ANOTHER NEW HUGE HOMES PLAN FOR TOWN

ANOTHER giant housing estate planned for the north of Nuneaton awaits the green light to get underway.

Gladman Developments Ltd has officially submitted its plans to Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council to build up to 775 homes on land off Weddington Road.

Only a matter of weeks ago we revealed that the firm had leafleted residents in the area to tell them about the plans, which would see the huge estate built from near to the disused railway line up towards Caldecote.

The whole construction is set to cost £78.4million and would lead to the creation of 675 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) construction jobs per year over the period of the build.

Gladman Development has already been behind the creation of other housing estates in the town, most notably at The Long Shoot and in Galley Common. But the firm will have to wait until July 8 to see if the latest plans will be rubber-stamped by the council.

Should it be given the goahead, it would be the fourth new housing estate in the Weddington area alongside Davidson Homes’ Church Fields and Taylor Wimpey’s The Farm and Barratt Homes’ St James’ Gate, as well as others in the north of Nuneaton at the Long Shoot.

In its 40 document strong planning application, Gladman states: “The development will create up to 775 dwellings, which would provide a choice of housing to meet the needs of the area, whilst respecting and enhancing the site’s environmental and cultural assets.

“It will also include a convenience store which will serve the future and existing residents. The development will seek to promote the use of sustainable transport and improve the area’s permeability through the introduction of new footpaths. Housing will be set within a robust green infrastructure that will include existing hedgerows and trees and proposed areas of open space with extensive planted buffers.

This will help to integrate development within the landscape and create a distinctive sense of place. Rather than attempt to imitate existing built development, the design is inspired by the character and detail found within Weddington and the wider landscape setting to the east.

There are also proposals for a new shop and play area according to plan, which says: “A location for a potential new local convenience store has been identified adjacent to the proposed access point off Weddington Road. This will provide a local facility for new residents and the existing community.

“A Neighbourhood Equipped Area for Play (NEAP) is proposed within the centre of the site to maximise its accessibility to residents. The play area would be designed to provide opportunities for toddler, child and teenage play. The size, location and nature of the proposed play area is subject to agreement with Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council . A more naturalistic design, for example using timber play equipment and natural play features, would be appropriate for the settlement edge location.”

In terms of roads and access, the plan says that the main access to the new site would come from a new five arm roundabout junction formed on Weddington Road.

“It is proposed that the site will be accessed from Weddington Road, via a new roundabout and the proposed access is in accordance with the technical design standards as set by Warwickshire County Council,” the plan says. It has been confirmed that the required visibility splays can be achieved and that the site access junction will operate comfortably within capacity in both the morning and evening peak periods with the proposed development traffic.”