Site too small for hotel

The vast majority of the objections to the Racecourse proposal are not anti the Racecourse nor for a new hotel within Warwick District, it is that the proposed location is a very small plot of land on which the Racecourse wish to build a very large hotel. The land itself, that was once “Common Land” but now owned by Warwick District Council, who are the custodians on behalf of Warwick district residents, it there for the benefit all residents and visitors and not just for the financial benefit of an already very rich company, the Jockey Club. The land was originally taken into the ownership of Warwick Corporation, (in 1948), to ensure that horse racing could continue unhindered for 28 days per year whilst permitting leisure use for the public, not to allow commercial use for 365 days per year, which is what Warwick Racecourse are seeking to do.

So, where to from here? There are currently numerous places away from residential areas, (Tournament Fields or near to the Racecourse but outside the conservation area), where a hotel could be sited without detriment to any existing residents. By referring to the planning department website it can be seen that there are some 300 separate objections to the proposed hotel, most relating to traffic, pollution, detriment to the local landscape, (in 2006 Warwick Racecourse requested the council to assist in removing the Skylarks from the “Common”), noise and amenity issues.

To sum up, the proposed site is too small for such a large “commercial” building and, if development is allowed on this “conservation area” site now, it could herald the demise of the once “Warwick Common” land for future local recreational use. - Peter Kerr, Bread and Meat Close, Warwick.