Anger over plans to build homes on old greenbelt land
PLANS for 40 homes on old Coventry greenbelt land could be approved despite objections from local councils and residents.
The scheme involves knocking down a house and building on farmland at Hall Hill Cottage on Fivefield Road.
It is the latest part of a so-called “urban extension” for Keresley involving more than 3,000 homes being built on former greenbelt land. Plans for more than 2,500 houses in this area have been approved in the last six years.
Council officers say the ‘outline’ proposals for Fivefield Road should get permission at a meeting next week, May 23. But the bid is opposed by three local councils and was also hit with 26 letters of objection, council papers say.
Keresley Parish Council highlighted an increase in traffic, no access for people on foot or cycling, and a “lack of bus service.”
“No bus services and therefore unsustainable,” added an objection by North Warwickshire Borough Council.
Warwickshire County Council claimed “it has not been shown that safe and suitable access can be achieved.” Residents also raised further issues including the impact on nature and whether there was a need for the scheme.
People highlighted concerns over the impact on services like schools and doctors, highways, drainage and flooding, the report by council officers added. But it said the homes are “much-needed” and the site has been allocated for housing since 2017.
The report defended how traffic in the area has been modelled and said highways teams have no objections. Access to the site will be “acceptable” and it will be safe for emergency services to enter and exit, the report added.
Developers will pay towards extending a nearby bus service and city cycle routes, it said. The report did admit there are “potential negative impacts” on some animal species including badgers and great crested newts.
But it said woodland will be created on a field north of the housing, which will be a “net gain” for biodiversity. Officers did, however, raise another issue with the plans, which it described as an “adverse impact.”
It will not bring as many Section 106 contributions as required under policy. This is money that is paid by developers to help reduce the impact of schemes on services for the area, like schools and doctors.
The council originally asked for £1.5 million plus 25% affordable housing, but a viability assessment by the developer found it could not provide this. After “extensive negotiations”, around half of the money, some £790,000, will be paid and 10 of the 40 homes - the number asked for - will be affordable.
Most of the Section 106 funds will go on schools and highways, with some on healthcare and parks. But it does not include two major contributions originally asked for, including £300,000 for the planned Keresley Link Road and around £290,000 for primary schools, the report said. But council officers said the contributions are “acceptable” and will reduce the impact of the homes “without putting too much pressure on statutory services.” They said the benefits of the scheme would outweigh any negative impacts and recommend that it go ahead.