ISHOPS TAHROOK PARISH OUNIL...and junction 13, and an area of ancient woodland, Oakley Wood. It has...

Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan Submission Statement

BISHOP’S TACHBROOK PARISH COUNCIL

NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN

SUBMISSION STATEMENT DECEMBER 2014


CONTENTS

Acknowledgements 4 5.4 Village Housing Options 36

Executive Summary 5 5.5 Parameters for suitability 38 Part 1 Neighbourhood plan context 6 5.6 Other options considered 41

1.0 Introduction 7 5.7. Local Plan Strategic Housing Allocations 48 1.1 Bishop’s Tachbrook – Geographical location 7 6 Community Profile 48 1.2 A short history. 8 6.1 2011 census 48 1.3 Planning History 10 6.2 population change 2001 to 2011 52 1.4 Why produce a Neighbourhood Plan? 12 6.3 Housing tenure mix for preferred option site 54 2 Developing the Neighbourhood plan. 15 6.4 Employment & skills 55 2.1 Strategic local Plan implications. 15 6.5 Employment & Businesses 66 2.2 Village Housing Option Strategy 16 7 Natural environment 67 3. Aims and issues of the Neighbourhood Plan 18 8 Historic Environment 73 3.1 The Aims & Issues Statement 19 9 Achievement of Sustainable Development 78 3.2 Key objectives 20 Part 3 Neighbourhood Plan Policies 91

3.3 Consultation 21 10 POLICY SECTION 91 4 Planning Policy Context 21 10.1 91 4.1 National Planning Policy Framework 22 10.2 Housing 91 4.2 Planning Practice Guidance 23 10.3 Employment 109 4.3 Warwick District Local Plans 23 10.4 Climate change 117 4.4 Natural England - National character Area Profile 24 10.5 Rural Environment 128 Part 2 Neighbourhood Plan Development 26 10.6 Historic Environment 143 5 Neighbourhood Plan Development Context 26 10.7 Local Assets of Community Value 155 5.1 Introduction 26 10.8 Leisure and Well-being 161 5.2 Warwick District Council Strategic Policies 26 10.9 Transport And Traffic Management 173 5.3 Draft local plan site allocations 30 11 Next steps 1 79


APPENDICIES MAPS Appendix NP1 Neighbourhood Area designation 180 1 Bishop’s Tachbrook in 1710 9 Appendix NP2 Housing Needs Survey 2009 184 2 Bishops Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan Area 14 Appendix NP3 Housing Needs Survey 2014 184 3 Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment 17 Appendix NP4 Aims & Issues Statement: January 2013 184 4 Village Housing & Settlement boundary plan 37 Appendix NP5 Urban Vision housing options 185 5 Bishop’s Tachbrook Landscape Study Zones 72 Appendix NP6 Planning Practice Guidance for NP’s 185 6 Bishop’s Tachbrook Settlement Boundary 96 Appendix NP7 WDC Village Housing Options Consultation 185 7 Environment Agency S W run-off flood risk BTH1 97 Appendix NP8 Bishop’s Tachbrook Parish Landscape Study 185 8 Area of coalescence Protection 99 Appendix NP9 Appeal Decision APP/T37252/A/14/2216200 185 9 Monthly mean Global CO2 graph 2011 -2015 117 Appendix NP10 Protected Views Map and photos 186 10 Bishop’s Tachbrook Surface Water Flood Risk 130 Appendix NP11 Local Greenspace plans 186 11 Agricultural land classification 133 Table1 Quinary Age Groups 1991 to 2011 Censuses 48 12 Location of Wiggerland Wood Ancient Monument 143 2 number of bedrooms in dwellings in settlements 50 13 Bishop’s Tachbrook 1887 OS Map 148 3 Tenure mix 53 14 Bishop’s Tachbrook Conservation area 150 4 Economic Activity in Bishop’s Tachbrook 56 15 Public Rights of Way in Bishop’s Tachbrook 168 5 2011 census Employment Industries 57 6 Occupations of the employed 58 Photographs 7 Occupations by minor Groups 60 The Former Sewage Farm 32 8 Hours worked 61 View from south of Lower Heathcote Farm 34 9 Highest level of Qualification 62 View from PRoW 105 to Lower Heathcote Farm 35 10 Method of Travel to Work 63 View north from St. Chads Tower 74 11 Distance of travel to work 64 Oakley Wood Hill Fort 77 12 Car or van availability 66 The Church of St. Chad’s 1860’s 149 13 Bishop’s Tachbrook Grade II Listed Buildings 75 Cycling to school 173 14 Sustainability conformity 80 15 Table to Policy BTCC1 124 16 Local Green Space List 141 17 Table of Community Assets 158 18 Schedule of Public Rights of Way 169


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Bishops Tachbrook Parish Council would like to thank the following members of the Parish Council and Community, including the Bishop’s Tachbrook

History Group for extracts from their book Bishop’s Tachbrook, Past and Present, for their valued assistance in preparing this Neighbourhood Plan.

Community contributors: Martin Drew, Mick Elliott, Keith Wellsted, Kelvin Lambert, Paul Whitwood, Matthew Greene, Zoe Greene, Eirian Curzon,

Susan Watt, Neil Staniforth, Jenny Bevan, Paul Woodfield, Craig Brewster, Kevin Joyce, Dave Heaton

Policy Questionnaire 11/10/14: responses from these Families – Durbin, Wellsted, Bevan, Ash, Drew, Gabbitas, Day, Howells, James, Tunney, Gandy,

Timms, Morley, Woodfield, McClusky, Waite, Cotterill, Carter, Aston, Baldwin, McCrave, Lennon, Hallam, Bethell, Burke, Harrison, Guest, Hayward,

Locke, York, Smith, Stevens, Gerswill, Murphy, Lavery, Lawrance, Kirby, Hayles, Ainsworth, Schofield, Hitchin, Robertson, Wilson, Wells, Harper,

Hammond, Adams, Binnar, Gardner, Curzon, Standley, Dale, Harrison, Lelog, Lowe, Logan, Smith, Callow, Elliott, Scrivens, Morley, Drew, Sims,

Schofield, Haycock, Rees, Brookes, Curzon, Fletcher, Barrington-Russell, Bicknell, Webb, Balzaretti, Sanihle.

Urban Vision C I C: Dave Chetwyn, MA, MRTPI, IHBC, FInstLM Mick Downs, Hannah Barter, BA (Hons) T&CP, PG Dip T&CP, PG Dip UD, MAUD,

MRTPI, Dave Proudlove

Warwickshire Rural Community Council: Sarah Brooke-Taylor

Parish Councillors : Sean Deely, Chairman, Graham Leeke, Vice Chairman, Richard Brookes, Andrew Day, Adrian Harrison, Carol Gabbitas, Lisa Balzaretti, Leigh Carter, Rob Loveday, Ray Bullen

Parish Clerk: Corinne Hill

Parish Magazine: Catherine Keene


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1 The neighbourhood plan proposal relates to the designated Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood area and to no other area. There are no other

neighbourhood plans relating to that Neighbourhood area.

1.2 The neighbourhood plan is for the period from the date the plan is made until 31st March 2029.

a) The Bishop’s Tachbrook Submission Neighbourhood Plan has been produced with appropriate regard to the guidance contained with in the

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

b) Paragraphs 183-185 of the NPPF gives communities direct power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and deliver the

sustainable development they need.

c) NPPF184 Neighbourhood planning provides a powerful set of tools for local people to ensure that they get the right types of development for

their community. The ambition of the neighbourhood should be aligned with the strategic needs and priorities of the local area.

Neighbourhood plans must be in general conformity with the strategic policies of, and not undermine nor promote less development than the

Local Plan. Outside these strategic elements, Neighbourhood Plans can shape and direct sustainable development within the Neighbourhood

Area.

d) The Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan has been drafted with regard to the strategic planning policies of the Warwick District Council

1996-2011 Local Plan and the publication draft Local Plan 2011- 2029 including the District Council’s evidence base that supports these policies

in identifying needs for development within the wider area. This is to allow the Neighbourhood Plan to be brought into force into either Local

Plan, depending on which Local Plan is in place when the Neighbourhood Plan has been accepted by referendum and allows a seamless

transition when the 2011-2029 Local Plan is adopted.

e) Table 1 in the Basic Condition Statement sets out the 12 core planning principles of NPPF17 and describes how the Bishop’s Tachbrook

Neighbourhood Plan has met these principles.


PART 1 NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN CONTEXT

Bishop’s Tach Brook


1. INTRODUCTION

The Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan relates to the designated Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Area, which is the whole of the parish of

Bishop’s Tachbrook. It is for the period from the date the plan is made until 31st March 2029.

1.1 BISHOP’S TACHBROOK – GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

1.1.1 The parish of Bishop’s Tachbrook is situated in the south of Warwick District. It is immediately adjacent to the southern sides of the towns of Warwick, Leamington Spa and Whitnash. The parish includes part of Castle Park, south of Warwick Castle, in the west and extends to the Fosse Way in the east, mainly south of Harbury Lane, but incorporating part of what is now Warwick Gates. To the south it includes part of the M40 and junction 13, and an area of ancient woodland, Oakley Wood. It has a border with the parish of Chesterton & Kingston in the east and the parish of Newbold Pacey & Ashorne in the south, both of which are part of Stratford District Council. In the southwest, it borders with the parish of Barford Sherbourne & Wasperton. See Map 2.

1.1.2 Bishop’s Tachbrook is a village about 2½ miles south of the centre of Leamington Spa. The population of the parish in the 2011 census was

2,558. The parish is a multi-settlement, rural community with its main village, south of the Tach Brook. North of the Brook is Tachbrook

Mallory, centred on Mallory Court and the Grove. On the south side of the Harbury Lane and to the northwest, there is a 1970’s Park Home

development, Heathcote Park, for the over 50’s, whilst north of Harbury Lane part of Warwick Gates is within the Parish. Heathcote Park at the

date of writing is not within the Parish but will, it has been announced, become so when the parish boundaries are changed on 1st April 2015

as will some other changes. Currently there are 1,021 households in the parish, 737 of them in the village, 61 are outliers in Farms and rural

locations and 223 are in Warwick Gates.

1.1.3 Bishop’s Tachbrook is a rural parish of 1,445ha and is mainly productive farmland, with 25 farms, through which flows the Tach Brook. This

rises from springs in the east around Chesterton, meandering northwest across the parish through to New Waters in Castle Park. From there it

passes through a dam constructed in the 17th century into the River Avon that flows south to join the River Severn before reaching the Bristol

Channel.


1.2 A SHORT HISTORY.

1.2.1 Bishops Tachbrook goes back to at least Saxon times. Before that, in what is now Oakley Wood, there is a large irregular shape earthwork that

may be an Iron Age fort with 12 feet high embankments. By the Saxon times, the Tach Brook is known to have been the boundary between the

Hwicce Tribe, in South Warwickshire and the ancient diocese of Worcester, and the Mercian Tribe in North Warwickshire in the diocese of

Lichfield, the first bishopric of the Mercians. It was also the natural boundary between the two Tachbrooks – on the south side, the village of

Tachbrook Episcopi, that belonging to the church and the north side, the hamlet of Tachbrook Mallori, which belonged to the Mallori family.

1.2.2 Before the Norman Conquest in 1066, the manor of Tachbrook had been given to the church of St. Chad, Lichfield. By 1086, when the

Domesday Book was completed, the manor was held by the Bishop of Chester. The seat of the bishopric was later moved to Coventry &

Lichfield and the manor of Tachbrook became known as Bishops Tachbrook.

1.2.3 The Hamlet of Naspes or Aspes, which lay on the Banbury Road, near the Barford turn was included in the Parish of Bishops Tachbrook. It

occurred as a place name from 1195 and as a hamlet in 1316. There are references to the common waste and field of Naspes in deeds of the

time of Henry VI. An area of 688 acres of the parish was enclosed under an Act of Parliament of 1731 for sheep farming, resulting in a

depopulation of the Hamlet and the workers cottages allowed to fall into ruin. The Asps is the only farm remaining, the name is thought to be

derived from the large number of Aspen trees said to have grown in the area.

1.2.4 Following the Reformation, in 1529 Parliament sequestered church lands and sold it to the Earl of Warwick and others. In 1798, the manor was

sold to George, Earl of Warwick who became chief landowner and Lord of the Manor of Bishop’s Tachbrook. By this time, Tachbrook Mallory,

due to similar enclosures, became depopulated, only 4 houses remaining by 1640 and the two manors became united under the name of

Bishop’s Tachbrook. A 1710 map of the village shows it to be south of the Tach Brook and centred on what is now Oakley Wood Road and

Savages Close. St. Chads Church is to the west with housing that still forms the south side of Mallory Road and in the east the Manor House on

land marked Mr. Savedge. See Map 1. It was surrounded by productive farmland forming the Tach Brook valley, of high quality undulating and

valued landscape, varying from 50 to 90m AOD. St. Chad’s Church is at about 70m, at the top of a short, but fairly steep incline up Church Hill.


Map 1 Bishop’s Tachbrook in 1710 © The Bishop’s Tachbrook History Group


1.3 PLANNING HISTORY.

1.3.1 Until the late 1950’s, Bishop’s Tachbrook remained a small village with primitive water, drainage and energy services. Then the District Council

built some 70 council houses to the south and west of the village and later in the 1960’s and 1970’s two tranches of speculative housing were

built to the west to enlarge the settlement to what it is today.

1.3.2 On 7th January 1987, a Village Policy Statement (VPS) for Bishop’s Tachbrook was approved by Warwick District Council. It recognised that the

village was a popular dormitory settlement as it had few employment opportunities within either the village or the parish. In the 1981 census,

the population was 1,902. Warwickshire County Council’s Structure Plan Review contained policies for rural areas to control both development

outside the village policy boundary and the more detailed proposals contained in the village policy statement. Although defined as a rural

growth centre, at the time of the report it had already almost completed the construction of 125 dwellings that the Structure plan allocated for

the period 1981 -1996.

1.3.3 The VPS defined village boundaries across the County. For Bishop’s Tachbrook, in view of the recent residential development and to protect

the character of Bishop’s Tachbrook, a tight boundary to the edge of the village was drawn. It excluded the 7.5 acres of land to the west of St.

Chads Road which was refused planning permission in November 1980 for residential development as well as the Meadow and allotments

which were not considered suitable for development and should be used either for a purpose which retains their open character or revert to

agricultural use.

1.3.4 It was recognised that within the village boundary there was very little potential for infill development but that no further development was

envisaged. The village’s status as a rural growth centre was deleted. Savages Close is a secluded, visually attractive and historically important

area separated from the remainder of the village by a landscaped buffer and Oakley Wood Road. In the 1996-2011 local plan adopted in 2007,

this area is outside the Village Envelope so any development is subject to rural area policies RAP1 to 16.

1.3.5 The Structure plan Review also identified areas of restraint where a general presumption against development that would change their open

character applies. The area between Bishop’s Tachbrook and Whitnash was an area of restraint. The main purpose of this was to prevent

further spread of the Leamington Urban Area southwards.


1.3.7 The VPS also defined the Conservation area around the old core of the village around St. Chads Church, Church Hill and Savages Close which

was designated in 1980. As well as the Grade 1 listed church, it contains 14 of the 35 listed buildings in the Parish.

1.3.8 In September 2007 Warwick District Council adopted the 1996 - 2011 Warwick District Local Plan. This followed a Public Inquiry in 2006 at

which objections to the proposed Local plan were heard. Because housing completions by 2006/7 were significantly higher (44%) than the

target plan that commenced in 1996, a moratorium on the grant of planning permissions reduced the remainder of the programme from 536

households per year to 395. This was supported by the Inspector of the 2006 Inquiry. Even then, by the end of the programme period, the

number of completions exceeded the original plan target by 619.

1.3.9 By 2008, the West Midlands Regional Authority had started to plan the housing need from 2011. This was on a regional basis rather than local.

When it was announced that Warwick District Council would be expected to complete a further 8,800 dwellings in the next 15 years and that

much of it would be located south of the towns, the whole community of Bishops Tachbrook were shocked and angered by the idea and the

effect that it would have on the character and infrastructure of the parish. Petitions and demonstrations followed as people made their views

known. It formed a key dimension to the 2010 elections locally and similar reactions across the country partly led to a change of government.

1.3.10 The new government decided that the Regional Authority should be closed and that planning policy would go back to the local authorities.

Warwick District consulted the public to ask whether they would support a low, medium or high growth of housing. The overwhelming

response was for a low growth, which was thought to be about 200 per year across the district. When it was announced that the target need

was 10,800 dwellings (or 600 per year) over the next 18 years, there was widespread disbelief, breeding more mistrust in the political system.

In particular within Bishop’s Tachbrook, as well as in adjacent towns and parishes, the simplistic response of the public was “we told you low

growth, but you want to do what you like, at our cost”. People were concerned and angry about the damage this would do to the area.

1.3.11 In an attempt to re-establish trust, government announced a new simpler planning regime through the National Planning Policy Framework

(NPPF) that came into force in March 2012. Overall this was a much better planning regime but it contained policies that were not overtly

defined, particularly about the way that housing need should be decided. As matters became clearer it turned out that the only reliable guide

was the ONS population projection carried out biannually. Applying this through a Strategic Housing Market Assessment, the housing need

became 12,300. In March 2011 the Census was taken and its results started coming out in July 2012. It turned out that population estimates for

Warwick District were higher than found by the Census, but because of the way the ONS projections are done on a purely rigid statistical basis


and the time delay involved plus the need for housing market areas to jointly consider the housing need, despite the fact that numbers of

people were less, the housing need established became 12,860 without an understandable reason for that conclusion.

