Update on Quicks Site and Miller Homes
Miller Homes is back with a new proposal after losing its appeal last year against the WDC refusal to build enormous blocks of flats (either 183 or 166). This time they are applying to build 122 dwellings - 115 flats and 7 terraced houses - a welcome 25% (or 33%) reduction in density.
The proposed new development would be lower and tower less over residents on the south side of Avenue Road and the Avenue Bowling Club. It also sits much more comfortably with the Regency-style of Leamington; it has much better internal design than before, and has more generous planting between the proposed buildings and the site boundary. All of this is a great improvement on the previous plans. However we do still have serious concerns about the amount of affordable housing proposed and traffic matters.
So local residents, together with CLARA, the Leamington Society and the Avenue Bowling Club made a joint presentation to the Town Council planning committee meeting at the end of March as the Town Council is consulted by WDC on all development applications for Leamington. They listened carefully to our case, and we were delighted when they decided to object to the proposals on the grounds:
- It fails to meet the affordable housing requirement that WDC has specified for all developments in the district - we desperately need such housing.
- The plans required two sets of new traffic lights on Avenue Road, the removal of the bus stop outside the old Art Gallery (with no replacement planned, or at least shown), the removal of a lay-by with about ten parking places outside the old library; presumably all of these changes are to allow for the anticipated increase of traffic caused by the development.
- The plans required the felling of four trees, three with tree preservation orders, to allow for major changes of the roads needed to access the development.
At the same meeting the council considered a development on the adjacent site (currently used by Target Vehicle Hire), involving exactly the same road alterations. Objections 1 and 2 above naturally applied again. The five groups (local representatives,...) will be presenting these views to WDC planning officers and committee.
