Council objects to 'insulting' plans to build 452 houses in Kenilworth
By James Smith 27th Feb 2023
Town councillors said they were "outraged" by "insulting" plans to build 452 houses off Glasshouse Lane.
Charles Church has recently submitted a reserved matters application to Warwick District Council for the land at Thickthorn estate, having already been given outline permission for the development.
But speaking at last week's Kenilworth Town Council planning committee meeting, Cllr Andrew Milton pointed out a number of flaws in the detailed designs which he said did not meet the masterplan for the area.
"The quality of the houses, they seemed pretty boxy and not something to be proud of," he said.
"I couldn't see any plans on how they would be made sustainable in any way, not even with some PV's on the roof."
"It seems like a kit scheme they have taken off the shelf somewhere and have tried to just drop in," he added.
"I think it is quite insulting considering all the work that was done by the district council officer on the Land East of Kenilworth Brief, and by the town council."
Other councillors agreed, with the committee voting to object to the plans.
Cllr Alix Dearing said: "I just think it is awful and they need to go back to the beginning, they need to go back to the drawing board.
"Everything that has been said here tonight has been said in meetings with the developers and it just seems shocking to me that there's been no take up of any of our really good points and ideas.
"I am outraged."
Councillors raised a number of concerns, including noise from the A46, a lack of energy-efficiency measures and the fact promised allotments had not been included.
Members also questioned the development's links to other estates being built along Glasshouse Lane and said there could be more traffic problems across that side of town.
"There is a need for a holistic approach," said Cllr John Dearing.
"It's all very well saying 'these are different developers, they can do their own thing' but it's not beyond their wit really to talk to each other.
"And it's not beyond the planners to look at the brief."
Cllr Milton also said the community centre was proposed for "the wrong place" and "looks like a prison".
And the committee pointed to the absence of a green corridor which was specifically included in the development brief for the area.
"The green corridor - where is it?" Cllr Milton added.
"They have called some of the houses 'the green corridor' but it makes a mockery of the whole thing.
"This is not discerning the green corridor we wanted to see in the site, it is a road with some trees on it."
The scheme will now be considered by the district council, and if approved it will see a new spine road, community centre and retail unit built.
Nub News recently reported that Charles Church has also submitted an application to cut back trees to make way for the first 98 homes.
The developer has already come under fire for the "mess" it created clearing hedgerows along Leamington Road last year.
And councillors have revealed that residents on the new estate will be forced to use the community facilities at the new Kenilworth School for a while, rather than the purpose-built facilities included in the application.
Meanwhile in September, Warwickshire County Council signed off on a £3 million budget for four new junctions to the estate.
See the full application here.
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