Protests over homes plan
JUST over 80 homes could be built on grassland off a main road that links Bedworth and Coventry.
If given the go-ahead, there will a development boasting up to 82 dwellings on land either side of Stockley Road, which runs between Blackhorse Road and Sephton Drive.
The application is being recommended to be given the go-ahead but it has not been warmly welcomed by those who live in Hawkesbury village. There have been 39 objections from 36 addresses as well as an objection from Hawkesbury Village Residency Association. Concerns include:
The road and infrastructure cannot support the increased traffic.
The current level crossing, when in operation, will result in further traffic delays.
There will be too much traffic going in and out of the village.
The railway crossing and the increase train service between Coventry and Nuneaton to three trains an hour will gridlock the whole village.
The report states: “The application site is allocated as a non-strategic housing site in Nuneaton and Bedworth’s Borough Plan 2019 (BP). It is therefore considered that the principle of residential development on the site is well established. This weighs significantly in favour of the application.
“The council received 39 objections to the development, all relating one way or another to highway safety and congestion. Notwithstanding, Warwickshire County Council Highways have no objection to the proposal as they consider any adverse impacts to the highway and free flow of traffic can be adequately mitigated through conditions and planning contributions towards highway improvements.
“The Secretary of State (SoS), in relation to the Hawkesbury Golf Course Site, also considered that the additional traffic likely to be generated by the proposed development could be adequately accommodated within the existing transport network without any significant adverse impact on the safety of pedestrians and other road users.
“It is therefore considered that this is afforded substantial weight in favour of the proposal.”
The report goes on to add: “With regards to historic or cultural artefacts being potentially found on-site, the County Planning Archaeologist has requested that some archaeological work should be required to include trial trenching in advance of any development on the site in accordance with proposed conditions.
“It is therefore considered that this should be given neutral some weight in favour of the application as the development provides an opportunity to unearth artefacts that would otherwise be undiscovered.”
It goes on to add “Approval of the application is subject to agreeing to sign a section 106 agreement. The proposed development will result in gains of approximately £527,669.29 and 21 affordable housing units.
“The money is to go towards play and open space, health, sports facilities, biodiversity and highway enhancements.”