Developer responds to Leamington MP's fears over creation of 'unsustainable mega cul-de-sac' in the town

A large planned proposed housing development in Leamington will create an 'unsustainable mega cul-de-sac' if a second access road is not included, says the town's MP Matt Western.

Mr Western has made an appeal to developer AC Lloyd to build the second access road as part of the East Whitnash development on land south of Chesterton Gardens, which he, local councillors and several people living nearby are opposed to.

The Independent Planning Inspectorate approved the plans last August, when it upheld developer AC Lloyd’s appeal against Warwick District Council’s (WDC) rejection of the proposals.

And the developer has since lodged a supporting application for road infrastructure, public open space and landscaping.

Mr Western says that work should not go ahead without firm plans to build a second access road for the site.

"This is an eleventh-hour opportunity to send another message to AC Lloyd and to Warwick District Council that this development is not wanted, nor needed," he said.

"The appeal process did not pay due regard to the wishes of the community, the sheer importance of a second access road and the fact it was rejected decisively by councillors.

“After choosing not to contest the appeal – a highly irregular and undemocratic move – the council can now make amends by accepting the decision of councillors at the next committee meeting.

“Remember, this is a cul-de-sac, at the end of a cul-de-sac, and then another cul-de-sac – and is totally unsustainable.”

Mr Western also says the Warwick district is already being ‘overdeveloped’ with more homes being built than needed.

He has referenced calculations undertaken by ex-council planner and architect Ray Bullen that show, at the current trajectory of applications granted and sites earmarked for development, almost 4,000 surplus homes could be built by 2029.

He has claimed the new homes are not needed at all and fears that these plans 'would pave the way for up to 500 homes to be built on the site'.

He added: "Nearly 4,000 more homes are being built in Warwick district than are required – while the Office for National Statistics figures relied on to calculate the local need are highly questionable, as conceded by the Office for Statistics Regulation."

Resident campaigner Elizabeth White says that any new homes built in Leamington need to be both 'affordable and accessible'.

She has implored AC Lloyd to 'go back to the drawing board' if it does not plan to add the access road to the East Whitnash site.

She added: "A definitive decision about future access needs to be made before this is accepted."

A spokeswoman for AC Lloyd said: “The latest application is for the details relating purely to the outline consent for 200 new homes which was approved on appeal.

“The site is allocated for housing development in the Warwick District Council local plan, which is why we had to revert to the appeal process after being refused by the Planning Committee.

“We are very pleased to report that there are on-going discussions regarding the proposed road with Campion School, Warwickshire County Council and Warwick District Council."