1.3.12 Warwick District Council covers 28,226ha, over 90% of which is rural. Over 75% of the rural area is Green Belt. NPPF protects Green Belt from

any significant development. 10% is Urban so that 22.5% is rural greenfield. Housing need in previous programmes has mainly taken place in

the Urban areas, so the very high number of new households said to be needed is easier to put in greenfield than in urban regeneration. But

this does not meet the NPPF policy to protect and enhance the natural environment and valued landscapes. The latest (mid-2012based)

revised projections show a 30% fall in the additional population to be accommodated by 2029 within Warwick District. It is therefore expected

that the number of dwellings required should be commensurately reduced and that should reduce the amount of rural greenfield land to be

lost to agriculture. The District Council has resolved to continue with the outdated population projection in case the one member of the

Housing Market Area that found it had a projected population increase, Coventry, should seek co-operation from this District to provide

housing for the excess numbers. The draft Local Plan has been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for examination. The joint SHMA said

that for Warwick District the estimated housing need per annum based on mid-2011 projections was 714 dwellings per year but based on the

2012 based projection is now 564 dwellings per year. That means the 18year programme total reduces from 12,860 to 10,152. There remains a

large body of objection to plan since it is more than the objectively assessed need and the consequences are that the environmental damage

across the NPPF, taken as a whole, makes the plan unsound.

This Neighbourhood Plan has to work to the Local Plan decided by the Council so it is used throughout the Neighbourhood Plan, but pointing

out the deleterious effect on the Parish of Bishop’s Tachbrook that will be caused by this decision.

1.4 WHY PRODUCE A NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN?

1.4.1 The outcome of this process is that public distrust in the political system has not diminished. However, as well as the NPPF, government also

brought in the Localism Act which introduced Neighbourhood Planning. This provides for people to shape where they live, so that, within


strategic policy limits of national and local government, neighbourhoods or communities can, through a Neighbourhood Plan control

development so that the right development takes place in the right place at the right time. The Localism Act 2011, which came into force in April

2012, gave parish councils and other relevant bodies, new powers to prepare statutory Neighbourhood Plans to help guide development in their local

areas. These powers give local people the opportunity to shape new development, as planning applications are determined in accordance with

national planning policy, the local development plan and neighbourhood plans that have been supported by the electorate at referendum and taken

into the Local Plan.

1.4.2 Within Bishop’s Tachbrook, the effect of the years as described since 2006 had taken its toll. Residents were clear that large housing

developments south of Leamington were not acceptable. They supposed that whatever they said, the powers that be would do what they

wanted to anyway, so what was the point of trying to change things, because residents were not heard.

1.4.3 In October 2011, Neighbourhood Planning was discussed by the Parish Council. As details became known, it became clear that it would be

advantageous to the Parish to commence the process. On the 7th January 2012, at an initial meeting that considered both the Neighbourhood

Plan and the NPPF consultation, it was decided to undertake a Neighbourhood Plan for the parish. On the 11th January 2012, the Parish

Council advised the District Council of its intention to develop a Neighbourhood Plan. On the 14th January, the first of a series of Saturday

morning meetings took place to think through the problems that needed resolution, to identify the evidence that needed to be assembled and

the aims and objectives of the whole process. It was a step into the unknown, but at the outset it was clear that engaging the community fully

into the process would be a key action and difficult because of the threats to the area emanating from both the District and the Developers.


Map 2 Bishops Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan Area

1.4.4 The Neighbourhood Planning Regulations 2012 came into force on the 6th April 2012 clarifying the way that applications for Neighbourhood

Area Status should be applied for. At a meeting of Parish Councillors on April 18th it was decided that it would be recommended to the Parish

Council Meeting to be held the following day that it should apply to Warwick District Council for Neighbourhood Area Status. A meeting was

held with the District Council Planning Policy Manager on the 20th April that discussed some of the detail that the process would require. On

the 26th April 2012 a formal application was made to Warwick District Council for the designation of the Neighbourhood Area. Bishop’s

Tachbrook was the first parish in the District to apply. On the 28th April, there was an Annual Parish Meeting held in the School with some 50 or

so attendees from the village and Warwick Gates to receive the annual reports of the Parish Council. The opportunity was taken to inform the


meeting of the intention to prepare a Neighbourhood plan, how it was done and what the outcome could be. People were encouraged to get

involved and take part. Warwick District published Notices on the Parish Council Notice boards, in the Leamington Courier on July 20th 2012

and in the August 2012 edition of the Parish Magazine which is distributed free of charge to all households in the Parish during the last week of

July. In addition, stakeholders and interested parties were notified via e-mail. The closing date for comments was the 31st August 2012 after a

6 week consultation period. After receipt of representations, the Executive Committee of the District Council on the 10th October 2012

considered the application by Bishop’s Tachbrook Parish Council. Two consultation responses objected to the proposed area, both from

landowner or developer interests. Barwood objected to the land at the Asps being included and A C Lloyd objected to Grove Farm being

included in the Neighbourhood Plan area. Having considered alternative options to the parish boundary being the Neighbourhood area, the

Executive Committee approved the designation of the parish boundary as the Neighbourhood Area. Executive Committee Minutes of the 10th

October 2012 item 11C are attached as appendix NP1.

2. DEVELOPING THE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN.

2.1 Strategic local Plan implications .

In parallel with the designation process, the District Council published a consultation on a local Plan to provide 10,300 homes. The Parish

Council, in common with many other parishes and 2 of the 3 towns, raised concerns about the number of households and the location of them

on greenfield sites in the south of the District. That consultation ended at the end of July 2012. This caused the District Council to reconsider

the options and in May 2013 issued a Revised Development Strategy (RDS) this time for 12,300 households. There were major changes in the

sites to be selected particularly south of the towns. The consultation on the RDS finished at the end of July 2013 but because of substantial

objections and the Duty to Cooperate it was necessary for the Council to get a joint SHMA with all the Housing Market Area authorities. This

raised the number yet again to 12,860, but while this version was out at consultation, the ONS published revised population projections that

for Warwick District reduced population growth by almost 30%. This was more in line with the results of the Parish Council’s trend-based

analysis of population projection.


The Neighbourhood Plan has to take into account the strategic needs of the District. All the time those numbers were changing, new sites were

being identified and discounted and because a lot of the new housing was planned by WDC in the parish and it made it difficult to make

progress on the Neighbourhood plan.

2.2 VILLAGE HOUSING OPTION STRATEGY.

2.2.1 One of the strategies in the 2012 version of the plan was to require 1000 of the households needed in villages. Warwick District Council

appointed an officer to look at all the villages and report on possibilities. The Village Housing Options Report was published in November 2013.

For Bishops Tachbrook a site had been selected, in conjunction with the Neighbourhood Plan Process that could take 150 households. There

had been close co-operation between the officer and the Parish Council when selecting the site south of the school for this purpose.

2.2.2 The District Council had previously called for landowners to offer sites that could be considered for development and the resultant Strategic

Housing Land Assessment (SHLAA) had identified a large number of sites within the parish from Harbury Lane in the north almost to the M40,

all of which were outside the village envelope. Each site has a reference number and an attached assessment of the suitability of the site for

housing development with positive and negative impacts at a high level rather than a detail level. This was a significant piece of evidence that

offered a Neighbourhood Plan choice both to meet the LPA strategic demand and any demand identified locally in the Parish and all the sites

are shown in Map 3. None of these sites comply with the WDC Local Plan 2007 as they are subject to rural area policies.

2.2.3 The Parish Council also decided to establish housing need within the parish for local people. It was known that because of variation of

household size over time, to suit their needs, families had to move elsewhere to find the right size and tenure of property for them, when they

would rather have stayed within the village with friends.


Map 3 Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA)


2.2.4 A Housing Need Survey had been carried out in 2009, commissioned by Bishops Tachbrook Parish Council from an independent party,

Warwickshire Rural Community Council in partnership with Warwickshire Rural Housing Association. In Summary, of approximately 1,050

Housing Needs Survey forms that were distributed, 470 forms were returned - a response rate of 45%, a rate considered to be excellent for a

survey of this type. 15 respondents expressed a need for alternative housing. One of the respondents wanted a self-build project for a 3 or 4

bedroom bungalow. 9 wanted rented 2 or 3 bedroom houses or bungalows, one a shared ownership 2 bed house and the remaining 4

specified market housing with either 2, 3, 4, or 5 bedrooms (one of each). See Appendix NP2 for the full report.

2.2.5 Because of the time interval between that survey and 2013, and because the SHMA indicated that there was a very considerable demand for

more housing, a second Housing Need Survey was commissioned from the same independent assessor and was received in January 2014.

This time approximately 1,020 Housing Needs Survey forms were distributed and 234 forms were returned, a response rate of 23%, a rate still

considered to be good for a survey of this type especially so soon relatively after the first survey. Sixteen respondents expressed a need for

alternative housing. The specific needs were 4 rented, 1 shared ownership bungalow and 11 market housing – three 2-bed, seven 3-bed and

one 4 or 5 bed house. See Appendix NP3.

2.2.6 The Housing need survey did not support the Strategic demand that was supposedly for objectively assessed local housing need. Given that

there are no new employment opportunities proposed within the parish, any provision over the Housing Need Survey was clearly to be for

people that work elsewhere and that this reinforces the dormitory nature of the village. If this was to happen, then it should be done in a way

that both respects the agricultural and rural nature of the parish and resolves some of the problems that the existing village has, due to past

development layouts.

3. AIMS AND ISSUES OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN

As a result of a series of ‘away day’ mornings for Parish Councillors in 2012, an Initial Aims & Issues Statement was prepared to ensure that if a

Neighbourhood Plan was to be prepared, it should include as many improvements and solve as many definable problems at the same time.

The resulting Aims & Issues document was adopted by the Parish council at its meeting on the 21st February 2013 minute 7(xii) as a basis for

subsequent work. Arrangements were commenced for promoting the Neighbourhood Plan to the community and getting them to positively

engage with the preparation of the plan. It was also agreed that Urban Vision Enterprise CIC would be asked to assist in training, community


engagement and the process. Urban Vision is a leading planning consultancy in neighbourhood planning and was involved with DCLG as the

Neighbourhood Plan initiative was being developed by government. Dave Chetwyn, the Managing Director of Urban Vision was the author of

“Neighbourhood Plans Roadmap guide” written for Locality.

3.1 THE AIMS & ISSUES STATEMENT

The Aims & Issues Statement: January 2013 (See Appendix NP4) considered it important to set out a vision for the Neighbourhood plan that would direct and test the plan as it developed.

Bishop’ Tachbrook is a special place to live in, retaining a village feel and having a strong sense of community spirit. Our

vision is to retain this status by protecting our environment and community, whilst seeking to encourage change which will enhance the appeal of the area as well as its sustainability

Vision This parish should be “Fantastic to live in, whatever your age”.

What this means Everyone – children, families & older citizens – has a future in Bishop’s Tachbrook with homes to suit their needs.

Community – deeply cohesive and welcoming - with happy residents who are proud of what it offers new residents and visitors.

Balanced – all age groups are important – with activities and opportunities to enhance lifestyles.

Sustainable – the facilities that we have in the parish are valued. We will plan to positively enhance them and to develop other community resources to create a sustainable future for all residents.

Rural – we value our rural environment and heritage. We preserve this by ensuring that our community is not subsumed into the urban areas as they expand. We need a high level of access into the countryside to improve our quality of life.


3.2 KEY OBJECTIVES

The Aims & Issues Document sets out an initial assessment of the Key objectives of the plan. The intention is to align the plan period to the

Draft Warwick District Local Plan. At the initial stages of the Local plan the period was not clear varying between 15 & 20 years depending on

the the documentconsulted, but in the latter stages it has become 1st April 2011 to 31st March 2029. This is the period of this Neighbourhood

Plan except that the start date will be the date of the referendum if approved. In summary the key objectives are

3.2.1 To balance the strategic requirements of the district with local needs and the aspirations of our neighbourhood. 3.2.2 To provide homes for both local need and strategic objectively assessed need in a location or locations that preserve our

rural natural environment and heritage, providing homes of a range of household sizes and tenures including some provision for older people, keeping development to a small scale, of high quality reflecting the character and distinctiveness of the area.

3.2.3 To preserve and enhance the Conservation Area ensuring that the historic village heart of the community is an attractive,

vibrant and valued focal point: to complete the safer route to school and cycle route. 3.2.4 To improve the range of local amenities. 3.2.5 To ensure that any development is sustainable in environmental, social and economic terms 3.2.6 To protect, enhance and give greater access to the natural environment of the parish, including its landscape, geological

assets, archaeological sites and wildlife habitats. To designate Local Green spaces, plant new woodland & reduce CO2 emissions.

3.2.7 To ensure a thriving primary school supported by, and engaging with, parish residents. (Parish Plan with NP connections) 3.2.8 To support local businesses, increasing the opportunity for local employment. 3.2.9 To identify Assets of Community Value to enhance cultural, recreational, social and sporting activity supporting Leisure

and community well-being.


3.2.10 To identify and resolve Transport and Traffic issues.

3.3 CONSULTATION

3.3.1 The Parish Council is leading the preparation of the Neighbourhood Plan. But it is very important to ensure that the community has the

maximum opportunity to help to shape the plan and to be content that the final version of the plan is worthy and would be supported at a

referendum. NPPF 183 offers communities direct power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and deliver the sustainable

development they need. Engaging the community in the process in as open and transparent a way as possible is essential.

3.3.2 Following the Parish Council meeting of the 21st February 2013 (paragraph 3 refers), steps were taken to both formally launch the

Neighbourhood Plan and commence the consideration of the matters to be included. When the Parish Council was preparing a Parish Plan in

the mid 2000’s an Action Group was set up to carry out detailed work. The members of that Action Group were reconvened to help the

planning of a launch event and from April 10th 2013 regular meetings began on a weekly basis to consider sections of the plan.

Full details of all consultations are contained in the Consultation Statement.

4. PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT

Neighbourhood Plans are required to sit within the framework of national, regional and local planning policies, and to be in general conformity with those policies.


Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan will need to have regard to the following planning policy documents:

4.1 NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY FRAMEWORK (NPPF)

The NPPF sets out the national planning framework for England. The purpose of the planning system is to contribute towards sustainable development and to perform an economic, social and environmental role. NPPF183 defines that: Neighbourhood planning gives communities direct power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and deliver the sustainable development they need. Parishes and neighbourhood forums can use neighbourhood planning to:

set planning policies through neighbourhood plans to determine decisions on planning applications; and

grant planning permission through Neighbourhood Development Orders and Community Right to Build Orders for specific development which complies with the order.

NPPF184:

Neighbourhood planning provides a powerful set of tools for local people to ensure that they get the right types of development for their community. The ambition of the neighbourhood should be aligned with the strategic needs and priorities of the wider local area. Neighbourhood plans must be in general conformity with the strategic policies of the Local Plan. To facilitate this, local planning authorities should set out clearly their strategic policies for the area and ensure that an up-to-date Local Plan is in place as quickly as possible. Neighbourhood plans should reflect these policies and neighbourhoods should plan positively to support them. Neighbourhood plans and orders should not promote less development than set out in the Local Plan or undermine its strategic policies.

NPPF185: Outside these strategic elements, neighbourhood plans will be able to shape and direct sustainable development in their area. Once a neighbourhood plan has demonstrated its general conformity with the strategic policies of the Local Plan and is brought into force, the policies


it contains take precedence over existing non-strategic policies in the Local Plan for that neighbourhood, where they are in conflict. Local planning authorities should avoid duplicating planning processes for non-strategic policies where a neighbourhood plan is in preparation.

4.2 PLANNING PRACTICE GUIDANCE

On 6th March 2014 Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) was published to supplement, and clarify the NPPF. Section ID41 set out detail of the implementation of Neighbourhood Planning with 80 clauses detailing specific aspects of the NPPF. Appendix NP6 sets out all references to Neighbourhood Planning in the PPG.

4.3 WARWICK DISTRICT LOCAL PLAN 2007 (1996-2011) AND WARWICK DISTRICT PUBLICATION DRAFT LOCAL PLAN (2011 -2029)

4.3.1 Warwick District Local plan 1996 – 2011 was adopted in 2007. NPPF215 says that due weight should be given to relevant policies in existing

plans according to their degree of consistency with this Framework (the closer the policies in the plan to the Framework, the greater the weight that may be given).

Warwick District Local Plan (2011-2029) is not yet in place. Work started on this plan in 2011 or earlier, but this coincided with major changes

in the planning system, changes to population projections, Localism Act implications and resultant indecision so that the 2011-2029 Plan has only just been submitted for examination. NPPF 216 says that decision-takers may also give weight to relevant policies in emerging plans according to the stage of preparation, the extent to which there are unresolved objections to relevant policies and the degree of consistency with the NPPF.

4.3.2 Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan is proceeding in advance of an up to date local plan. PPG4-009 answers the question “Can a

Neighbourhood Plan come forward before an up-to-date Local Plan is in place?”


Where a neighbourhood plan is brought forward before an up-to-date Local Plan is in place, the qualifying body and the local planning authority should discuss and aim to agree the relationship between policies in the emerging neighbourhood plan, the emerging Local Plan and

the adopted development plan with appropriate regard to national policy and guidance.

The local planning authority should take a proactive and positive approach, working collaboratively with a qualifying body particularly sharing evidence and seeking to resolve any issues to ensure the draft neighbourhood plan has the greatest chance of success at independent examination.

The local planning authority should work with the qualifying body to produce complementary neighbourhood and Local Plans. It is important to minimise any conflicts between policies in the neighbourhood plan and those in the emerging Local Plan. This is because section 38(5) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires that the conflict must be resolved by the decision maker favouring the policy which is contained in the last document to become part of the development plan.

Before this guidance was issued it was thought that (supported by cases) that a Neighbourhood plan could not proceed in advance of an up to date local plan. For this reason the Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood plan stalled through 2012, starting to move in 2013 in anticipation of a completion of the local Plan by 2014. That will not now happen but the PPG now makes the position clear.

4.3.3 PPG12-013 states that Neighbourhood Plans can be developed before, after or in parallel with a Local Plan, but the law requires that they must be in general conformity with the strategic policies in the adopted Local Plan for the area (and any other strategic policies that form part of the statutory development plan where relevant, such as the London Plan). Neighbourhood plans are not tested against the policies in an emerging Local Plan although the reasoning and evidence informing the Local Plan process may be relevant to the consideration of the basic conditions against which a neighbourhood plan is tested.

