlp for further details.
