Marina, community centre and 200 houses planned for Exhall

A canal marina, a community centre and 200 houses could be built on land at Hawkesbury Golf Course in Exhall.

Outline planning permission has been granted by Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council for the green belt development which will now be referred for government approval.

The application has been made by a trust set up by the family of Ronald Wilson, whose agent, Jonathan Adams, told planning committee members that plans include 50 affordable homes, plus 40 allotments and public open space with foot and cycle paths.

Lynne Price, representing Hawkesbury Village Residents Association, said the only objection was the number of houses but there were concerns over a lack of local school places and fears that the community centre and allotments had been added “as a smokescreen.”

Coun Bob Copland (Labour) said: “This area does need some regeneration and I like the idea of a marina.

“Highway issues are a problem and it is absolutely vital that the community centre goes ahead.”

Party colleague Bill Sheppard said the development was “exciting” but was worried about the lack of infrastructure while Keith Kondakor (Green) said he would like to see fewer houses on the plan and shared concerns about traffic access down Blackhorse Road, crossing the Nuneaton-Coventry rail line.

The proposal was accepted, with conditions to include the provision of affordable housing and Section 106 agreements, on a 9-3 vote.

Plans for village given green light

CONTROVERSIAL plans to build homes for up to two hundred families in one of the fastest growing areas of the borough have been approved despite concerns.

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council’s Planning Committee has given The Ronald Wilson Trust permission to build up to 200 dwellings on the outskirts of Bedworth.

Councillors sitting on the committee gave the outline planning application, which also proposes to build a canal marina for up to 150 narrow boats, 40 allotments and a community centre at the site off Blackhorse Road in Hawkesbury, the thumbs up at their latest meeting.

But members of Hawkesbury Village Residents Association have reservations and are worried that young children moving to the development will have nowhere to learn and poorly people will not be able to get the medical treatment they need because of the lack of infrastructure in the area.

Lynne Price, chair of the association said: "We feel the amount of 200 proposed dwellings is too many, I don't think the clinic will be able to accommodate the extra patients and there is also a lack of spaces at the local primary school, we think it should be 100 to 150 tops.

"The community facilities are of paramount importance for this area."

When addressing members of the committee she also expressed concerns about how the major new development will affect traffic in the area.

A number of councillors agreed that the lack of infrastructure in the area was a growing issue but said that if the applicant carries out work in phases there should be much-needed facilities in place before all of the new properties are occupied.

Cllr Ian Lloyd said: "People in this area have been let down before, particularly on community facilities and it is a necessity that these facilities are built first. I think the marina would be good for Bedworth, Hawkesbury and the borough and there are other good points about the development such as 50 affordable houses."

As well as planning to create 50 affordable properties, the applicant also proposes to develop parkland with foot and cycle paths, a natural play area and landscaping.

Cllr Bill Sheppard said: “Although the development looks exciting Hawkesbury has grown massively over the years but the infrastructure is exactly the same, it really worries me as there is not enough facilities in the area for people already there let alone for anyone who moves there, I hope they get the facilities they need.”

In the last 14 years Hawkesbury Village has grown from 122 houses to 748 and now that the application has been given the go ahead, with the majority of councillors approving plans, there could be up to 948 homes.

Council U-turn over Hawkesbury homes and marina plan



COUNCILLORS have done a U-turn over a plan to build 200 houses and create a canal marina on the site of the former Hawkesbury golf course in Exhall.

The development, which would also include a community centre and a play area, was approved a month ago by Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council’s planning committee.

But an “administration error” meant the same plan had to be referred back to the committee – which has now rejected the proposal.

Councillors originally voted 9-3 in favour of the plan and it was referred to the government for final approval, because it would be built on green belt land.

But before it could be ratified by the government, the plan was returned to the committee after it emerged people who had submitted objections had not been properly informed about what stage the application was at.

At a meeting on Monday, the same councillors who last month approved the plan voted 8-0 against it, with three abstentions. In the new debate, residents again lodged their objections to the Blackhorse Road application, mainly on the grounds that more houses would cause bigger traffic problems, especially as one of the only two access roads has to cross the Nuneaton-Coventry rail line.

Objectors also fear an increase in rail traffic will cause more traffic congestion at a level crossing.

Coun Des O’Brien (Con) said the area had reached its capacity, while Coun Keith Kondakor (Green Party) said: “To have 200 additional houses on the wrong side of the train barrier would be a disaster.”

Coun Tony Lloyd (Lab) said: “The village simply cannot take any more traffic.”

The reason given for the rejection of the application, which had been put forward by the family-owned Ronald Wilson Trust, was “over intensive nature of development and lack of infrastructure.”

The applicants will now be appealing against the decision.

Julian Knapp, on behalf of the land owners, said: “We were amazed by the reversal of the original decision, especially as no new evidence was put forward, and will definitely be lodging an appeal.”

Fresh concern over Hawkesbury marina plan

RESIDENTS have reacted with anger at revised plans for a marina on the outskirts of Coventry.

Hawkesbury Village Residents’ Association says locals remain concerned about a new housing scheme, despite the developer’s move to reduce the number of houses planned for a disused golf course.

It comes after the Telegraph reported that developers had gone back to the drawing board, with a new proposal for 169 homes as part of the planned Hawkesbury Marina and Canal Village.

It is 31 fewer houses than the original plan, which Nuneaton and Bedworth borough councillors previously rejected on grounds it was ‘too intensive’ for the highways structure.

Also forming part of the revised proposal are 150 berths, 40 allotments, a community building and public open space for the 29 hectare site.

Residents argue Hawkesbury would be unable to cope with the level of development and say the entire village infrastructure would have to change for it to work.

Lynne Price, chair of the Hawkesbury Village Residents’ Association, believes local schools and health services would be placed under particular pressure.

She said: “The residents’ group can’t be the voice of everyone in the village but people have come to us with concerns that there isn’t the infrastructure to support it, that the road structure has never ever changed.

“The Residents’ Association is more concerned about the fact that there are no health centres or schools for nearly 200 homes.

“No one consulted GPs at our nearest health centre where it’s already difficult to get a doctor and two local schools are already oversubscribed.” She added: “I have lived in the village for 27 years and there have been five developments in that time.

“There have been promises of shops and community centres before which never happen.”

Applicant, the Ronald Wilson Trust, argues the development would benefit the local community by bringing waterside regeneration and tourism to the area as well as increasing interest in the West Midlands canal network.

The proposal had been refused by the council even though it had been supported by the Highway Authority, Highways Agency and Network Rail.

An appeal has been launched against the decision but in the meantime the applicant has submitted its new plan for 169 homes.

If approved it will be referred to the Government because the development site is in the green belt.