4.4 NATURAL ENGLAND AND NATIONAL CHARACTER AREA PROFILE.

4.4.1 The parish of Bishop’s Tachbrook is located in National character Area 96: Dunsmore and Feldon, which Natural England describe as being a

“predominantly rural, agricultural landscape, crossed by numerous small rivers and tributaries and varying between a more open character in the Feldon area and a wooded character in Dunsmore. The area is mainly within Warwickshire, with the southern boundary delineated by the steep limestone escarpment of the Cotswolds.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/5/section/38

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/5/section/38


4.4.2 It is an important food producing area and the agricultural expanse of large arable fields, improved pasture and small villages forms a transitional landscape between the surrounding National Character Areas. In the south the landform becomes more undulating with low hill tops, clay vales, sparse woodland and hedgerows, now largely denuded of the large elm trees that once grew in abundance. This area is known as the Feldon and comprises most of the south-eastern part of Warwickshire. It is a rural landscape strongly influenced by post-medieval enclosures of former strip fields, heavy clay soil and frequent small, compact villages. This NCA is drained by the rivers Avon and Leam flowing in a south-westerly direction. Flood meadows, characterised by great burnet and meadow foxtail, occur on the regularly flooded alluvial soils.

4.4.3 The historic character of this area is very important, in particular its ancient woodlands, enclosed fields, veteran trees, landscaped parklands and areas of archaeological interest, including deserted villages and numerous sites of remnant ridge and furrow. The Fosse Way Roman military road passes through the area and has influenced patterns of settlement in this NCA. Earthwork remains of medieval settlements and associated field systems at Radwell, Tysoe and Napton on the Hill are three of the most coherent medieval township landscapes in existence in England.

4.4.4 The area is facing key challenges around how to protect and enhance its assets and recreational resource while accommodating the pressure

for sustainable modern growth and development and the needs of the communities who live there. The landcover is primarily agricultural with

extensive arable and improved pasture. The Lower Lias clays which underlie the bulk of Feldon produce fertile alkaline soils. Such soils are well

suited to the mixed farming and pasture grassland management which has long supported the tradition of corn production and stock rearing in

the area.”


PART 2 NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN DEVELOPMENT

5 NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT

5.1 INTRODUCTION

5.1.1 This section sets out matters that have led to the planning policies of the Bishops Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan. These will be used to help

determine planning applications in the Parish and to help shape and direct sustainable development within the Parish to realise the Vision set out in paragraph 3.1.

5.1.2 Each topic also includes proposed complementary actions to be undertaken by the Parish Council, to support the planning policies. These proposed

actions will be used to help prioritise activity by the Parish Council over the lifetime of the Neighbourhood Plan.

5.2 WARWICK DISTRICT COUNCIL STRATEGIC POLICIES

5.2.1 The Neighbourhood plan must be in general conformity with the Strategic Polices of the Local plan for the area. As set out in paragraph 4.3.1,

the Local plan that applies at the time of writing is the one which was adopted in 2007. This does not have Strategic Policies but has a similar

arrangement known as Core Strategy. This sets out the Aims and objectives of the Local plan.

5.2.2 In brief these Aims and objectives are

Aim 1: To Maintain high and Stable Levels of Economic Growth.

Objective 1A: To maintain high levels of economic growth

Objective 1B: To promote and enhance vibrant rural communities

Objective 1C: To meet the housing needs of the whole community to 2011


Objective 1D; To enhance the vitality and viability of town centres

Objective 1E: To promote the regeneration of deprived areas

Objective 1F: to promote sustainable tourism

Aim 2: Effective Protection of the Environment

Objective 2A: To protect and improve land quality

Objective 2B: To protect and enhance the natural environment

Objective 2C: To protect and enhance the historic environment

Objective 2D: To maintain and enhance the quality of landscapes and townscapes

Objective 2E: To promote high quality sustainable design and enhance the built environment

Objective 2F: To protect and improve air quality

Aim 3: Prudent use of Natural Resources

Objective 3A: To reduce the need to travel

Objective 3B: To promote the use of more sustainable travel options

Objective 3C: To ensure the prudent use of scarce resources and limit and reduce the impacts of climate change

Objective 3D: To reduce the generation and disposal of waste.

Aim 4: Social Progress which recognises the Needs of Everyone

Objective 4A: To make housing affordable and available to everyone


Objective 4B: To reduce poverty, social exclusion, crime and anti-social behaviour

Objective 4C: To improve the health and well-being of communities

Objective 4D: To protect and improve the amenity of the local community

Objective 4E: To protect, enhance and improve accessibility to local services and community facilities

5.2.3 When the Draft Local Plan 2011-2029 is in place, Neighbourhood Plan policies must be in general conformity with the Strategic Polices of that

Local Plan.

5.2.4 Those Strategic policies are

STRATEGIC POLICY DS1 : Supporting Prosperity

We will provide for the growth of the local and sub-regional economy by ensuring sufficient and appropriate employment land is available

within the District to meet the existing and future needs of businesses.

STRATEGIC POLICY DS2 : Providing the Homes the District Needs

We will provide in full for the Objectively Assessed Housing Need. We will ensure new housing delivers the quality and mix of homes needed in

the District including;

a) affordable homes;

b) a mix of homes to meet identified needs including homes that are suitable for elderly and vulnerable people; and

c) sites for gypsies and travellers

STRATEGIC POLICY DS3 : Supporting Sustainable Communities

We will promote high quality new development including:


a) delivering high quality layout and design which relates to existing landscapes or urban form and, where appropriate, is based on the

principles of garden towns, villages and suburbs;

b) caring for our built, cultural and national heritage;

c) regenerating areas in need of improvement;

d) protecting areas of significance including high quality landscapes, heritage assets and ecological assets;

e) delivering low carbon economy and lifestyles and environmental sustainability

We will expect development which enables new communities to develop and sustain themselves. As part of this we will provide for the

infrastructure needed to support communities and businesses including:

A) physical infrastructure (such as transport and utilities);

B) social infrastructure (such as education, sports facilities and health);

C) green infrastructure(such as parks, open space and playing pitches).

STRATEGIC POLICY DS4 : Spatial Strategy

Allocated Housing and employment will be distributed across the District to take account of the following:

a) in the first instance, allocations will be directed to previously developed land within the urban areas and in particular those areas where there is greatest potential for regeneration and enhancements;

b) where greenfield sites are required for housing, they should be located on the edge of urban areas in sustainable locations close to areas of employment or where community facilities such as shops, bus services, medical facilities and schools are available or can be made available;

c) where greenfield sites are required for employment, they should be allocated in locations which are suitable for the needs of 21st

century businesses, accessible via a choice of transport modes and are in close proximity to existing or proposed housing; d) limiting development on sites which would lead to coalescence of settlements to ensure settlement identity is retained;


e) sites which have a detrimental impact on the significance of heritage assets will be avoided unless suitable mitigation can be put in place;

f) areas assessed as high landscape value or other highly sensitive features in the natural environment will be avoided; and g) taking the national green belt policy into account, sites in the green belt will be limited to those locations where exceptional

circumstances can be justified. The following will be taken into account in considering the exceptional circumstances: i. the availability of alternative suitable sites outside the Green Belt; ii. the potential of the site to meet specific housing or employment needs that cannot be met elsewhere; iii. the potential of the site to support regeneration within deprived areas; and iv. the potential of the site to provide support to facilities and services in rural areas.

All other local Plan policies are non-strategic. They will apply to the Neighbourhood area except where modified or replaced by Neighbourhood plan policies providing for the definition within Bishop’s Tachbrook.

5.3 DRAFT LOCAL PLAN SITE ALLOCATIONS

5.3.1 The Spatial Strategy is the basis of the site allocations as set out in policies DS9, DS10, DS11, DS12, DS13, DS14, and DS16. DS9, 10, 12, 14 and

16 are either not site specific or do not relate to sites in the parish. Policy DS11 lists greenfield sites on the edge of Warwick, Whitnash and

Leamington H02 Land south of Harbury Lane 1,505. It is presumed this means Grove Farm and Lower Heathcote Farm. To date these have had

outline applications granted against these two sites for 200 + 785 = 985. The 1,505 is thought to be 305 and 1200 respectively. Grove Farm is

in the Neighbourhood Plan Area. Lower Heathcote is immediately adjacent as is the Former Sewage Works which has a further 215 allocated.

This also has the reference H02 but is in urban brownfield sites.

5.3.2 There is a tension with this allocation.

1. The Former Sewage Works has been closed for a long time. The ground slopes down towards the Tach Brook from 70m AOD at the southern boundary of Heathcote Park to 65m AOD. Close to the Brook, the level drops to about 50mAOD at Brook level so there is a relatively steep embankment.

2. At the top end of the site there is a substantial stand of trees along the length of the northern end of the Sewage farm site some 20m depth.


3. There are a substantial number of large diameter sewage tanks in the ground all of which has become grassland and shrubs, but the outlines of the tanks can be seen so it is brownfield but has become a substantial contributor to the landscape of the Tach Brook Valley.

4. A Landscape assessment of the whole of the north side of the Tach Brook has been included in a landscape assessment of the whole of the Bishops Tachbrook neighbourhood area, including land from Europa Way to Heathcote Park on the south side of Harbury lane, BT16, and found to be of high sensitivity to housing development.

5. The National Planning Policy Framework sets out a core planning principle that in decision-taking local planning authorities should encourage the effective use of land by re-using land that has been previously developed (brownfield land), provided that it is not of high environmental value. But this is of high environmental value as it can be seen prominently from PRoW105 and other views from the south and as the site is on high ground it would be prominent in views, particularly from the south and south-east and the village of Bishops Tachbrook and hamlet of Tachbrook Mallory.

6. A brookstray landscape buffer along the Tach Brook could be created and that would help to maintain distance between the settlements, but the existing gap between the settlements would be greatly reduced (probably down to 600–700 metres) and would not meet Strategic Policy DS4 (d) & (f).

7. In addition to that the tanks are deep and of large diameter and very significant decontamination would very likely be required and there is likely to be high Methane levels in the ground that might need venting and could be of a level that would prevent development of the site. Construction so close to the brook would result in unacceptable contamination of the brook, both during construction and from the permanent development.

8. Hence the allocation of the Sewage Farm for housing by the District seems to be in direct contravention of the Districts Strategic policy DS4. Although this site is currently outside of this Neighbourhood Area on April 1st the parish boundary will change to include this site as well as Heathcote Park and lower Heathcote so we should have an idea on the way these areas might be brought into a plan.


THE FORMER SEWAGE FARM

The contribution to the valued landscape from this piece of land as well as the falls across the site and down to the Brook can be appreciated from the photograph. The Tach Brook water level is normally about 6 feet below the edge of the ground line at its sides and the water is about 2 feet depth and usually fast flowing.

5.3.3 DS13 allocates land for a Country Park but the land allocated is impractical for a Country Park because it is along the steep northern bank of

the Tach Brook. For most of its length it is about 150m width on a slope that falls 15m in 100m. There is no flat land for activity areas except at each end, and at the bottom of the slope there is a steep drop down to the Brook level that could be dangerous for young children


particularly. Trees planted at this level to mask the housing beyond would not hide the housing that would be at the top of the hill. So the landscape value of the Tachbrook Valley would be permanently damaged.

For this reason the Parish Council asks the District Council to limit the Lower Heathcote development and the Grove Farm development to

that which has to date been granted planning permission so that sufficient land remains at a high enough level to give either a worthwhile country park or retain it as productive agricultural land including brookstray walks and new rights of way across the valley, with landscape mitigation to the edge of the new urban area that will contribute to the Tachbrook Valley landscape by hiding the allocated housing from long distance views.

This can be done without affecting the housing target decided on of 12,860, following the focussed consultation of December 2014 that

proposed relocation of Employment land from land north of Gallows Hill to Stratford Road. If the land north of Gallows Hill is used for housing

instead, then the capacity of the land west of Europa Way increases to 1,670. The December 2014 consultation also includes relocating

employment land from The Opus site to Stratford Road and this gives a further 100 dwellings there. That is a total of 1,770 dwellings

compared with the existing allocation in DS11 of 1,190 which is an additional 580 dwellings.

Thus, any further encroachment into the Tach Brook Valley on either Grove Farm or Lower Heathcote Farm is not justified to meet the

objectively assessed housing need, uses brownfield land on Stratford Road for employment, is in an urban location which potentially reduces

travel to work miles and retains area of best and most versatile land for agricultural purposes. The Stratford Road relocation of employment

land is very much more sustainable than the published draft plan.


VIEW FROM SOUTH TOWARDS LOWER HEATHCOTE. 1200 HOMES WILL BE SEEN ON THE SKYLINE TO HALFWAY DOWN THE HILL.


VIEW FROM RIGHT OF WAY W105 TOWARDS LOWER HEATHCOTE. HIDDEN IN THE TREES ON THE SKYLINE IS THE FARMSTEAD. IF 1200 HOMES ARE BUILT HERE THEN THIS PRODUCTIVE LAND AND THE VALUED LANDSCAPE LOST. HOUSING WILL STRETCH DOWN TO THE CROP LINE OF THE

HILL.

5.3.4 The Framework makes clear the co-operation that should exist between the District and parish. PPG12-013 says “Where a neighbourhood plan

has been made, the local planning authority should take it into account when preparing the Local Plan strategy and policies, and avoid

duplicating the policies that are in the neighbourhood plan.” The community of Bishop’s Tachbrook as well as the Neighbouring towns of

Whitnash and Warwick are concerned about the loss of significant valued landscapes in the Tachbrook Valley and the narrowing of the

distance between the settlements. Action needs to be taken to prevent local plan policies being ignored which would lead to coalescence of

settlements to ensure settlement identity is retained.


5.4 VILLAGE HOUSING OPTIONS AND SETTLEMENT BOUNDARIES CONSULTATION

5.4.1 Warwick District Council commenced consideration of options for housing in villages in the District in October 2012 to help meet the need for

housing in the District for inclusion in the Local Plan. An officer was appointed specifically for the purpose and he considered the needs of 15

villages. The objective was to distribute as far as possible some of the objectively assessed housing need for the District with an initial target of

1000 households.

This culminated in the commencement of a Village Housing Options and Settlement Boundaries Consultation (VHO) in November 2013. For

Bishop’s Tachbrook it recommended that the best option for the village is to provide the 150 homes required by the Warwick District Draft

Local Plan Strategic Policy DS11 ref H23 to be located in the village by extending the village boundary to the south of the school.

5.4.2 The Parish Council working with the District Council considered the issues in depth.

As part of the Neighbourhood Plan process, details of the Parish were obtained from the 2011 census at output area level. In total, the Parish

has 1,021 dwellings, only 737 of which are within the village. 61 are outliers in Farms and rural locations and 223 are in Warwick Gates, north

of Harbury Lane and part of the urban areas of Leamington, Warwick and Whitnash.

The relevance is the impact that any new housing volume would have on the village community both during any extended construction period

over many years as well as once completed. There were, potentially, 3 main options considered in the WDC Village Housing Options (VHO)

consultation.

These were, as shown in Map 4, (the complete document is in Appendix NP7)

1. 150 in the preferred VHO option 1( land south of the school), or

2. 50 in VHO option 2 (land west of Seven Acre close, or

3. 125 in VHO option 3 (land West of Holt Avenue)


Map 4: Village housing Options and Settlement Boundaries Consultation (VHO

page39)

5.4.3 Village infrastructure.

1. If all 3 options were allowed to proceed, a total of 325 dwellings, the size of

the village would increase by 44% in a short space of time. This was never the

intention of the District Council. Apart from other matters that would ensue,

and although the village is said to have a range of facilities, except for the

church and public house they would not be adequate to cater for this level of

increased demand. The school is a 1 form entry primary school and is

currently full. There is no village hall or church hall although there are partly

financed plans to build one. The hourly bus service does not run in the

evenings and is very limited on Sundays. The village does have a Sports &

Social Club, located on the side of the Meadow, built at the time of the

council housing in the 60’s but it is showing its age and does not meet the

expectations of people today. It is in need of regeneration if it is to survive.

The Meadow provides a well-used football pitch, a BMX track, a fenced and

lit porous pitch, as well as changing rooms and a children’s play equipment

area. It is adjacent to the village allotments and will be immediately adjacent

to the new housing if it is provided in the location of the preferred site.

2. The centre of the village has a compact green landscaped area between the

church and the first wave of market housing on the site of the former Church

Farm buildings. There is very limited parking available, just 3 spaces outside

the one remaining open small shop and none for the church or residents in

the 16thC timber framed cottages, to the south side of Mallory Road, which


means on-street parking. At the same time, Mallory Road is a main road from the M40 junction 13 into Leamington & Whitnash which is

heavily used at peak times by commuters, buses and HGV’s. There is a difficult road junction at both ends of the part of the road in the village

centre that causes considerable difficulties for pedestrians attempting to cross the road, particularly the elderly, but there is not enough

pedestrian traffic to justify the installation of proper crossing facilities. The lack of a crossing tends to allow traffic to be faster than it might

otherwise be compounding the problem for pedestrians. Any additional housing development in the village should be located so that it does

not add any more traffic to this main road through the village.

Trying to resolve some of these issues is a central objective to the Neighbourhood Plan.

5.4.4 Further traffic issues arise from the 1959 roads built to serve the council estate. The Minor Street standard of the day was a 16’-0” width when

cars were comparatively rare. Current standards for vehicle size, with on street parking the only alternative for many residents; large lorries,

waste collection and delivery vehicles make traversing these roads very difficult. Damage to roadside verges is constant, requiring continual

maintenance.

In addition, because the primary school is in the village on Kingsley Road and serves children from Warwick Gates on the north boundary of the

parish, the 40 or so children arrive at school in a coach to try to reduce car usage. The coach frequently has difficulty getting through. A further

objective of the Neighbourhood Plan is to find an alternative route for this school bus.

Similarly, because the narrow road outside the school is congested when children are walking to school and parents are dropping their children

off at school by car, it is already very busy at peak times. Any new housing within the village should be located so as not to add additional

traffic to Kingsley Road.

