Here are the biggest local planning stories from the past week.

'Difficult Decisions'

There are "difficult decisions" ahead for top councillors and council officers as they choose where some 35,000 new houses will be built in South Warwickshire.

Warwick and Stratford-on-Avon District Councils will this month discuss the next stages of the new South Warwickshire Local Plan (SWLP) which will govern the next 25 years of development in the region.

But with many of the 36 potential new housing sites identified across the districts falling in green belt land, one councillor last week asked for assurances these sites would only be used as a last resort.

Read more here

Housing Site's Future

Controversial plans for 267 new Kenilworth homes and five new commercial units look set to get the green light next week, despite over 80 locals objecting.

Warwick District Council's (WDC) planning committee meeting will next week vote on an application for phase three of the major housing development at Thickthorn.

Housing developer Charles Church has already been given outline permission for 550 homes on the Leamington Road site, with reserved matters applications already given the green light for the first 242.

Read the full story here.

Shopping Village

There is renewed hope plans to regenerate Knowle's shopping precinct could finally come to fruition after planning permission was given again. 

Plans to revamp the centre in St John's Way, Knowle – including housing, a spacious public concourse, a prominent arched entrance, sheltered seating and even a water feature – were first revealed in 2021.

But, despite Knowle Place gaining planning permission in November 2022 and residents moving out, there has been little change at the site since. 

Read more here.

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