Green Party members have accused the district councils of "hiding" possible major housing sites from the public by burying them deep in reports.

Party members have created a map of locations around Kenilworth currently being considered for new housing for the new South Warwickshire Local Plan.

All the locations have been pulled from a publicly available appendix which considers 'reasonable alternatives' for future development by Warwick and Stratford District Councils.

Last month the councils launched the latest stage of the new local plan, the issues and options consultation, while also opening a second 'call for sites'.

The Greens have questioned why the major areas identified around the town have not been included in the interactive 'call for sites' map but have instead been put in a 477-page appendix to a Sustainability Appraisal (SA) report.

The local authorities have denied burying the information.

Potential 'alternative development' sites identified by the district councils (image supplied)

Cllr John Dearing, who brought all the locations together in one map, said: "Hiding these possible locations in an appendix to a technical report where they're hard to find is unacceptable when they could have such a big impact on people in Kenilworth. 

"A consultation should be about informing and engaging with people, not pulling the wool over people's eyes. 

"We're not saying we don't need any new houses, but we want affordable homes built to a high standard, on brownfield sites first, with the democratic involvement of residents. 

"We don't want large construction companies making excessive profits building poorly designed houses at the expense of the Kenilworth countryside and residents."

The broad locations include parts of Kenilworth Golf Club, Beehive Hill allotments, Parliament Piece nature reserve, the Pavilions field, Gypsy Lane allotments, and part of Castle Farm Leisure grounds.

Potential development areas put forward by local residents and busineses during the first 'call for sites' exercise (Image via SWLP)

Council Response

The two district councils have defended the decision not to include the alternative sites in the interactive map and said there was "no intention" to "bury information".

A joint statement said the map was created solely after the first 'call for sites' exercise finished last year, and said no decisions have been made on where houses will be built.

"The sites do not, therefore, reflect those which have the support of either council at this stage, nor are they sites which may be considered as reasonable alternative locations for new development," a spokesperson said.

The councils said the SA report is a "completely separate exercise" and is a legal requirement for a new local plan to "promote sustainable development".

It includes 32 broad locations across the region - six of which are around Kenilworth.

"The councils therefore consider that it would be misleading to conflate the 'call for sites' maps with the broad locations identified in the SA, as these maps show very different things," the spokesperson added.

"Equally, it would be wrong to conclude that all the 'broad locations' shown in the SA have any support from the councils as possible development sites; they do not.

"On the contrary, the SA is expected to consider all reasonable alternative broad locations and would be criticised if it did not do so."

The South Warwickshire Local Plan, which is set to be adopted by the end of 2025, has been in progress since early 2021.