Local councillors have raised environmental concerns about 550 new homes set to be built on the land East of Kenilworth.

When Warwick District Council granted planning permission last December questions were asked about the predicted increase in noise and air pollution the development could cause from traffic.

Despite the latest IPCC report's stark message to take climate action now, the 550 homes at Thickthorn will not be built to a zero-carbon housing standard.

Warwick District Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and aims for the South Warwickshire area to be nearly carbon neutral by 2030.

But with planning permission given to private developers Barwood Development Securities Ltd - before the land was acquired by Persimmon Homes - the development is only legally required to meet the current 2013 Building Regulations.

The 2013 rules are considered environmentally outdated in terms of energy efficiency and construction materials and are not in line with commitments to be carbon neutral by 2030.

And with heating and powering buildings accounting for an estimated 40 per cent of the UK's total energy usage, councillors said it was a shame that developments like Thickthorn were still allowed.

"It's a shame that we're going to see hundreds of houses built with gas boilers, when we know that they're going to be obsolete within ten years," said Cllr John Dearing.

"Most of the houses that will be built in Kenilworth over the next five to ten years, certainly the early ones, won't be to a standard that people would want in terms of energy efficiency and carbon emissions."

Planning permission was granted for the homes in December 2021 (Image via planning application)

And councillors also noted that the development mirrors concerns about the environmental impact of national housing under current building laws.

Cllr Andrew Milton said: "We're perpetuating the problems with having a national housing stock which doesn't actually meet the best environmental standards.

"That's a particular challenge because obviously the houses that we build today are going to be there for hopefully 50 to 100 years, and it's important that they're built to the best environmental standards possible."

From 2025, new national building regulations, 'The Future Homes Standard', will apply to all new buildings.

The Future Homes Standard aims to achieve a reduction of 80 per cent in carbon emissions.

However, even these emission reductions have faced criticisms for being unfit for the UK to meet net zero by 2050.

Barwood Development Securities Ltd and Persimmon Homes declined to comment or share any plans to address the environmental impact of the Thickthorn development.

WDC and Milverton homes

Warwick District Council also has plans to build 620 eco-friendly homes on the land east of Kenilworth.

The council's joint housing venture, Milverton Homes, invested £60m to receive 248 affordable homes which are to be zero-carbon.

The new homes will be built to high environmental standards and the council said it was a clear response to its declared climate emergency.

Through the scheme, the council has been able to negotiate that half of the site will be carbon-neutral, with increased thermal capacity and air source heat pumps.

The development aims to prioritise safe walkways and cycle ways to encourage healthier lifestyles. Plus, all new houses now have to have an electric vehicle charging point.

Cllr Dearing added: "The irony is, the people in the cheapest homes, who may be paying rent, will actually be living in higher quality homes than the people who buy a house off the private developers."