5.5 PARAMETERS FOR SUITABILITY

5.5.1 In the Neighbourhood Plan, the parameters drawn up for seeking an appropriate site for any new housing development in the village should

include the following requirements to both meet the NPPF and solve problems within the village so far as possible by the way that such

housing is integrated into the village.


a) To meet NPPF150, Local Plans and by inference Neighbourhood plans, are the key to delivering sustainable development that reflects the

vision and aspirations of local communities. At the outset, the Neighbourhood Plan set out a Vision Statement -

“We want Bishop’s Tachbrook to be a fantastic place to live in, whatever your age.”

b) Aspirations relating to the provision for new housing from the list of strategic objectives included

1. To keep housing development to small scale and designed to a high quality, reflecting the local character and distinctiveness of the

area.

2. To provide homes for local people of all ages, incomes and housing size, affordable homes and smaller homes suitable for retired

persons to downsize to with an initial element of care being available to monitor and help those growing older to retain their

independence as long as possible.

3. To ensure the majority of new housing is built within boundaries supported by local people and sites are selected carefully so that the

local impact on the rural area is minimised and that urban areas do not encroach into the rural area in a detrimental way.

c) Local Housing need was established by commissioning a Housing Needs Survey. This is referred to and detailed in paragraphs 2.2.4 to 2.2.6.

d) The site selected should be as close as possible to the centre of the village to encourage the new occupants to take part in village life, make use

of the facilities that are in the village and so discourage use of the car to parts of the village.

e) Vehicular access should be located so that the roads going through the village that are busy at peak times do not have additional traffic

emanating from the new development.

f) Access to the school for the school bus should be on roads of an adequate size with a suitable unloading area close to the school for the safe

transition of pupils into the school.

g) Pedestrians and cyclists should be able to get to village roads directly on paths for the purpose to encourage use of the shop and any other

facility that may be provided in the centre of the village. This should be connected to other pedestrian and cycleways that connect to Warwick

Gates, the school, as well as a new path to Oakley Wood so that a safe walking route is created to this valuable facility from the village.

h) Easy access to the Meadow, the Sports & Social Club and children’s play equipment would be sought.


i) The location should be such that it affects the amenity of the least number of existing residents, with reasonable mitigation measures for those

that are directly affected.

j) Working with the developer, find ways to enhance the limited social facilities in the village to help support and make the development more

attractive to prospective purchasers through increased demand on this sort of provision.

k) The site, as well as being suitable must be available, viable and deliverable to meet NPPF requirements.

5.5.2 For these reasons, both the Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan Workshops and the District Council VHO Team considered that the only

location that met all these requirements was site number 1, as shown on Page no 39 of the Village Housing Options and Settlement Boundaries

Consultation reproduced here as Map 4 in para 5.4.

The plan extended the current village boundary southwards to include the preferred housing option site and noted that further discussions

would be needed with the Parish Council and the Neighbourhood Plan Development Group about the precise extent of the settlement

boundary.

A vehicular access from Oakley Wood Road, south of the village would service the new housing with pedestrian links to the Meadow and

centre of the village in the east, together with pedestrian links into Holt Avenue and The Lees and so meet the access criteria for an acceptable

sustainable site.

5.5.3 Taken together, this solution provides a positive contribution to the village due to the regenerative effect it would have on the village because

of its location in relation to the existing village and proximity to the few facilities that we do have. It can both provide all the housing required

by the local plan and in so doing, meet the needs identified in the housing Needs Survey.

5.5.4 As regards parameter k), the site is suitable, available and an outline planning application was granted on August 19th 2014.

This means that the total Draft Local Plan Strategic Policies requirement within the village of Bishops Tachbrook has been met. The detail of

this proposal will be required to meet the Housing policies in the Neighbourhood Plan.


5.6 OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED.

5.6.1 In parallel with the work being done by the Village Housing Officer, the Parish Council commissioned an independent report on the options for

site selection from Urban Vision enterprise CIC to help guide the option selection process. Through FSL Consulting, Urban vision examined 16

potential sites. 4 were outside the Village Envelope and 12 were within it. Their report was issued in January 2014 and it’s purpose was to

provide an assessment of the viability, suitability and deliverability of each site to be of assistance when considering the relationship of each

site to the village as a whole and the extent to which each site met the parameters in paragraph 5.5.1. For the full report see Appendix NP5.

5.6.2 For each of the 16 sites, the report set out a description of the site and its context in relation to the existing village, site constraints, potential

site capacity, potential for homes for older people and the possibilities of regeneration improvements to the village at the same time. The sites

considered were as follows and the summary Table indicated whether the site was suitable for development and if so what potential capacity

was.

Sites outside the settlement boundary Developable (Y/N) Capacity

1) Land to the south of the school Y 75

2) Land off Seven Acre Close Y(in part) 10

3) Land to the West of Holt Avenue N 0

4) Tollgate house Y 12

Village Infill sites

5) Ryefields Gap site N 0

6) Penfold Close Garage site Y 3

7) Farm Walk Garage Site Y 3


8) St. Chads Road Garage Site N 0

9) St. Chads Road Open Space y 6

10) Wychwood Close Shops Y 5

11) Mallory Road Gap site Y 2

12) Commander close Garage site Y 8

13) BMX Track/Allotments Relocation Y 25

14) Fields opposite the Leopard Public House N 0

15) Land to the north of Croft Close N 0

16) Land off Savages close N 0

TOTAL 149

5.6.3 From this list it was clear that the sites considered not developable met with the agreement of the Parish Council and the community residents

that participated in the Neighbourhood Plan working groups. In addition, when the whole community was engaged in the process at events to

give people the chance to make their views known, there was total agreement. This is referred to in the consultation Statement.

For site 3, it was found that it did not meet parameters 5.5.1 a), b)points 1 & 2, c), d), e), f), h), or j). Overall it was in a designated rural area,

outside the village boundary, it did not meet the NPPF109 protecting and enhancing valued landscapes, NPPF 129 concerning the protection of

the setting of the adjacent Grade II listed barn at Hill Farm house (ref 16/94) and the serious harm that development of this site would cause to

the character and appearance of the locality, including the effect on the rural road from the Banbury Road together with the material loss of

the buffer between the village and the major road networks to the west and that the location of this site in relation to the village would mean

that its connection to the facilities and life of the village would at best be tenuous and it would not be a sustainable development in

environmental or social terms. Subsequently, a planning application for 125 properties on this site was submitted and refused by the District


Council. An appeal made by the applicant was dismissed on 4th November 2014 on the basis that the proposal would perform poorly against

the environmental dimension to sustainable development. See Appendix NP9 Appeal Decision APP/T37252/A/14/2216200.

For site 5) Ryefields Gap, this is a site constrained by its shape, small size and relationship to adjacent bungalows to make it impractical

For site 8) St. Chads Road Garages, this is a set of garages, which are well used and take vehicles from street parking in St. Chads Road. This

road nevertheless experiences full street parking so displacement from these garages would not be practical. The site is constrained between

the adjacent housing and more houses would be difficult to access and provide parking for. It therefore would create more problems than it

would solve and is unlikely to be of interest for any development. However, the condition of the garages is of concern being typical of garage

blocks in Warwick District which are nearing the end of their useful life and the site should be an action activity for the Parish Council as set out

in paragraph 5.1.2.

For sites 14) & 15), these are in rural area, are part of the setting to the conservation area, are an essential part of the coalescence buffer

between the village and urban area of Whitnash and development would be contrary to Warwick District local plan Strategic policy DS4 (d), in

part are subject to flooding at the Tach Brook, are outside the village envelope and an objection by the owner of the site for residential use at

the 2006 Public inquiry was rejected by the Inspector for these and other reasons. They also are part of the overall valued landscaped area of

the Tach Brook Valley that the community would not consider to be the right place for development. Although these sites were not considered

suitable for housing development, they may provide an opportunity for a community led local green space initiative that would retain and

enhance the agricultural or rural nature of this part of the village. This may be an action activity for the Parish Council as set out in paragraph

5.1.2.

For site 16), it is part of the setting to the Grade II listed Old Manor House (ref 16/118) circa 1558, and is part of the Local list of Historic

Gardens. It is outside the village envelope and is in rural area. The site was considered unsuitable for development.

None of these sites were assigned any housing contribution to the Strategic requirement for Bishop’s Tachbrook.

5.6.4 In November 2013, Warwick District Council’s Village Housing Options and Settlement Boundaries Consultation was published. It confirms the

level of consultation between the Parish Council and the District Council on page 38 where it describes Key Housing Issues – The Parish Council

is actively involved in developing a Neighbourhood plan for the Parish. Some key housing issues include tackling some of the distortions in the


village housing stock and ensuring that any new development is well integrated into a comprehensive vision for the village. This may include a

focus around regenerating or enhancing facilities near the sports ground and providing a better access to the primary school.

Under Sites Review, it discounted 12 of the 15 sites mainly due to scale, landscape impact and coalescence issues. Of the 3 remaining, the site

south of the School (Site 1 in paragraph 5.6.2) became the preferred option due to its potential regenerative impact on the village and

potential improvements for accessing the primary school. It also became known that it was capable of taking more than the 75 originally listed

in the Urban Vision report and could provide the 150 dwellings required by the strategic policy of the district. The Parish Council also found

that the remaining sites in the list overall did not provide any additional contribution to the regeneration parameters.

5.6.5 For site 2), Land off Seven Acre Close, it was found that it did not meet parameters 5.5.1 a), b) point 3, c), d), e), f), g), h), or j). Overall the site

is outside the village boundary, in rural area, in the essential buffer to the west side of the village from the major roads network so had a

substantial negative effect on the environment as it did not meet NPPF109 to protect and enhance valued landscapes in a similar way to site 3,

but to a greater extent. This was because the site is on the north side of Mallory Road and has a more direct relationship with the landscape of

the Tach Brook Valley. Housing would be prominent on the skyline from views within and across the Tach Brook Valley from a northerly

location and views from the Mallory Road across the valley would be lost.

The view of the Parish Council and that of the community at consultation events was that this site was not the right place for housing and the

case that might be made that it was necessary to do so because we could not meet the strategic requirement otherwise, was no longer true. In

addition, this location is further away from the few facilities that the village has, would increase the number of children that would need to use

the Kingsley Road access to the Primary School, would increase the number of vehicles using Mallory Road through the centre of the village.

This would be the same, even if it were used for only a limited number of 10 dwellings. Subsequently, an outline planning application was

submitted for 25 dwellings with the stated intent to increase the number to 50 on the remainder of the site in due course. This application was

refused by the District Council but is now subject to an appeal.

It is also the view of the Parish Council and the community at consultation events, that a better use of this site for the village would be as

community recreational use which is lacking at this end of the village as suggested in the Urban Vision report and in para graphs 10.7.2d and

10.8.1g in this submission document. Because of this and the fact that use of the open site by villagers for over 20 years to access the valley


Rights of Way and permissive footpaths, that the site has an established community value and that it should be designated as an Asset of

Community Value for a positive community recreational green space. This is compliant with NPPF73, 74 & 75.

5.6.6 For site 4) at Tollgate House, this site has outline planning permission for 6 homes on a previously developed site adjacent to the National

Breeding Centre of the Guide Dogs for the blind. New enlarged premises for that centre were recently completed and the original dwellings

and offices on this site are surplus to requirements and in poor condition. The Urban Vison report identified that the site could take up to 12

dwellings of a high-end bespoke nature and development of this site could provide valuable resources to support the implementation of the

Neighbourhood Plan.

Any development of this site would have to be to the standard of NPPF55 as a small new settlement

by enhancing the immediate setting of the location, and

be set well back from the Banbury Road and retain and enhance the landscaping between the road and any new housing to shield it from view

from the road, and

be of exceptional design quality, helping to raise standards of design more generally in rural areas, reflecting the highest standards in

architecture, and

be sensitive to the defining characteristics of the surrounding area of Oakley Wood, the adjacent Breeding Centre and Tollgate Turkey Farm.

5.6.7 Sites 6) and 7) Penfold Close and Farm Walk Garage sites are sets of garages, which are fairly well used and take some vehicles from street

parking. The sites are small and more houses would be difficult to insert and provide parking for. Using these sites for housing therefore would

create more problems than it would solve and would be detrimental to the amenity of existing housing. However, the condition of the garages

is if concern being typical of garage blocks in Warwick District which are nearing the end of their useful life and the site should be an action

activity for the Parish Council as set out in paragraph 5.1.2.

5.6.8 Site 9), St. Chad’s Road open space is a site owned and maintained by the Parish Council. Urban Vision found that the site could provide for a

development of 5 to 6 2-storey homes. However, the space is an important part of the recreational area available to surrounding dwellings and


was provided for that purpose. Since recreational space on this side of the village is very limited and this site is valued by the residents and that

the housing need identified by the housing need survey of 16 properties has already been found on site 1, the Parish Council and community

consider that the open space should be designated as Local Green Space as set out in NPPF76 and be subject to protection as that designation

implies.

5.6.9 Site 10) Wychwood Close Shops. When the first post war expansion of the village took place and Warwick District Council built some 70 Council

houses, a small retail provision consisting of 3 shops with 3 flats over was built in the centre of the village. The shops were a newsagents,

general store and butchers. In recent years, because of the spread of supermarkets and proximity of the towns combined with the car

increasing mobility, the shops lost viability. Today only one shop, the general store, remains open and that is only just viable.

At the same time, the centre of the village has little to attract people to it so it became one of the objectives in the Aims and issues Statement

to find a way of improving the centre in some way where people could meet and enjoy an enhanced central space. However, there is little

available land on which to do this. A large part of the central area is road space with a main road with traffic issues for pedestrians. The area

called the village green provides a pleasant grassed area that contributes, with the 17thC timber framed cottages on the south side of Mallory

Road, to a relatively tranquil and valued but empty space. The natural footfall to the shops is very low and except on event days when the

green is used for large gatherings (Church Fete etc) it is mainly used to walk to the post box or bus stop. The shops and flats building is on a

largish site and could provide the largest opportunity for improving the centre. It is just outside the conservation area but is not a building

worthy of being in or close to the conservation area. If a public realm review of the village centre found a way of reorganising the few

opportunities available, it may mean that as well as the retail offer being improved the 3 flats might be replaced with a larger number but this

is no means certain.

5.6.10 Site 11) Land west of 71, Mallory Road. This is an undeveloped plot between 71 and 75 Mallory Road. The owner is not currently known for

consultation purposes. The site is considered suitable for residential development with either a detached larger house or a pair of semi-

detached. For the purposes of the Neighbourhood Plan its land use will be allocated as residential.

5.6.11 Site 12) Commander Close Garage Site. This is a Garage court at the rear of properties in Commander Close. They are of the same construction

as the garages at sites 6,7 and 8 and owned by Warwick District Council. There are about 28 garages on both sides of an access road and they

back onto the car park of the Sports & Social Club. By today’s standards they are small and are nearing the end of their useful life. The Urban


Vision report considered possible regeneration incorporating some of the large gardens to the houses in Commander Close. The conclusion

was that a site that could be developed would be difficult to assemble and would have to be done as part of a larger proposal such as the 150

dwelling development on the land south of the school. In the best circumstances it would only produce 4 new dwellings. The garages that back

onto the Sports & Social Club car park are poor and if the pedestrian link from the new housing to the Meadow, Social Club and village is to be

successful then some treatment to the backs of the garages and fences to the gardens should be considered to improve the quality of this

elderly development. It was concluded that this is probably not a realistic housing site but improvement to the Meadow side of the garage

block boundary should form part of the considerations for the pedestrian link to the village by the developer of the land south of the school.

5.6.12 Site 13) BMX Track/ allotments relocation. This is land in the ownership of the Parish Council. It is part of the open space provided by the

Meadow and allotments and is currently outside the village boundary in rural area. Due to the development of the land south of the Primary

School, it is necessary to amend the village boundary around the new development.

Part of the new development will need to be additional allotments to provide for the new dwellings. The Parish Council is also considering

whether relocation of allotments around the village may be of benefit to allotment holders to reduce walking distances between home and

allotment. To the southwest of the new development, construction is restricted because there is an underground main gas distribution

pipeline with a 310m width exclusion zone either side of the main. This can be used for planting and sporting activity but not anything involving

excavations such as housing. It would be possible to relocate the BMX track to this location together with some of the allotments and might

lead to providing a site on which a community-led housing scheme on a long low-cost land lease scheme could be arranged for local people for

self-build or contractor built homes that can be afforded as ownership or rental from the Parish Council.

There are clearly many elements to resolve before any site is assembled, but to allow it to happen if the elements do fall into place, the Parish

Council considers that at this moment in the Neighbourhood Plan, the village boundary should also take in the site of the allotments and BMX

track. This would leave the Meadow recreational space in rural area and subject to rural area policies.

5.6.13 The net result of possible housing provision was concluded to be

Site1 – 150; site 4 - 12; site 11 - 2; site 13 – 25, a maximum of 189. Outline Planning approval has already been given for 156 of these.


5.7 LOCAL PLAN STRATEGIC HOUSING ALLOCATIONS

The Draft Local Plan 2011-2029 also includes 2 strategic allocation sites that have been granted outline planning permission in the last year.

These are Woodside Farm at a size of 280 dwellings and Grove Farm for 200 dwellings. These are north and south of Harbury Lane respectively

and were imposed on the Parish by the District against the views of the communities of Whitnash and Warwick as well as Bishops Tachbrook.

They thought that the environmental damage to the valued landscapes, without sufficient effort to find urban previously developed

regeneration sites for objectively assessed local housing need, did not comply with either the NPPF nor the Draft Local Plan Strategic policy DS4

Spatial Strategy sections a), d) & f) and that the additional traffic coming from all the allocated sites to the south of the towns would increase

the peak time traffic issues to unacceptable levels on all routes in the area and the towns.

6. COMMUNITY PROFILE

6.1 2011 CENSUS.

