Kenilworth Town Council Says South Warwickshire Local Plan Is “Not Fit for Purpose”

Kenilworth Town Council has lodged a formal objection to Policy KEN.1, the proposed allocation of land south of Kenilworth for a minimum of 776 homes, as part of its response to the South Warwickshire Local Plan (SWLP) Publication (Regulation 19) Consultation.

In detailed representations prepared on its behalf by planning consultants Black Box Planning, the Town Council argues that KEN.1 fails key tests of soundness set out in national planning policy and should be removed from the SWLP before it is submitted for examination.

The Town Council’s objections focus on four principal areas: the justification for releasing Green Belt land, the impact on the heritage setting of Kenilworth Castle and its Registered Park and Garden, the failure to properly consider alternative growth strategies, and significant unresolved concerns over infrastructure, transport, education, drainage and viability.

The submission argues that the evidence used to classify KEN.1 as “grey belt” is flawed and that the site’s heritage sensitivity has not been adequately assessed. It further contends that the infrastructure required to support development has not been properly tested or costed and that the Plan does not demonstrate how growth on the site could be delivered effectively.

Importantly, the Town Council believes these concerns extend far beyond Kenilworth. Because the South Warwickshire Local Plan relies heavily on Green Belt release, other sites identified as ‘grey belt’ land may be affected by the same evidence base errors used to justify KEN.1.  The Council argues that the proposal raises wider questions about the soundness and deliverability of other proposed allocations on ‘grey belt’ land.  This in turn undermines the soundness of the entire Plan being promoted by Warwick District Council and Stratford-on-Avon District Council.

Leader of Kenilworth Town Council, Councillor Mark Stevens, said: “The Town Council’s position is clear.  Key elements of the South Warwickshire Local Plan are not fit for purpose in its current form. The evidence underpinning the proposed KEN.1 allocation is flawed, the infrastructure needed to support development has not been adequately demonstrated, and the Plan is therefore not deliverable as proposed.

“Just as importantly, it fails to respect Kenilworth’s unique heritage, including the historic setting of Kenilworth Castle and its surrounding landscape. We are urging the Plan’s authors to remove KEN.1 and reconsider a strategy that better reflects both national planning policy and the special character of our town.”

Kenilworth Town Council is calling on the SWLP authorities to delete KEN.1 and review the wider strategy before the Plan proceeds to independent examination.

The full Kenilworth Town Council response to the SWLP can be found at https://kenilworth-tc.gov.uk/group/south-warwickshire-local-plan/