Green light given for farmland housing plan near Whitnash

Plan of the proposed Woodside Farm housing estate.

But Warwick District Council’s planning committee granted planning permission on Tuesday night - by a vote of seven to three - with the condition that developer Thomas Bates & Son Ltd keeps more green space free on the 11-hectare Woodside Farm site, which could mean less houses being built than the proposed maximum of 280.

Objectors had raised concerns about road access to the site off Harbury Lane, increased volumes of traffic, lack of places at nearby schools, a lack of medical provision and air pollution.

Whitnash resident Trevor Wood suggested that all major applications should be deferred until the Local Plan’s housing target is agreed.

He added: “Woodside Farm is the last remaining greeb area attached to Whitnash and the loss of this would have a significant impact on the landscape when approaching the town. Planning permission for this site has been refused numerous times and each time there have been no significant changes to the applications or objections.”

The plans were unanimously rejected in August due to concerns raised by Warwickshire County Council’s highways department about the lack of planning for the increased amounts of traffic and congestion.

But the revised application had been recommended for approval.

Several committee members made it clear they were not keen to grant approval despite their concerns that a refusal would be appealed.

Cllr Richard Brookes (Con, Bishops Tachbrook) proposed refusal on grounds the application was contrary to policy DAP2 - ‘protecting areas of restraint’ and that there was a lack of green space in the plans.

Cllr Felicity Bunker (Con, Kenilworth Park Hill) said: “This is a speculative application because of the lack of a Local Plan and I don’t think this was one of our approved sites. In the past officers have said this land should not be developed on and now they are saying it should. It seems to be a very unsuitable place to build houses.”

But Cllrs Alan Boad (Lib Dem, Leamington Crown) and Jerry Weber (Lab, Leamington Brunswick) pointed out that 40 per cent of the homes would be affordable and that this was an “opportunity” to provide a significant number of the types of houses for which the district is “desperate”.