6.1.1 People. 6.1.1a The total population was 2,558. The 2001 census total was 2,513 but the 1991 census was 3,241. 6.1.1b Comparative Quinary age groups for the 3 censuses were

census

0-4

5-9

10

-14

15

-19

20

-24

25

-29

30

-34

35

-39

40

-44

45

-49

50

-54

55

-59

60

-64

65

-69

70

-74

75

-79

80

-84

85

-89

90

+

Tota

l

2011 143 169 162 152 106 104 121 204 264 230 199 152 138 142 110 84 39 25 14 2,558

2001 162 182 188 131 94 148 259 245 194 165 163 150 121 118 63 58 45 23 4 2,513

1991 185 170 201 212 190 249 230 205 223 253 222 226 186 166 134 104 51 28 6 3,241

TABLE 1 QUINARY AGE GROUPS 1991 TO 2011


6.1.1c It is commonly asserted that we have an ‘aging’ population. In Bishop’s Tachbrook the census shows that the parish had 414 people aged 65

plus in 2011. This was more than in 2001 when it was 311, but less than 1991 when it was 489. As percentages of the total population, it was 16.18% in 2011, 12.38% in 2001 and 15.09% in 1991. Although there were 10 more 90+ people in 2011 than in 2001, there were 6 less 80-84 people. So these assertions are comparative. Across the age groups, the only group that had a higher number than 1991 in 2011 was the 40-44 year olds. Whether the population is aging or not is not relevant. The facts are that in 2011 there were 414 people over 65 in the parish. The census tells us that (ref QS113&114EW) Group A There were 88 households with one person over 65 and there were 106 households of one family only, with all over 65.

Together, that must account for at least 300 of the 414 over 65’s. (88 +106 x 2 = 300) Group B There were 320 people living in households of 2 persons, where either both were over 65 or one being over 65 and the other

aged 16 to 64. This includes the 106 households in group A which are 2 person households so the remainder are households with one person over 65. Therefore, 320-212 = 108 people over 65 in this group.

Group C There were 2 other households where all persons were aged 65 plus and where the remaining 6 people live, which must be 3 over 65’s in each. (300 + 108 + 6 = 414)

At the present moment, Warwick District Council has 23 elderly persons bungalows. These are 1 bed 2 person bungalows, but although described as elderly persons bungalows, the only additional facility is the lifeline emergency response system. The number of persons in these bungalows is not known but must be between 23 & 46 an average of 35. As people age, the longer they can maintain their independence, the better for them and the caring system. Frequently they live in their family home but some may welcome the opportunity to downsize as it is easier to manage. These could be affordable homes but those with the financial resources may wish or have to buy because they do not qualify for affordable homes. So a number of up to date lifetime bungalows with some provision for early simple care support may be needed. This would enable them to move within the village retaining existing links with family/ friends/community. It would seem there is clear potential for some lifetime homes for older people. WDC Housing Department is currently asking for 2 2bed bungalows for social rented and 1 2bed affordable rented bungalow. This seems to be a low number and some could be one bed bungalows similar to the existing 23 bungalows in the village but to lifetime standards. Some


market bungalows for older people should be included. Another alternative may be to place a semidetached older persons bungalow with a semidetached larger family house, which gives some neighbourly care and company but an independent living arrangement for an older person.

6.1.1d A perceived need for housing for larger families. Anecdotally, it is thought that, because of the way that the village was enlarged post war, because most of the properties in the village are 2 &

3 bed, as families grow, they have to move elsewhere or enlarge their home. The problem with enlarging homes is that, as a larger property they become less affordable to first time buyers or are no longer available for those that would like to downsize.

There seems to be a continual number of planning applications to convert bungalows to houses or extensions up to boundaries but preventing this seems to be not controllable.

TABLE 2 DISTRIBUTION OF NUMBER OF BEDROOMS IN DWELLINGS ACROSS THE PARISH SETTLEMENTS.

BISHOP’S TACHBROOK CENSUS OUTPUT AREAS – Number of bedrooms per dwelling

Output reference

59381 59382 59383 59384 59385 59386 59387 59388 59389 village Warwick Gates

outliers TOTAL Warwick West midlands

England

Bedrooms TOTAL TOTAL TOTAL

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 2 116 5,375 54,938

% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.8% 0.8% 0.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2%

1 4 3 15 1 1 4 7 1 10 35 8 3 46 6,049 221,376 2,593,893

% 2.8% 5.6% 15.3% 0.8% 0.8% 3.5% 5.9% 0.8% 8.4% 4.9% 3.2% 5.1% 4.5% 10.3% 9.6% 11.8%

2 4 6 31 13 30 5 56 14 46 191 8 6 205 16,314 579,677 6,145,083

% 2.8% 11.1% 31.6% 10.2% 24.2% 4.3% 47.5% 11.4% 38.7% 26.7% 3.2% 10.2% 20.1% 27.8% 25.3% 27.9%

3 26 12 43 85 82 21 46 88 56 400 47 12 459 21,771 1,077,787 9,088,213

% 18.2% 22.2% 43.9% 66.9% 66.1% 18.3% 39.0% 71.5% 47.1% 55.9% 19.0% 20.3% 45.0% 37.1% 47.0% 41.2%

4 70 20 7 24 8 68 9 13 5 66 138 20 224 10,415 317,861 3,166,531

% 49.0% 49.0% 7.1% 18.9% 6.5% 59.1% 7.6% 10.6% 4.2% 9.2% 55.9% 33.9% 21.9% 17.7% 13.9% 14.4%

5 or more 39 13 2 4 3 17 0 6 1 21 46 18 85 4,014 92,833 1,014,710

% 27.3% 24.1% 2.0% 3.1% 2.4% 14.8% 0.0% 4.9% 0.8% 2.9% 18.6% 30.5% 8.3% 6.8% 4.0% 4.6%

TOTAL 143 54 98 127 124 115 118 123 119 715 247 59 1021 58,679 2,294,909 22,063,368

2011 census Mar 2011


Table 2 is an extract from 2011 census at output area for Bishop’s Tachbrook. It shows the number of dwellings with 0 to 5+ bedrooms in each

post code area, with the pink columns totalled to show the distribution in the village, the blue columns totalled to show the distribution in Warwick Gates and the green column to show outliers in the rural parts of the Parish. For comparison, the same information is given for Warwick District, the West Midlands and England. Note that area 59386 takes in Warwick Gates plus the northern part of the village & some outliers. By inspection of the map, a split of the area has been estimated between the 3 settlement areas.

If it is assumed that larger families require 4, 5 or more bedrooms, within the village only 12.1% of dwellings have this number of bedrooms. In Warwick Gates, 74.5% of dwellings have this number of bedrooms and in the rural area it is 64.4%. The average across Bishop’s Tachbrook is 30.2%, at district level it is 24.5%, at Regional level it is 17.9% and at National level it is 19%.

Thus the evidence seems to support the need for an increased number of 4 & 5 or more bed homes in the market sector of the new housing

site in the village where there is only 12.1%. 6.1.1.e Opportunities for growing families to stay in the village. This is similar to 6.1.1d except that the issues of affordability and numbers of bedrooms are different. If a family starts in a 2bed property then

as the family grows to 2 or 3 children, a 3 bed home that is affordable may be needed. Table 2 shows that within the village, the number of 2 bed homes is just below the national average. But the number of 3 bed homes at 55.9% is much higher than the national average of 41.2% and Warwick district which is 37.1%. This may indicate that the number of new market 3 beds in the new development may need to be below the average because the larger homes may vacate some existing 3 beds.

6.1.1.f An over-dominance of 2-3 bed houses. This is clearly correct. Table 2 shows that of the 715 dwellings in the village 591 or 82.6% are 2 or 3 bed. This compares with the national

average of 69.1% and the District average of 64.9%. This has been caused by past housing policies for new development to provide homes for new household formation, whereas in ‘old towns’ that have grown more incrementally, with time, housing churn gives a greater variety.

6.1.1.g Unmet need for smaller properties. Table 2 shows that the village has only a small number of 1 bedroom dwellings at 4.9% or 35 dwellings. Nationally, there are 11.8% and in

Warwick District it is 10.3%. The mix should consider whether to provide some 1 bed dwellings to improve the number in the village.


6.2 MATERIAL CHANGES TO POPULATION STRUCTURE BETWEEN 2001 AND 2011 CENSUSES

6.2.1 Table 1 Quinary Age groups, shows that from 2001 to 2011

0 to 14’s numbers fell from 532 to 474

15 to 24 age group rose from225 to 258

25 to 39 age group fell from 652 to 429

40 to 79 age group rose from 1032 to 1319 and

80 plus rose from 72 to 78. 6.2.2 Young people 0 to 14. The number of 0 to 4 year olds in Bishops Tachbrook fell over the 10 years by 11%, but the births in Warwick District had increased from 1,212

in 2001 to 1,498 in 2007, 1,545 in 2008, 1,591 in 2009, 1,555 in 2010 & 1,557 in 2011 an increase of 28.5%. This may be because those of childbearing age ie between 20 & 39 were 745 in 2001 but had fallen to 535 in 2011.

The 2001 0 to 4 cohort of 162, was still 162 in 2011. The 2001 5 to 9 year old cohort of 182, had fallen to 152 when they were 15 to 19 in 2011. Similarly, the 2001 10 to 14 cohort of 188 had fallen to 106 in 2011 and the 15 to 19cohocrt of 131 had fallen to 104. Table 1 shows the numbers back to the 1991 census. The 0 to 4’s in 1991 were 185, then 188 in 2001 and then 106 in 2011. The 5 to 9’s that

were 170 in 1991, fell to 131 and then 104 in 2011. This would appear to relate to young people moving away due to educational or employment opportunities.

6.2.3 People 10 to 24 and 30 to 34. The 3 cohort groups 10-14, 15-19 & 30 - 34 of 1991, fell by 2001 but then increased by 2011. The 20 to 24 group was the only cohort to grow

from 1991 to 2011.


From 1991 to 2001 to 2011, the 1991 10 - 14 cohort of 201, fell to 94 but then rose to 121 in 2011 , the 15-19 cohort of 212 fell to 148 then rose to 204, the 30-34 cohort of 230 fell to 194 then rose to 199. However, the 1991 20-24 cohort of 190 rose to 259 and then 264.

6.2.4 The 25-29 and all the older age groups fell from 1991 to 2001 and also fell again to 2011.

The affordable housing mix and the numbers in the documents on the planning website are shown in the affordable column in table 3.

It is for the developer to suggest what may be the best housing mix for the market homes, but if a reasonable objective is to get closer to the district average for each number of bedrooms, Table 3 suggests a possible housing tenure mix.

6.3.2 One bedroom dwellings. From 6.1.1c some older person’s market bungalows of say 6 could be provided. In addition some 14

1 bed-2 person flats/dwellings could also be provided as 6.1.1g. Table 3 shows that 20 onebed Between 1996 and 2002, Warwick Gates was built and in 2011 the number of persons measured in

the census was 689 in Warwick Gates. The part of this estate within the Neighbourhood Plan boundary was largely occupied by the 2001 census. In 2001 there were 975 dwellings and by 2011 there were 1021, an increase of 46 dwellings.

6.2.5 In 2011 the average household size in the village was 1,709 persons in 715 dwellings, a household

average size of 2.39. In Warwick Gates, 689 people lived in 247 dwellings which is 2.789 persons per dwelling. Overall the parish household size is 2.558 persons who live in 1,021 dwellings. This gives an average household size of 2.505 persons/dwelling. This is larger than the Warwick District Household size of 2.299p/d.

TABLE 3 TENURE MIX

add land south of school to village numbers

New

ma

rket

New

aff

ord

ab

le

new

vill

ag

e

nu

mb

er

Bis

ho

ps

Tach

bro

ok

Wa

rwic

k

bed

roo

ms

90 60 865 1171 58829 total

0 0 2 2 116 0

0.0% 0.0% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2%

20 7 62 73 6076 1

22.2% 11.7% 7.2% 6.2% 10.3%

11 31 233 247 16356 2

12.2% 51.7% 26.9% 21.1% 27.8%

15 19 434 493 21805 3

16.7% 31.7% 50.2% 42.1% 37.1%

28 3 97 255 10446 4

31.1% 5.0% 11.2% 21.8% 17.8%

16 0 37 101 4030 5 or more

17.8% 0.0% 4.3% 8.6% 6.9%


6.3 ASSESSING THE HOUSING TENURE MIX FOR THE 150 DWELLINGS ON THE SITE SOUTH OF THE SCHOOL.

6.3.1 The 150 dwellings will be 90 market and 60 affordable. WDC Housing have specified dwellings that would increase the 1 bed proportion from

4.9% (see Table 2) to 6.2% across the parish or 7.2% in the village settlement. This is still low compared with Warwick district at 10.3% or

through England 11.8%.

6.3.3 Two bedroom dwellings From 6.1.1e, some 2 bed market dwellings should be provided because current provision is low at 20.1% when the national average is 27.8 %.

By providing 11 2 bed dwellings, it increases the provision to 21.1%. across the parish but to 26.9% in the village. 6.3.4 Three bed dwellings. From 6.1.1d, an increase of 3 bed dwellings should be limited in order to reduce the overall percentage of 3 bed properties because we already

have 45% of the stock as 3 bed properties and larger properties may release some existing 3 beds. Table 3 suggests 15 3bed dwellings and this will reduce the stock to 42.1% across the parish, but to 50.2% in the village, compared with Warwick at 37.1% and the national average of 41.2%.

6.3.5 Four bed dwellings.

From 6.1.1.f, the current level of 4 bed homes is 21.9% in Bishop’s Tachbrook but only 9.2% in the village. If 28 4 bed dwellings are included this will raise the percentage of 4 beds to 11.2% in the village and in the parish it will be 21.8%. This compares with the national average of 14.4% and in Warwick district it is 17.7%.

6.3.6 5 or more bedrooms

From 6.1.1d, an increased number of larger dwellings would be justifiable. Currently within the village there are only 2.9% in this category. This compares with Warwick at 6.8% and national at 4.6%.. 16 dwellings increases the village to 4.3% which is about the national average, but over the whole parish it is 8.6%.


6.4 EMPLOYMENT & SKILLS

6.4.1 ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AS 2011 CENSUS.

Table 4 shows the economic activity of all usual residents aged between 16 to 74 and also all household reference persons.

Source: Office for National statistics 30 January 2013

ALL Household reference persons

All usual residents age 16 to 74 1883

% of total 1021

% of total

BISHOP'S TACHBROOK 2011 census Economic Activity QS601EW

full time

Part-time

% of active

full time

Part-time

% of active

Economically active total 1430 75.9%

762 74.6%

Economically active Employee part time 301 301 16.0% 21.0% 93 93 9.1% 12.2%

Economically active Employee full time 852 852 45.2% 59.6% 540 540 52.9% 70.9%

Economically active self-emp+employees part time 3 3 0.2% 0.2% 2 2 0.2% 0.3%

Economically active self- emp+employees full time 21 21 1.1% 1.5% 15 15 1.5% 2.0%

Economically active self-emp no emplys part time 60 60 3.2% 4.2% 25 25 2.4% 3.3%

Economically active self-emp no emplys full time 92 92 4.9% 6.4% 70 70 6.9% 9.2%

Economically active unemployed 51 2.7% 3.6% 15 1.5% 2.0%

Economically active student full time 50 50 2.7% 3.5% 2 0.2% 0.3%

CHECK TOTAL 1430 1015 364 762 625 120

employed 1379 747

Economically Inactive total 453 24.1% % of

inactive 259 25.4% % of

inactive

Economically Inactive retired 282 15.0% 62.3% 228 22.3% 88.0%

Economically Inactive student (incfulltimestudents) 59 3.1% 13.0% 1 0.1% 0.4%

Economically Inactive caring for home or family 54 2.9% 11.9% 9 0.9% 3.5%

Economically Inactive long term sick/disabled 38 2.0% 8.4% 15 1.5% 5.8%

Economically Inactive other 20 1.1% 4.4% 6 0.6% 2.3%

CHECK TOTAL 453

259


TABLE 4 ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN BISHOP’S TACHBROOK

6.4.1a Of 1,883 residents in that age group, 1,430 (75.9%) are economically active and 453 (24.1%) are inactive. Across Warwick District 71.3%

are economically active and 28.7% are inactive. In Bishop’s Tachbrook, 61.3% of all residents are in employment, 9.4% are self-employed, 2.7%

are unemployed, 2.7% are fulltime students in full time work, 15% are retired, 3.1% are fulltime students but not economically active and 4.9%

are either long term sick or carers. Comparing with Warwick District, Bishop’s Tachbrook has a higher proportion of employed people (73.2% to

68.2%), more in fulltime employment (53.9% to 52%), less unemployed (2.7% to 3%) and fewer fulltime students in work(2.7% to 3.5%).

Of those economically inactive, Bishop’s Tachbrook has a higher proportion of retired people 15% to 12.9%, fewer students 3.1% to 9% and

less long term sick/ disabled or carers 4.9% to 5.5%.

6.4.1b Of 1,021 household reference persons (HRP) of all ages, 762 (74.6%) are economically active and 259 (25.4%) are inactive. Across Warwick

District, 70.2% are economically active and 29.8% are inactive. In Bishop’s Tachbrook, 62% of all HRP’s are in employment, 11% are self-

employed, 1.5% are unemployed, 0.2% are fulltime students in full time work, 22.3% are retired, 0.1% are fulltime students but not

economically active and 2.6% are either long term sick or carers. Comparing with Warwick District, Bishop’s Tachbrook has a higher proportion

of employed HRP’s (73.2% to 68.2%), more in fulltime employment (62% to 55.4%), less unemployed (1.5% to 2.1%) and fewer fulltime

students in work (2.7% to 3.5%).

Of those economically inactive, Bishop’s Tachbrook has a lower proportion of retired HRP’s 22.3% to 24%, fewer students 0.1% to 1.7% and

less long term sick or disabled 2.6% to 3.2%.

