Object
Draft Local Plan - Supplementary Consultation
Representation ID: 9010
Received: 15/03/2019
Respondent: Mrs Sharon Lindop
Removing the 'washed over' Green Belt status of this area by moving the existing greenbelt boundary further east to the line of the 'proposed' bypass serves no purpose other than to earmark yet another site for potential housing development in the future.
The revised boundary would take Windmill Lane and part of Hob Lane out of the greenbelt and permanently destroy the rural character of these roads and the surrounding area. This would cause a further reduction in the 'Meriden Gap' and be a 'thumbs up' to developers for ongoing 'urban sprawl'.
Moving the greenbelt boundary further east to the line of the proposed bypass serves no purpose other than to invariably earmark the area released from greenbelt for housing development at a future stage. However, any housing in this area (especially south of Hob Lane) would be quite some distance from the village centre and would therefore contribute to 'urban sprawl'.
As noted in my separate representation, the bypass is unnecessary and so is the need to move the boundary. Retaining what is left of the greenbelt and our beautiful open countryside is of far greater importance.
Page 34 of the 2019 Local Plan (Site 23 Pheasant Oak Farm) states that any housing development in this particular area should 'safeguard the rural character of Hob Lane and Windmill Lane'. Whilst this statement is to be applauded, the proposal to move the greenbelt boundary east and thereby remove Windmill Lane and part of Hob Lane from the greenbelt surely contradicts this statement.
This greenbelt boundary should remain intact and it's washed over status should be retained.