Money for new homes could pay for community centre in Whitnash

STEPS have been taken towards a new community centre in Whitnash as part of proposals for new housing.

The community or civic centre would be paid for by central government and developers in return for new housing over 15 years from 2014.

Whitnash town council last week voted unanimously to investigate proposals after Warwick District Council deputy chief executive Andy Jones told councillors that funding bids for feasibility studies would be looked on favourably as part of submissions for the neighbourhood plan.

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This plan would identify sites for future housing and shape Warwick District Council’s forthcoming local plan, which will allow for around 550 homes a year over the 15 years from 2014.

The Government has offered a ‘new homes bonus’ to local authorities creating new housing and Mr Jones explained there was a chance for neighbourhoods to be rewarded for taking on new development, adding he would “very much encourage” Whitnash Town Council to submit a plan.

He said: “I’m very much aware that there have always been aspirations for Whitnash to do something in terms of community centre or sports provision.

“Now is the ideal opportunity to grab that and look at your neighbourhood plan.”

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The new local plan replaces the last government’s scrapped ‘core strategy’, in which council officers earmarked fields south of Whitnash and Warwick Gates for thousands of homes.

Consultation for new sites had been scheduled for March but Mr Jones said outcry over lack of roads and utilities during the core strategy consultation meant more preparation was needed.

Cllr Andre Davies queried whether developers might try to push through schemes before new plans were created, and asked for future developments to be planned as a whole to attract large grants.

Mr Jones said the Secretary of State had indicated that existing plans would be ‘saved’ as long as councils took “substantial” steps towards new ones and that new policies made it clearer how much the authority would receive.