6.4.2 2011 CENSUS - EMPLOYMENT OF ALL USUAL RESIDENTS AGED 16 TO 74

6.4.2.1 Residents of Bishop’s Tachbrook are employed in virtually all industries (see Table 5), despite the fact that employment opportunities in the

parish itself are very limited, at all levels of employment (see Table 6). The percentage of people employed in Agriculture, Manufacturing –

particularly in High Tech & other Manufacturing, Public Administration & Defence and Wholesale and Retail trade & repair of motor vehicles

and motor cycles is higher than in Warwick District whilst the percentage of people employed in construction, Information & communication,

Education, Human Health & Social Work, Arts, entertainment and recreation is lower.


Table 5 compares the industries that provide employment for the people of Bishop’s Tachbrook with those in Warwick District.

Table 6 details the occupation levels of people from Bishop’s Tachbrook and Table 7 compares Bishop’s Tachbrook with Warwick district for

types of work and jobs.

Table 5 2011 census QS605EW lists the industries in which people are employed .

All usual residents Aged 16 to 74 in employment Bishops Tachbrook Warwick District.

Total 1369 % 69608 %

A Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing 15 1.096% 339 0.487%

C Manufacturing 180 13.148% 7205 10.351% C10 - C12 Manufacturing: Food, Beverages & tobacco 8 0.584% 584 0.839%

C13 – C15 Manufacturing: Textiles, Wearing Apparel, leather & related products 5 0.365% 143 0.205%

C16 – C17 Manufacturing: wood, Paper and paper products 4 0.292% 124 0.178%

C19 – C22 Manufacturing: Chemicals, Chemical products, rubber & plastics 8 0.584% 435 0.625%

C23 – C25 Manufacturing: Low Tech 13 0.950% 683 0.981%

C26 – C30 Manufacturing: High Tech 105 7.670% 4085 5.869%

C18, 31, 32 Manufacturing: Other 37 2.703% 1151 1.654%

D Electricity, Gas, Steam & Air conditioning Supply 20 1.461% 1057 1.519%

E Water Supply; sewerage, Waste Management & Remediation Activities 6 0.438% 445 0.639%

F Construction 59 4.310% 3762 5.405%

G Wholesale & Retail trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles & Motor Cycles 216 15.778% 10306 14.806%

H Transport & Storage 50 3.652% 2211 3.176%

I Accommodation & Food service Activities 69 5.040% 3743 5.377%

J Information & Communication 65 4.748% 3896 5.597%

K Financial & Insurance Activities 42 3.068% 1999 2.872%

L Real Estate Activities 17 1.242% 923 1.326%

M Professional, Scientific & Technical activities 128 9.350% 6705 9.633%

N Administrative and Support Service Activities 64 4.675% 3005 4.317%

O Public Administration & Defence; Compulsory Social Security 81 5.917% 3407 4.895%

P Education 147 10.738% 8639 12.411%

Q Human Health & Social Work Activities 150 10.957% 8339 11.980%

R,S Arts, Entertainment & Recreation; Other Service Activities 60 4.383% 3514 5.048%


T Activities of Households as Employers; Undifferentiated Goods, Services Products 0 0.000% 55 0.079%

U Activities pf Extraterritorial Organisations & Bodies 0 0.000% 27 0.039% Crown copyright Industry (QS605EW), 2011 Census Source: office for National Statistics : last update Jan2013

TABLE 6 2011 CENSUS THE OCCUPATIONS FOR WHICH PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED.

1883 Total % of total

1. Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations 297

15.8%

1.1 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations 54 2.9%

L1 Employers in Large establishments

2 0.1%

L2 Higher managerial, administrative occupations

52 2.8%

1.2 Higher Professional occupations 243 12.9%

L3.1 traditional employees

129 6.9%

L3.2 New employees

90 4.8%

L3.3 Traditional self-employed

20 1.1%

L3.4 New self-employed 4 0.2%

2. Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations 457

24.3%

L4 Lower professional and higher qualifications 293 15.6%

L4.1 Traditional employees

217 11.5%

L4.2 New employees

44 2.3%

L4.3 Traditional Self employed

30 1.6%

L4.4 New self-employed

2 293

L5 Lower managerial & admin istrative occupations 101 5.4%

L6 higher supervisory occupations 63 3.3%

3. Intermediate occupations 269

14.3%

L7.1 Intermediate clerical and administrative occupations 175 9.3%

L7.2 Intermediate sales and service occupations 70 3.7%

L7.3 Intermediate technical and auxiliary occupations 15 0.8%

L7.4 Intermediate engineering occupations 9 269


4. Small employers and own account workers 164

8.7%

L8 Employers in small establishments 32 1.7%

L8.1 Employers in small establishments in industry, commerce, services

29 1.5%

L8.2 Employers in small establishments in agriculture

3 0.2%

L9 Own account workers 132 7.0%

L9.1 Own account workers (non-professional)

126 6.7%

L9.2 Own account workers (agriculture) 6 0.3%

5. Lower supervisory and technical occupations 137

7.3%

L10 Lower supervisory occupations 73 3.9%

L11 Lower technical occupations 64 3.4%

L11.1 Lower technical craft occupations

60 3.2%

L11.2 Lower technical process operative occupations 4 0.2%

6. Semi-routine occupations 247

13.1%

L12.1 Semi-routine sales occupations 73 3.9%

L12.2 Semi-routine service occupations 88 4.7%

L12.3 Semi-routine technical occupations 15 0.8%

L12.4 Semi-routine operative occupations 34 1.8%

L12.5 Semi-routine agricultural occupations 0 0.0%

L12.6 Semi-routine clerical occupations 32 1.7%

L12.7 Semi-routine childcare occupations 5 0.3%

7. Routine occupations 166

8.8%

L13.1 Routine sales and service occupations 31 1.6%

L13.2 Routine production occupations 21 1.1%

L13.3 Routine technical occupations 37 2.0%

L13.4 Routine operative occupations 71 3.8%

L13.5 Routine agricultural occupations 6 0.3%

8. Never worked and long-term unemployed 44

2.3%

L14.1 Never worked 30 1.6%

L14.2 Long-term unemployed 14 0.7%


Not classified 102

5.4%

L15 Full-time students 102 5.4%

L17 Not classifiable for other reasons 0 0.0% Crown copyright 2011 Census Source: office for National Statistics 1883 1883

TABLE 7 BISHOP'S TACHBROOK 2011 CENSUS OCCUPATIONS BY MINOR GROUPS (QS606EW)

Source: Office for National statistics 30 January 2013 Bishop's Tachbrook Warwick District

All usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Employment TOTAL 1369 1369 % 69608 69608 %

1 Managers, Directors & Senior officials

156 11.395% 8905 12.793%

Corporate managers and directors

115 8.400% 5998 8.617%

Other managers & proprietors 41 2.995% 2907 4.176%

2 Professional occupations

274 20.015% 17365 24.947%

Science, Research, Engineering & Technology

88 6.428% 5272 7.574%

Health Professionals

50 3.652% 3119 4.481%

Teaching & Educational professionals

59 4.310% 4360 6.264%

Business, Media & Public Service Professionals 77 5.625% 4614 6.629%

3 Associate Professional & Technical Occupations

222 16.216% 9869 14.178%

Science, Engineering & Technology Associate professionals 29 2.118% 1277 1.835%

Health & Social care Associate Professionals

14 1.023% 677 0.973%

Protective Service Occupations

18 1.315% 667 0.958%

Culture, Media & sports Occupations

35 2.557% 1614 2.319%

Business & Public Service Associate Professionals 126 9.204% 5634 8.094%

4 Administrative & Secretarial Occupations

186 13.587% 7464 10.723%

Administrative Occupations

135 9.861% 5427 7.797%

Secretarial & related occupations 51 3.725% 2037 2.926%

5 Skilled Trades Occupations

134 9.788% 6145 8.828%

Skilled agricultural and related trades

14 1.023% 648 0.931%

Skilled Metal, Electrical & related Trades

51 3.725% 2229 3.202%

Skilled Construction and Building Trades

30 2.191% 1877 2.697%

Textiles, Printing & other Skilled Trades 39 2.849% 1391 1.998%


6 Caring, Leisure & other Service Occupations

105 7.670% 5472 7.861%

Caring Personal Service Occupations

75 5.478% 3963 5.693%

Leisure & related Personal service Occupations 30 2.191% 1509 2.168%

7 Sales & Customer Service occupations

95 6.939% 4939 7.095%

Sales Occupations

79 5.771% 3902 5.606%

Customer Service Occupations 16 1.169% 1037 1.490%

8 Process Plant and Machine operatives

73 5.332% 3168 4.551%

Process Plant and Machine operatives

43 3.141% 1677 2.409%

Transport & Mobile Machine Drivers & operatives 30 2.191% 1491 2.142%

9 Elementary Occupations

124 9.058% 6281 9.023%

Elementary Trades & Related Occupations

15 1.096% 644 0.925%

Elementary Administration & Service Occupations 109 7.962% 5637 8.098%

6.4.2.2 Analysis of the number of hours worked shows that 71.07% of Bishops Tachbrook usual residents aged 16 to 74 are in full time work.

2011 census QS604EW Source: office for National Statistics Bishops Tachbrook Warwick District West Midlands England

All usual residents aged 16 to 74 in employment 1369 % 69608 % 2,536,876 % 25,162,721 %

Part-Time : Total 396 28.93% 19284 27.70% 753,192 29.69% 7,307,083 29.04%

Part-Time : 15 hours or less worked 120 8.77% 7,188 10.33% 240,502 9.48% 2,418,518 9.61%

Part-Time : 16 to 30 hours worked 276 20.16% 12,096 17.38% 512,690 20.21% 4,888,565 19.43%

Full-Time : Total 973 71.07% 50,324 72.30% 1,783,684 70.31% 17,855,638 70.96%

Full-Time : 31 to 48 hours worked 796 58.14% 40,609 58.34% 1,477,418 58.24% 14,502,713 57.64%

Full-Time : 49 or more hours worked 177 12.93% 9,715 13.96% 306,266 12.07% 3,352,925 13.32%

TABLE 8 HOURS WORKED

6.4.3 LEVEL OF QUALIFICATIONS.


6.4.3a From the 2011 census, there are 2045 people over 16 in Bishop’s Tachbrook parish. As a percentage, there were less people with no

qualification than either the National or Regional level but slightly more than Warwick District. At Level 4 qualification both Warwick district

and Bishop’s Tachbrook had a significantly higher percentage than England or West Midlands. See Table 9.

6.4.3b The 4 levels stated are a simplistic statement of a complex set of educational attainments limited to the highest level of qualification.

QS502EW contains more detail but because people could tick more than one box, they may appear in that table a number of times.

For Bishop’s Tachbrook, at level 1, 721 had 1 to 4 O levels, entry level or Foundation Diploma and 138 had NVQ Level 1. At level 2, 878 had 5+

O levels, 1 A level or higher diploma and 304 had NVQ level 2, Intermediate GNVQ, City & Guilds Craft or RSA Diploma.

162 people had apprenticeship qualifications. At level 3, 501 had 2+ A levels or 4+ As levels Higher School certificate, Advanced Diploma and

268 had NVQ level 3, Advanced GNVQ, City & Guilds Advanced Craft, ONC, OND, BTEC, RSA advanced diploma.

471 had a Degree or higher degree (MA PhD and 115 had NVQ Level 4-5 , HNC, HND, RSA Higher Diploma. 391 had professional qualifications,

395 had other Vocational or work-related qualifications. 88 had foreign qualifications.

TABLE 9 HIGHEST LEVEL OF QUALIFICATION

Highest Level of Qualification, 2011 (QS501EW) Crown copyright Source: office for National Statistics

Bishop's

Tachbrook Warwick West Midlands England

all usual residents 16 + 2045 114051 4507405 42989620

No qualifications 378 18.48% 18691 16.39% 1196794 26.55% 9656810 22.46%

Level 1 qualifications 259 12.67% 11539 10.12% 616225 13.67% 5714441 13.29%


apprenticeship 76 3.72% 3770 3.31% 150353 3.34% 1532934 3.57%


Level 4 and above 724 35.40% 43836 38.44% 1050404 23.30% 11769361 27.38%

Other Qualifications 88 4.30% 5296 4.64% 244485 5.42% 2461829 5.73%


6.4.4 METHOD OF TRAVEL TO WORK AND CAR OR VAN AVAILABILITY .

6.4.4a How people get to work is a sustainability issue. The further they have to travel, the longer it takes, the more CO2 is produced and the more

congested the roads and other travel networks become. Table 10 compares the methods of travel and the differences between Bishop’s

Tachbrook, Warwick District, the region and England.

Method Travel to work Bishops Tachbrook Warwick District West Midlands Region England

All usual residents aged 16 to 74

1,883 % % at work

102,883 % % at work

4,067,119 % % at work

38,881,374 % % at work

Work mainly at or from home

82 4.35 5.99 4,714 4.58 6.77 121,260 2.98 4.72 1,349,568 3.47 5.30

Underground, metro, light rail, Tram

0 0.00 0.00 77 0.07 0.11 6,663 0.16 0.26 1,027,625 2.64 4.04

Train 35 1.86 2.56 2,331 2.27 3.35 94,563 1.59 3.68 1.343,684 3.46 5.28

Bus, Minibus or coach 25 1.33 1.83 2,559 2.49 3.68 194,723 4.79 7.59 1,886,539 4.85 7.41

Taxi 3 0.16 0.22 148 0.14 0.21 13,319 0.33 0.52 131,465 0.34 0.52

Motorcycle, Scooter or moped

17 0.90 1.25 406 0.39 0.58 16,370 0.40 0.64 206,550 0.53 0.81

Driving a car or van 1,016 53.96 74.21 45,068 43.81 64.75 1,649,987 40.57 64.28 14,345,882 36.90 57.52

Passenger in a car or van 77 4.09 5.62 3,368 3.27 4.84 154,599 3.80 6.02 1,264,553 3.25 4.97


TABLE 10 METHOD OF TRAVEL TO WORK

6.4.4b Distance of travel to work.

From the 2001 census (2011 census data does not yet appear to be available), People travel to work as in Table 11

Work at or from home

<2km 2 - 5km 5 - 10km

10 - 20km

20 - 30km

30 - 40 km

40 - 60km

60km+ no fixed place

out of UK

offshore All people

Number of people

122 81 519 172 186 82 43 27 45 60 3 0 1340

percentage 9.104% 6.045% 38.731% 12.836% 13.881% 6.119% 3.209% 2.015% 3.358% 4.478% 0.224% 0%

TABLE 11 BISHOP’S TACHBROOK RESIDENTS DISTANCE OF TRAVEL TO WORK

Only 81 people travel less than 2 km to work apart from those that work at or from home. 519 travel between 2 to 5km, the distance to

Leamington and Warwick, a total of 53.88%. The remaining 46% work further away and only 170 do not use a car or motor bike to get to work.

Bicycle 39 2.07 2.85 2,228 2.17 3.2 50,388 1.24 1.96 742,675 1.91 2.92

On foot 66 3.51 4.82 8,358 8.12 12.01 251,452 6.18 9.8 2,701,453 6.95 10.61

Other method of travel to work

9 0.48 0.66 351 0.34 0.5 13,552 0.33 0.53 162,727 0.42 0.64

Not in employment 514 27.30 0.00 33,275 32.34 0.00 1,530,243 37.62 0.00 13,718,653 35.28 0.00 Source: Office for National statistics 30 January 2013 SUMMARY

Work at home 82 5.99 4,714 6.77 121,260 4.72 1,349,568 5.36

Train / bus 60 4.38 4,967 7.14 295,949 11.53 4,257,848 16.92

Private vehicles 1113 81.30 48,990 70.38 1,834,275 71.46 15,948,450 63.38

Walk/bike 105 7.67 10,586 15.21 301,840 11.76 3,444,128 13.69

other 9 0.66 351 0.50 13,552 0.53 162,727 0.65


6.4.4c Car & Van Availability.

Table 12 compares the availability of cars and vans between Bishop’s Tachbrook and the District, Region and Country by percentages.

1) Bishop’s Tachbrook has the lowest number of households without a car or van at 7.8% compared with England at 25.5%. 2) Bishop’s Tachbrook has 5.4% more households with 2 cars/vans rather than 1, whereas District, Region and country have between 9.6% &

17.5% more households with 1 rather than 2 cars/vans per household; 3) Bishop’s Tachbrook has the highest number of households (9.2%) with 3 cars/vans per household than the District, Region and country that

have between 2.9 and 6.7%; 4) Bishop’s Tachbrook has the highest number of households (2.9%) with 4 cars/vans per household than the District, Region and country that

have between 1.9 and 2.4%; 5) Bishop’s Tachbrook has also got the highest average number of cars/vans per household of 1.629. which is 21% more than the District, 36%

more than the Region and 40% more than England.

6.4.4c These facts confirm the rural and dormitory nature of the parish because car dependency is high due to lack of other practical alternatives to access the majority of services which are outside the parish. They also support the need to have a higher off road parking provision per household than the Warwick District standard.

Variable Bishops Tachbrook Warwick District West Midlands Region England

All households 1,021 % 58,679 % 2,294,909 % 22,063,368 %

No cars or vans in household 80 7.8 10,848 18.5 566,621 24.7 5,691,251 25.5

1 cars or vans in household 381 37.3 24,086 41.0 952,798 41.5 9,301,776 42.2



4 or more cars or vans in household 30 2.9 1,404 2.4 48,079 2.1 424,883 1.9

All cars or vans in area 1,663 79,020 2,757,999 25,696,833


Average cars or vans per household 1.629 1.347 +21% 1.202 +36% 1.165 +40%

Source: Office for National statistics 30 January 2013

TABLE 12 COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CAR/VAN AVAILABILITY

6.5 EMPLOYMENT AND BUSINESSES IN BISHOP’S TACHBROOK.

6.5.1 Bishops Tachbrook Neighbourhood Area is a rural part of Warwickshire. Its main business function is Agriculture. The area is described in

paragraph 4.4 in which Natural England describe it to be in National character Area 96: Dunsmore and Feldon, a “predominantly rural, agricultural landscape, crossed by numerous small rivers and tributaries and varying between a more open character in the Feldon area and a wooded character in Dunsmore. The area is mainly within Warwickshire, with the southern boundary delineated by the steep limestone escarpment of the Cotswolds. It is an important food producing area and the agricultural expanse of large arable fields, improved pasture and small villages forms a transitional landscape between the surrounding National Character Areas. In the south the landform becomes more undulating with low hill tops, clay vales, sparse woodland and hedgerows, now largely denuded of the large elm trees that once grew in abundance. This area is known as the Feldon and comprises most of the south-eastern part of Warwickshire. It is a rural landscape strongly influenced by post-medieval enclosures of former strip fields, heavy clay soil and frequent small, compact villages.

