A housing firm that wants to build up to 90 new homes in Kineton says the area is the “most logical and sustainable” space for new development - but villagers remain opposed to the scheme.
Barwood Homes plans to build the 17-acre site - which will consist of two, three, four and five-bedroom houses, “small-scale employment” and an area of open space - on land off Southam Road, bringing an estimated extra 203 people to the village.
If the firm’s scheme is approved by Stratford District Council’s planning committee, work will begin next year. But Kineton parish council has objected to the proposal and, at a recent council meeting, was supported in its opposition by most of the 70 villagers who attended.
Parish council chairman David Gosling said: “Our primary concerns are the scale of the development and the flood risk in the village that will result.
“Seventy people came to our public meeting about it and the majority were against the idea.
“The village is too small to support that number of houses in one go and the scheme is contrary to the Draft Core Strategy, which says that development should be restricted to two per cent of the village’s size. That would mean 20 houses, not 90.”
He added: “There is not an objection to new housing in Kineton, but it’s about making sure we are building in the right areas at the right time.”
Other concerns highlighted by the council included the impact of increased traffic on the village’s narrow roads and that Barwood’s plans contain no mention of using low carbon technologies.
Sam Dorrian, land operations executive at Barwood Homes, said: “This land is the most logical and sustainable location for new development in Kineton.
“The site is not subject to any flood risk and the traffic generated by the new development will not cause any problems. Warwickshire County Council and the Environment Agency have not raised any objections to the proposed development.”
He added that the site will be built to meet national sustainability standards.
Stratford District Council is expected to make a decision on the proposal in December or January. For more on the scheme:
http://www.southamroadkineton.com
Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 3:43 pm