Frequently asked questions
Why do I need to write another objection? We are now dealing with a very different proposal. When Keep Hatton Station Rural was formed, we were dealing with the Turley proposal for 4,500 houses on the Arkwright estate. Now we are dealing with a proposal for at least 8,000 houses on the Arkwright estate, on land around Hatton Green and a huge extension to Hatton Park. There is also now the employment site at Wedgnock Park Farm.
Surely the decision has already been made. Are the Councils just going through the motions? No. Firstly, although the Councils have produced a good deal of technical evidence to support the conclusions they have come to so far, they are quite clear that there is a significant amount of work, such as traffic modelling, still to do. Secondly, when reading the Preferred Options Consultation, it is apparent that previous rounds of consultation HAVE influenced the process. We have got nothing to lose!
If I use the online portal do I have to answer every question? No. It is fine to restrict yourself to topics that you feel particularly strongly about or where you have particular expertise. You could, for example, just comment on the suitability of B1.
What is the Government’s new housing target for South Warwickshire? Using the 2024 NPPF Standard Method, Warwick and Stratford District Councils need to build 54,700 homes (2,188 per annum) over the next 25 years. There are a number of housing projects which are already part of the current Local Plan and it is assumed that there will be so-called “windfall” gains over the period. That reduces the number of houses which the Councils need to find new sites for down to 28,257. That is still 13,000 more than expected under the previous calculation method.
Will the creation of a unitary authority interrupt the Local Plan process? The Local Plan process will continue as planned. There are significant dangers in not having a viable Local Plan in place, including the risk of speculative (unplanned) development
Will all twelve settlements be needed? No. According to the recent online consultation, 1-2 large settlements will be needed.
What makes Hatton particularly attractive for development? Hatton currently ranks second of the 12 possible settlements according to the Sustainability Appraisal. The are a number of factors which have influenced this, some of which are: ●The fact that all the land required has already been put forward in the Call for Sites. ●The presence of Hatton Station and Warwick Parkway Station. ●The close proximity of the A46 and M40.
What does SG07 mean (see map)? The Local Plan is not just about housing; the Councils have to find land for employment purposes. The Preferred Options Consultation has identified 24 Strategic Growth Options (SGOs) which are sites for commercial/industrial use. An SGO site could also contain some housing.
Don’t they realise that the roads and railways are at capacity? Yes, they do. In the Strategic Transport and Education Assessment of New Settlement Options report (Warwickshire County Council, October, 2024), there is a substantial list of likely road and junction upgrades which would be needed. However, no detailed traffic modelling or costing has been carried out. At the moment, they are only planning to carry out further analysis of three of the new settlement sites, including Hatton. This report also acknowledges that there is limited capacity on the railways and that vast investment would be needed to remodel the tracks, buy new rolling stock, upgrade the platforms and the signalling, and provide suitable passenger facilities, including disabled access. However, investigating the cost and feasibility of any of these improvements are at an early stage.
How could the developers afford the infrastructure costs? They can’t. The developers would be required to make a contribution but the infrastructure needs are so substantial and wide-ranging, the Council would be looking for a considerable investment from the Government (South Warwickshire Local Plan Part 1 - Preferred Options Consultation - Infrastructure Delivery Plan (Part 1) January, 2025). Is this likely to be forthcoming? You decide!
Would infrastructure be delivered on time? There has been no commitment to provide infrastructure in advance of building starting. At the recent online consultation, the answer given to this question was that infrastructure provision would be “phased”. For example, children would have to be transported off-site to attend school.
When would building at Hatton start? A new settlement could easily take 10 years to plan. At the online consultation, it was stated that It is unlikely that anything would be built until the late 2030s or early 2040s.
How do the Councils meet the 2,000 houses a year building target if they are unable to begin a new settlement for 10 years or more? There are two major options: 1)The sites put forward in the current Local Plan which have not been finished (for example Kings Hill, Stoneleigh) would still go ahead. 2)There are hundreds of smaller sites which were put forward under the Call for Sites. If any of these are selected for development the normal planning consultation process would take place.