6.5.2 There are 25 Farms within the Neighbourhood Area with a range of specialisms. These are listed in paragraph 11.1 of the Consultation

statement. It is important that within the Neighbourhood Plan, these enterprises are supported by policies that help them to be successful. Frequently, development leads to fragmentation of farmland reducing the viability of farms and loss of open countryside. Policy BTE2 will describe how this will be interpreted for Bishop’s Tachbrook.

6.5.3 Bishop’s Tachbrook is within a short distance of Leamington Spa and Warwick and except for those that work from home, very few people

work within the parish boundary. About half the parish workforce works in Warwick or Leamington, the remainder commuting to adjacent cities and Birmingham or London. Basic analysis is set out in paragraph 6.4 and is further developed into policies in 10.3.1.


7. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

7.1 The parish of Bishop’s Tachbrook is located in National character Area 96: Dunsmore and Feldon. The detail of this is given in paragraph 4.4.

7.2 NPPF section 11. Conserving the natural environment sets out that (109) the planning system should contribute to and enhance the natural

and local environment by

a) Protecting and enhancing valued landscapes; b) Geological conservation interests and soils; c) Recognising the wider benefits of ecosystem services such as food, water, flood, disease control and recreation. d) Minimising impacts on biodiversity and providing net gains where possible to halt the overall decline in biodiversity e) Establish coherent ecological networks that are more resilient to current and future pressures; f) Prevent new and existing development from contributing to or being put at risk of adverse effects of unacceptable levels of

Soil pollution

Air pollution

Water pollution

Noise pollution

Land instability g) Remediating and mitigating despoiled, degraded, derelict, contaminated and unstable land, where appropriate.

7.3 NPPF110 – Allocate land with the least environmental or amenity value, where consistent with other policies in the Framework.

NPPF111 – Re-use Brownfield, if not of high environmental value.

NPPF112 – Take into account the economic and other benefits of the best & most versatile agricultural land. Where significant development of

agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, use areas of poorer quality land before that of higher quality.

NPPF113 – LPA’s to set criteria based policies to judge effect of development on protected wildlife, geodiversity sites or landscape areas.

Protection to relate to status of international, national and locally designated sites to give appropriate weight to their importance.


NPPF114 – Local plans should have a strategic approach for the creation, protection, enhancement and management of networks of

biodiversity and green infrastructure. NPPF115 & 116 are about national parks etc

NPPF117 – to minimise impacts on bio/geodiversity planning policies should plan for bio-diversity at a landscape scale across LA boundaries;

identify and map local ecological networks of importance for biodiversity, wildlife corridors and stepping stones that connect them and areas

identified by local partnerships for habitat restoration or creation; prevent harm to geological conservation interests; Nature Improvement

Areas in local plans should say types of development that may be appropriate there.

NPPF118 – when deciding planning applications, if significant harm from a development to biodiversity cannot be avoided (put it somewhere

else), adequately mitigated or as a last resort compensated for, then refuse it; (SSI’s); if development objective is to conserve or enhance

biodiversity grant it; incorporate biodiversity in and around developments encouraged; refuse development that loses irreplaceable habitats,

ancient woodland unless it is vital; defines special sites that have status as European sites.

NPPF119 – presumption in favour of sustainable development does not apply if Birds or Habitats Directives is being considered.

` NPPF120 – decisions should ensure that development is OK for its location after accounting for risks of pollution and land instability. Effects

(including cumulative) of pollution on health, the natural environment or general amenity and the potential sensitivity of the area or proposed

development to the adverse effects from pollution should be taken into account. Responsibility for safe development rests with the developer

and/or landowner.

NPPF121 &122 - make sure site is suitable for the new use due to contamination, mining, remediation etc with a site investigation report. 123

is about noise pollution and tranquillity, 124 is about Air quality, 125 light pollution.

7.4 WDC Local Plan 2011-2029 on the natural environment says

5.177 A healthy natural environment is of vital importance to people, places, the economy and nature itself. Need to protect & enhance it.

5.178 District has a particularly high quality natural environment. (1) Landscape characteristics based on topography, farming, history and

settlement patterns (2) nature conservation, biodiversity interests historic features including geologically and geomorphologically.


NE1- WDC will protect, enhance and restore green infrastructure at a variety of spatial scales including local and neighbourhood scales; Key

statement is protecting and enhancing existing habitats and restoring fragmented areas ensuing access to natural green space and

improvements to landscape character.

5.183 finishes with the statement that the Council will support Neighbourhood Plans that recognise the importance of green infrastructure

and the natural environment and promote policies for it protection.

5.184 use the Green Infrastructure Study 2010 and Strategy 2012 identified gaps in Accessible Natural Green space. This is where a country

park has come from.

NE2 Protecting designated Biodiversity and Geodiversity Assets. WDC will protect sites of local importance. Development will not be permitted

that will destroy or adversely effect the following locally important sites and assets unless it can be demonstrated that the benefits of

development outweigh the nature conservation value or scientific interest of the site and its contribution to wider biodiversity objectives and

connectivity. (a) ancient woodland, aged and veteran trees, (b) Local Nature Reserves, (c) Local Wildlife sites, (d) Local Geological Sites, €

protect rare species. Ecological assessment required.

NE3 is about biodiversity. New development will be permitted provided that it protects, enhances and or restores habitat diversity. – no net

loss, protect assets and manage them and avoid negative impacts, otherwise mitigate if not on site, somewhere else. This is management

speak for ignoring the problem you are trying to say that is being protected. It will not help achieve government policy to halt the net loss of

biodiversity. If biodiversity depends on connectivity of habitats how is that helped by destroying an area and moving it somewhere else given

that there are few places that are probably suitable for that purpose otherwise the species relocated would be in that location already. There is

a link reason between species and habitats. Human intervention reduces species diversity.

NE4 Landscape. New development has to positively contribute to landscape character points a) to c) are normal landscape design rules that

apply to any situation d) is about identifying impacts on existing landscape and provide landscaping to reduced impacts - it may be better to

leave it alone. e) says conserve important features f) avoid detrimental effects on features that make a significant contribution to the

character, history and setting - difficult to do without leaving it alone g) keep veteran and aged trees, woodland, hedges and enhance by


buffering or reconnecting fragmented areas. h) maintain the existence of viable agricultural units and i) be sensitive to capacity to change, be

aware of cumulative effects and guard against coalescence.

5.192 at the end says that the Council will support the identification of local areas of tranquillity, including through Neighbourhood plans,

which remain relatively undisturbed by noise and are valued for this reason.

5.193 claims that the Council has undertaken local landscape analysis with regard to its development strategy options. South of Harbury Lane

that was not done. If it had been it would have determined the same answer as the other side of the valley that was reported on and that was

highly sensitive and should not be lost. Evidence to support this statement has not been found.

NE5 Protection of Natural resources – supposedly about minerals, starts with contamination does not reduce quality of water resources. In d)

it restates the need to avoid the best and most versatile agricultural land, unless the benefits of the proposal outweigh the need to protect the

land for agricultural purposes; and finally protect minerals.

5.198 states the case for retaining best & most versatile land grades1, 2, and 3a . The strategic policies then use up all the grade 1 and most of

the Grade 2 as well as large amounts of grade 3a that are DEFRA graded in that area of Warwickshire. There will be very little, or if certain

developers get their way, none of this land will be left.

7.5 As part of the Neighbourhood Plan investigation, the Parish council commissioned a Landscape study of the whole Neighbourhood Area from

the Warwickshire County Council Landscape Architects. In the District Council Village Housing Option & Settlement Boundaries Consultation,

that study had been started for Warwick District Council. The VHO had addressed zones BT01 to 06 that are immediately adjacent to the village

had not included BT07, 08 or 16, land on the north side of the Tach Brook and south of Harbury Lane. See the map of zone boundaries after

3.3.

Because it was thought at the time of the Landscape study that area BT16 was going to be transferred from Warwick to Bishops Tachbrook and

south of Harbury Lane, the study was extended to include it, so was extra to the Neighbourhood Area .

The Landscape Study is available as Appendix NP8. A summary of the findings are in section 3 and reproduced here


3.1 The parish of Bishop’s Tachbrook lies within the Feldon landscape character area, as defined in the Warwickshire Landscapes Guidelines (1993). The landscape of the parish is very rural in character comprising, in the main, mixed farmland. It is generally a medium to large scale, open landscape. Field boundaries are mostly mixed hedgerows which have often become redundant. Tree cover varies across the parish, with Oakley Wood / Wiggerland Wood (a mixed plantation on an ancient woodland site) and the woodland of Warwick Castle Park being the only significant areas of tree cover. Other smaller blocks of trees include Highdown Hill Plantation, a block at the junction of Oakley Wood Road and Harbury Lane and around Greys Mallory. Hedgerow trees are often scattered and of mixed age, whilst trees along Tach Brook are more frequent but often over-mature, including some very old willows.

3.2 Topography within the parish is undulating, with Tach Brook running along a valley at approximately 50 – 55m above sea level. The highest ground occurs at Highdown Hill Plantation in zone BT_09, which rises to a height of approx. 95m. Several of the other zones have ground which rises to around 70-75m which gives rise to prominent skylines which would be unsuitable for development.

3.3 Views within the parish vary in extent, with some zones being quite open and prominent, such as BT_09 and BT_13, and others less visible, e.g. BT_07 and BT_14. Views are generally contained by landform and vegetation in adjacent zones but there are some longer distance views beyond the parish boundary where landmarks such as Chesterton Windmill, Warwick Castle, St. Mary’s Church and the Gurdwara Sahib are visible. Viewpoints such as Chesterton Windmill and Warwick Castle afford wide views into the parish.


MAP 5


3.4 Tranquillity levels across most of the parish are high, with few urban noise sources, limited views of development and few people. Whilst the parish is dissected by several major roads – M40, A425 Banbury Road and A452 Europa Way – these are often well screened and are generally only apparent from fairly close by. Tranquillity is lowered in the vicinity of these roads, especially the M40, due to the noise and visibility of traffic, signs etc. Tranquillity is also lowered along Harbury Lane adjacent to Warwick Gates / Whitnash and at the junction with Oakley Wood Road, due to increased traffic, noise and the edge of the urban area. However, even in these areas tranquillity is rated no lower than medium.

3.5 As the whole parish is very rural, and predominantly farmland, the zones relate both visually and functionally to each other and the wider landscape to the west, south and east rather than to the built up area to the north. For this reason it is very important to keep a green wedge, or buffer, between the village of Bishop’s Tachbrook and Warwick Gates / Whitnash and for this reason any development south of Harbury Lane should be avoided. This green wedge will serve not only as a visual buffer but also as an important wildlife corridor.

3.6 We recommend the following landscape enhancements:

Gap up and manage hedgerows to enhance field pattern and increase biodiversity value.

Increase the number of hedgerow trees by planting locally occurring native species such as oak and field maple, or encouraging natural regeneration.

Manage Tach Brook, including the trees and other vegetation, in order to increase its biodiversity potential.

Where appropriate (i.e. in those areas which form part of the Feldon Parklands Landscape Character Area) plant coverts and tree belts, or larger woodlands on rising ground.

Manage small woodlands and spinneys by coppicing.

8. HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT

8.1 Bishop’s Tachbrook has a rural history that in past times supported the lifestyle of Warwick town and Warwick Castle. Part of the

Neighbourhood Area includes part of Castle Park that was the hunting ground for castle residents. Paragraph 1.2 gives a short history of the

village setting out the way that the historical heritage that we have today came about.


8.2 It is important that the Neighbourhood Plan has special regard for the preservation of any Listed Building and its Setting as well as any features

of Special Architectural or Historic Interest that are undesignated and which deserve appropriate and proportionate consideration. This

Neighbourhood Plan includes policies which set out design principles for landscape, settlement patterns and buildings and proposes the

preparation of a local list of non-designated heritage assets.

8.3 This Neighbourhood Plan also has special regard for the need to preserve and enhance the character and appearance of the Bishop’s

Tachbrook Conservation Area, through the provision of planning policies which aim to protect and enhance historic, natural and built heritage

assets as well as the setting surrounding the conservation area. It should also consider whether there are any reasons to extend the

conservation area.

8.4 The Parish of Bishop’s Tachbrook has 32 designated heritage Assets, one being Grade I and 31 being Grade II. There are also two Historic Parks

& Gardens Registered by English Heritage one being Grade I and the other Grade II. In addition, there are 2 locally important Parks and

Gardens recognised by the District Council. Warwickshire County Council holds Historic Records of finds in Warwickshire. In Bishop’s

Tachbrook Neighbourhood Area there are 6 sites in the Bishop’s Tachbrook

part of Castle Park, 5 in the area of the Asps, 6 sites in the Tachbrook valley

between Europa Way and Oakley Wood Road, Harbury Lane and Mallory

Road (EWNS) and 43 other sites east of Oakley Wood road to Fosse Way and

around Oakley Wood.

8.5 The Grade I listed building is St. Chads parish church on the north side of

Mallory Road of mid-C12 origin. It has a long list of attributes that includes

C15 & C16 wall paintings, Stained glass windows by William Morris and Philip

Webb and a 3 storey West Tower. There are interesting and valued views

across the Tachbrook Valley from the roof of the tower. This one is towards

Leamington with Warwick Gates in the distance and Heathcote Park in the

centre of the photo. The District Councils local plan will cover the green area

causing unacceptable damage to the views across Windmill Hill and the


Tachbrook Valley.

8.6 Of the Grade II listed buildings, one is Grade II*, 12 are in the conservation area, 3 of which are two dwellings. Table 13 lists these designated

heritage Assets.

TABLE 13 BISHOP’S TACHBROOK GRADE II LISTED BUILDINGS

WDC No.

In conservation area ?

location Name Brief detail

15/93 no Banbury Road The Aspens House C17/18 2 storey, 3 bays

16/100 no Banbury Road Greys Mallory Large House 1903 Elizabethan style

16/371 No Banbury Road Barn 30m NW Newhouse Farmhouse C18 Timber frame/brick infill

16/101 No Banbury Road West & East Lodges & archway Greys Mallory Pair of cottages 1903

16/102 No Banbury Road Barn 35yd N Oakley Wood Farmhouse C17 Timber frame/brick infill

No Banbury Road Oakley Wood Farmhouse

16/94 No Banbury Road Barn 30yd NE of Hill Farmhouse C17 Timber frame/brick infill

19/95 No Banbury Road Wiggerland Wood Farmhouse C17 Timber framed cottage

19/96 No Banbury Road Cartshed/granary20yds S Wiggerland Wood Farmhouse C17 Timber framed/ brick infill

19/97 No Banbury Road Stable 8yds W of Wiggerland Wood Farmhouse C18 Sandstone with timber frame

19/98 No Banbury Road Barn 10 yds NW Stable of Wiggerland Wood Farmhouse C18 Timber framed & weatherboards

19/99 No Banbury Road Hogbrook Farmhouse C17 Rubble stone with Ashlar Quoins

15/103 No Castle Park The Hunting Lodge, Lodge Wood II* 1748 large house: coursed ashlar

16/104 Yes 9, Church Hill The Bishop’s House Circa1600 Timberframe/render panels

16/105 Yes Church Hill 15 & 17 Circa 1600 Timber frame now 2 homes

16/106 Yes Church Hill 18, Attwood Cottage C17 timber frame cottage Thatch roof

16/107 Yes 30, Church Hill C17 timber frame cottage

16/108 Yes Church Hill 32, Willow cottage C17 timber frame cottage

16/109 No Harbury Lane Mallory Court Hotel Large House C17 vernacular style

16/111 Yes Mallory Road 3 & 5 C17 two timber frame cottages


16/112 Yes Mallory Road 15 & 19 C17 two timber frame cottages

16/113 No 1, Powell Close The Cottage Small C17 timber-frame cottage

16/114 Yes Oakley Wood Rd The Leopard Public house C17 timber frame cottage

16/115 Yes Oakley Wood Rd 12, Eden Cottage C17 timber frame cottage

16/116 Yes Oakley Wood Rd 26. C17 timber frame cottage

16/117 Yes Savages Close 8 C17 timber frame cottage

16/118 Yes Savages Close The Old Manor house , 15, 1558 H-shaped plan large House

16/119 No Tachbrook Mallory Tachbrook Mallory house and The Grove Large house 1570 to 1609

16/120 No Tachbrook Mallory The Barracks 14 yds W of The Grove C17 Redbrick 2 storey, 7 bays long gallery on upper floor.

16/121 No Tachbrook Mallory Wall, gate Piers & gates 50yds N of The Barracks C18 Sandstone Ashlar gate piers & wrought Iron gates

16/122 No Tachbrook Mallory Chapel H ill Farmhouse House & medieval chapel C17 farmhouse L-shped plan

8.7a English Heritages Register of Historic Parks & Gardens of special interest in England has two Gardens in Bishop’s Tachbrook. Landscapes are

allocated grades. Grade 1 is of international importance, grade II* is of exceptional historic interest and Grade II is of special historic interest.

The Gardens are Warwick Castle and Castle Park, Warwick, which is Grade I and Mallory Court, which is Grade II.

8.7b Warwick District Council also maintains its own list of Parks & Gardens which are of historical interest but which do not currently meet the

criteria for inclusion in the national register.

These are the grounds of the Old Manor House in Savages Close, and at Greys Mallory on the Banbury Road.

All these Gardens are shown on the Neighbourhood Plan Map in light blue.

8.8 Warwickshire County Council’s Historic Records of finds and Historical Land Classification in Bishops Tachbrook are held on the Community

Profile Data files. The finds records range from aerial photos that indicate possible earthworks from the past, cropmarks, a brickworks and 2


quarries dating from 1751 to 1913AD, to finds of coins going back to Henry III, jewellery, roman and medieval pottery, flints and prehistoric

implements including a Palaeolithic hand axe. These are scattered finds across the whole of the parish up to the Fosse Way. On the Fosse, just

outside the parish boundary, a Roman Town remains is marked across the Fosse. Very likely that adjacent fields up to and beyond Tachbrook

will yield further roman finds.

8.9 300m North of St Chads Church and 500m SW of Tachbrook Mallory, there is the site of a windmill which dates back to the post Medieval

period.(1540 to 1750 AD) There is a reference to a windmill belonging to the manor in 1557 and a large mill mound at SP31316172. The field

was named as Near Windmill Field and the field to the north was known as the Far Windmill Field.

8.10 Within Oakley Wood, there are earthworks that may be the site

of an Iron Age hill fort. There is an entrenchment in good

preservation and of considerable size. It is on fairly level ground.

The camp, roughly triangular, encloses an area of about 3.75ha.

The defences, consist primarily of a rampart, protected

externally by a ditch, then, in places a second rampart and ditch.

The height of the ramparts at the north apex is 3.9m with a

breadth at the base of 8.8m. The ditch defending it measures

10.5m across. If it is a hill fort it would be late bronze age to late

iron age (1200BC to 42 AD), but it may be related to Medieval

land management. It is a scheduled Ancient Monument.


9 CONTRIBUTE TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

9.1 The Submission Neighbourhood Plan contributes strongly to the achievement of sustainable development. Paragraphs 6-10 of the National

Planning Policy Framework outline the Government’s definition of sustainable development and the policies in paragraphs 18 to 219, taken as

a whole, constitute the Governments view of what sustainable development in England means in practice for the planning system.

9.2 The UK Government’s interpretation of the concept of sustainable development builds on that of the UN resolution 42/187, which is ‘meeting

the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’

The UK Sustainable Development Strategy ‘Securing the Future’ sets out 5 guiding principles of sustainable development

1. Living within the planet’s environmental limits; and

2. Ensuring a strong, healthy and just society; and

3. Achieving a sustainable economy; and

4. Promoting good governance; and

5. Using sound science responsibly.

These principles are mutually dependent and should be sought jointly and simultaneously through the planning system, which should play an

active role in guiding development to sustainable solutions.

9.3 NPPF 7 identifies three dimensions to sustainable development - economic, social and environmental. Planning needs to perform a number of

roles in relation to these issues:


“an economic role- contributing to building a strong, responsive and competitive economy, by ensuring that sufficient land of the right type is

available in the right places at the right time to support growth and innovation; and by identifying and coordinating development requirements,

including the provision of infrastructure;

a social role- supporting strong, vibrant and healthy communities, by providing the supply of housing required to meet the needs of the present

and future generations; and by creating a high quality built environment, with accessible local services that reflect the community’s needs and

support its health,, social and cultural well- being; and

an environmental role- contributing to protecting and enhancing our natural, built and historic environment; and as part of this, helping to

improve biodiversity, use natural resources prudently, minimise waste and pollution, and mitigate and adapt to climate change including

moving to a low carbon economy. “

9.4 For development to be sustainable, then that development should satisfy the 5 principles, the 3 dimensions and the policies of paragraphs 18

to 219 taken as a whole, jointly and simultaneously.

NPPF 9 also adds seeking positive improvements in the quality of the built, natural and historic environment as well as in people’s quality of life

giving as examples

Making it easier for jobs to be created in cities, towns and villages

Moving from a net loss of bio-diversity to achieving net gains for nature

Replacing poor design with better design

Improving the conditions in which people live, work, travel and take leisure

Widening the choice of high quality homes

9.5 NPPF10 emphasises the need to take local circumstances into account so that account is taken to respond to the different opportunities for

achievable development in different areas.


9.6 Table 14 sets out how the policies and allocations in the Submission Plan contribute to these requirements for development to be considered

sustainable by reference to the Framework policies and current and emerging Local plans

TABLE 14 SUSTAINABILITY COMFORMITY

Bishops Tachbrook

Neighbourhood Plan Policies

National Planning Policy Framework Warwick District Council

Local Plan 1996-

2011(adopted 2007) - see

para 5.2.2

Warwick District Council

Draft Local Plan 2011-

2029 - see para 5.2.4

BTH1 : Location of new housing

within the growth village

a)site allocation to meet strategic

need in village

b) see BTH3 & BTH4

c) flood risk identified on this site

d) access to school required

e) pedestrian/cycleway connect to

village

f) tree belt for visual and carbon

environment see BTCC1

NPPF196- The planning system is plan-led. Plan determines

land use. NPPF 197 - presumption in favour of sustainable

development that complies with the plan. Sustainable

development definition is summarised in paragraph 9.4.

District Strategic site allocation should be objectively

assessed

NPPF chapter 10 94 to 104

NPPF 56 good design applies to rural/urban plans as well as

building or development design. It is a key aspect of

sustainable development, is indivisible from good planning

and should contribute positively to making places better for

people. Cycles NPPF35.

NPPF 109 protecting and enhancing valued landscapes

Aim1:objective 1C

Aim4:objective 4A

Aim3:objectives 3A & 3B

Aim 2:objectives 2B, 2D &

2E

DS11

BE2

DS2a DS2b

FW1

DS3c

TR1

DS3e

H4


g) housing mix to meet needs NPPF50 housing mix Aim1:objective 1C

BTH2: Bishop’s Tachbrook

settlement boundary. Contains

development except for

a) affordable rural exception site

as defined

b) rural workers dwellings defined

c) isolated homes in countryside

d) replacement dwellings

e)overall positive gain to

environment

f) character and appearance

improvement

r) reuse of redundant or historic

buildings

NPPF54 in rural areas be responsive to local circumstances & plan

to meet local need. NPPF55 Locate housing where it will enhance

or maintain the vitality of rural communities.

NPPF 54

NPPF 55

NPPF 55

NPPF58 complete for e), f) & g)

NPPF55 point 2

Aim1:objective 1B

Aim4:objective 4A

Aim4:objective 4A

Aim2:objective 2E

Aim1:objective 1C

Aim2:objective 2B, 2D

Aim2:objective 2D

Aim2:objective 2C

DS3a H10

H3

H12

H1c)V

H13

BE3

BE1

H1c)III

BTH3: Mix of Housing Types

a) affordable level 40%

NPPF 50

NPPF 50 point 3

Aim4:objective 4A, 4B & 4C

H4


b) tenure mix to rebalance village

c)provision for older people

PPG3-037

Aim1:objective 1C

H5

BTH4: Design of new housing

development

a) village overall improvement

b) integrate with existing fabric

c)close to services and facilities

d) reduce car dependency

e)create distinctive space, respect

neighbours

f) natural environment

g)recreation, play, community

health & well-being

h) accessibility & visibility, safety

g)traffic & parking

h)estate management over time

i) storage spaces for tidy estate

NPPF chapter 7requiring good design

NPPF58 complete for e), f) & g)

NPPF chapter 4 promoting sustainable transport plus reduce car

miles .NPPF 30 solutions that reduce CO2 emissions NPPF34 locate

developments where need to travel is minimised NPPF35 give

priority to pedestrian and cycle movements, minimise conflicts

between traffic and cyclists or pedestrians

NPPF relevant parts of Chapter 11 particularly 109 to 113

NPPF chapter 8 69,70, 73, 74 & 75

NPPF 69

NPPF39

Aim1:objective 1B

Aim1:objective 1C

Aim4:objective 4E

Aim3:objective 3A

Aim4:objective 4D

Aim2:objective 2B

Aim4:objective 4C

Aim4:objective 4B & 4E

Aim2:objective 2E

Aim2:objective 2A

DS3a BE2

SC0

BE1

DS3

BE1

NE1 TO 4

HS2, HS4

HS7

TR1 & TR4


j) viability of farming unit

remaining after planning

BTE1: New employment

development in growth village or

other settlements

a) not to lose dwellings

b) not to lose greenspace

c) no adverse impact on

neighbours

d) or natural/built environment

e) reuse of redundant or historic

buildings & protect conservation

areas

f) employment traffic impact

g) broadband connectivity

NPPF chapter 3 para 28 supporting a prosperous rural economy



NPPF chapter 12 131; NPPF55 point 2

NPPF Chapter 4

NPPF chapter 5

Aim1:objectives 1A & 1B

Aim2:objective 2B

Aim2:objective 2c

EC1 EC3

NE1

H1c)III

BTE2: Agricultural employment &

development

a)diversification to be land-based

NPPF 28point 2

Aim1:objective 1B

Aim2:objective 2A

EC2


rural

b) no adverse impact on

neighbours

c) to fit in with existing and not

lose agricultural production

d)protect natural environment

e) reuse of redundant or historic

buildings & protect historic assets

f) include training initiatives for

the younger generation

g) demonstrate complete

sustainability

h) broadband connectivity


NPPF55 point 2

Aim2:objective 2B

Aim3:objective 3C

Aim2:objective 2B

Aim2:objective 2C

Aim1:objective 1B

Aim4:objective 4B

NE4

H1c)III

BTCC1 : Climate change mitigation

applied to new development.

a) housing to zero carbon

standards

UN General Assembly Resolution 42/187 defines sustainable development as “Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” +UK’s 5 principles include living within earth’s environmental limits. PPG6-001 says that addressing climate change is one of the core land use planning principles. The 3 dimensions, environmental, social and economic are mutually dependent. To be sustainable gains should be sought jointly and simultaneously. NPPF 6 to 10 & 18 to 219

NPPF95. To support the move to a low carbon future, we should

Aim3 objective 3C Policy DS3)d

CC2 CC3


b) with carbon sequestration to

do so

c)only essential development that

is not carbon free to proceed

plan for new development in locations and ways which reduce CO2; actively support energy efficiency improvements to existing buildings; and when setting any local requirement for a building’s sustainability, do so in a way consistent with the Government’s zero carbon buildings policy and adopt nationally described standards.

New woodland with developments will remove CO2.

All new development produces some CO2 that

woodland can remove.

BTCC2 : Climate change and solar

power

a) not to be on best and most

versatile land nor of high

environmental land or supports

protected species

b) site not to be generally visible,

nor from nearby homes, roads or

Rights of Way

c)conserve historic assets or

settings

d)fencing and screen planting

e) underground cables

PPG 5-013 The deployment of large-scale solar farms can have a

negative impact on the rural environment, particularly in

undulating landscapes.etc

NPPF 112

PPG 5-013

NPPF55 point 2

Aim3:objective 3C

Aim2:objectiveS 2A &2B

Aim2:objective 2D

Aim4:objective 4D

Aim2:objective 2C

Aim2:objective 2D

CC2


f) biodiversity improvement

g) remove and reinstate when

defunct

h) control lighting pollution

i) flooding risk

NPPF 117& 118

PPG5-013

PPG ID31

NPPF94

Aim2:objective 2B

Aim2:objective 2D

FW1

BTRE1 : Flood risk

a)Assessment when necessary to

eliminate impact of flood risk &

managed over time

b) show mitigation measures

c) no development below flood

risk datum

d)SuDs drainage for surface

water& improve biodiversity,

amenity & water quality in Brook

NPPF94 & PPG ID7 FW1

FW2

BTRE2: Protection of land

a) outside settlement boundaries

NPPF 109, 111 to 114 Aim2:objective 2A DS4(a), (b), (c), (d),


is rural protected except as BTH2,

BTE1B, BTE2 or WDC strategic

sites

b) No development in Area of

Coalescence Protection

c) Agricultural land protected

unless WDC strategy makes it

unavoidable

NPPF 112,113,117,118

NPPF 112.

Aim2:objective 2B

Aim2:objective 2D

DS4(d)

BTRE3: Protection and

enhancement of the natural

environment (NE)

a) statement needed to show how

all policies that have NE issues are

met

b)show NE access & maintenance

& Management of NE

c) protected views

d)protect rural roads character

e) Local Green Space

NPPF Chapter 11

Plan for protection of natural environment & set

criteria based policies against which deve.lopment will

be judged

A criteria based policy

Ditto

NPPF76 & PPG 37-005 to-022

Aim2:objective 2B

Aim2:objective 2D

Aim4:objective 4D

NE1 to NE5


BTHE1: Protection of historical

assets - must have full detail and

reason for changes

a)Listed Building change controls

b) control of development in the

setting of listed buildings

c)viability for & appropriate new

use for listed building

d) special care of ancient

monuments

NPPFChapter 12 Aim2:objective 2C

HE1

BTHE2: Enhancement of Bishop’s

Tachbrook conservation area

a) enhance whole when

development occurs in part or

near

b)contribution of unlisted

buildings

NPPFChapter 12 para 127,etc

Para 17point10 conserve heritage assets in a manner appropriate to their significance, so that they can be enjoyed for their

contribution to the quality of life of this and future generations;

Aim2:objective 2C

Aim4:objective 4D

Aim2:objective 2E

HE2

HE5

BTLACV1: Protection of

community assets and Local

NPPF 70 Aim4:objective 4D HS8


Assets Of Community Value

a) community benefit can be

relocated to be considered

b) development should not

reduce community benefit

c) nomination to List of Assets of

Community Value

NPPF69 Aim1:objective 1B

BTLACV2: The provision of new

Local Assets Of Community Value

a) assess any development for the

need to provide new or reinforce

existing community assets

NPPF 70

Aim4:objective 4C & 4D

BTLWB1: Sport, recreation and

community provision

a) open space review when

developments are permitted and

funding routes established

NPPF69 & 70 Aim4:objective 4C

DS3(A), (B) & (C)

BTT1: Improving transport

provision

NPPF chapter 4 promoting sustainable transport TR1


a) development to improve public

transport, destinations &

frequency

b)provide cycle routes

c)provide safety measures to

reduce risk to people from greater

traffic impact in parish

NPPF35 points 2 & 3

NPPF37 & 38 balance of land uses to minimise car

usage

Aim3:objective 3B

TR3

BTT2: Improving road safety

a) transport assessments to show

need for improved access and

safety

b) development to finance and

complete before occupation

NPPF35 points 2 & 3


PART 3 NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN POLICIES

10 POLICY SECTION

10.1a The Neighbourhood Plan’s policies are presented in a consistent format comprising

the strategic objectives for the relevant topic (housing, rural environment, etc.)

the context and rationale for the individual policy,

the strategic basis for the policy,

the policy itself, and

an explanation of how the policy will be applied in managing future development in Bishop's Tachbrook.

10.1b Policy reference numbers all commence BT to avoid confusion with the Warwick District Local Plan policy numbers that may otherwise be very similar.

10.2 HOUSING POLICIES

10.2.1 OBJECTIVES FOR HOUSING

The Neighbourhood Plan contains the following strategic objectives for future housing development in Bishop's Tachbrook:

A. To identify locations for new housing which are supported by a majority of the community; B. To ensure that the impact of new housing development on the rural area is minimized; C. To provide homes for local people of all ages, incomes and household size; D. To ensure new housing development is designed to a high standard, is of an appropriate scale and density, is responsive to established local

built character and distinctiveness, and is environmentally sustainable.


10.2.2 POLICY BTH1: LOCATION OF NEW HOUSING WITHIN THE GROWTH VILLAGE

Context and rationale

10.2.2a The Parish of Bishop’s Tachbrook has for many hundreds of years been a multi-settlement, rural community, centred on the main village. As

times have changed, some of the settlements have gone but others have taken their place. The Neighbourhood Plan recognises these ancient

links, by:

Maintaining a distinct separation between each settlement.

Conserving and enhancing the rural and green spaces that give each settlement a separate identity.

Strengthening the links that bring the settlements together as one Parish. Today, the settlements are the main village of Bishop’s Tachbrook; Tachbrook Mallory, Woodside Farm and part of Warwick Gates; Greys

Mallory and a small hamlet at Oakley Wood, Banbury Road, close to Moreton Morrell Road. A new development at Grove Farm, south of Harbury Lane has been granted planning permission and will form a new settlement.

Warwick District Council Governance Review will change boundaries on 1st April 2015. Heathcote Park on Harbury Lane and Lower Heathcote

Farm will be brought within the Parish Boundary and Woodside Farm will be taken into Whitnash. These moves are not part of this Neighbourhood Plan which will be made for the designated Neighbourhood Plan areas. We have agreed with the respective neighbours that the policies included for the land subject to boundary changes are in accordance with their views, and the Neighbourhood Plan will be reviewed in due course to regularise the boundary change.

10.2.2b The main village of Bishop’s Tachbrook is a sustainable free-standing settlement of 737 dwellings that is required by the Warwick District

Local Plan 2011 to 2029 Publication Draft (May 2014) to meet a Strategic Policy to accommodate an additional 150 dwellings since it

identifies Bishop's Tachbrook as a Growth Village, suitable for a proportionate level of housing growth according to a range of sustainability

indicators. It is important that the Neighbourhood Plan identifies the right location for this level of growth so that it provides the right

amount of new housing at the right time. In order to be in general conformity with strategic local policy, the Neighbourhood Plan must make

provision for the level of housing growth identified in the emerging Local Plan as this should be based on the most up-to-date evidence

available.


10.2.2c New housing development in the village will meet the local needs found by the Housing Need Survey, providing the opportunity for newly-

forming households to stay in the area and for existing households to move house within the village, as their circumstances change. It will

also provide for affordable and market housing to accommodate growth in the district.

10.2.2d In November 2013 Warwick District Council published a Village Housing Options and Settlement Boundaries Consultation which identified

Bishop's Tachbrook for housing growth of 150 new dwellings over the plan period (to 2029). Working jointly with the Parish Council the

consultation had identified a preferred site to accommodate these homes and proposed a commensurate amendment to the Bishop's

Tachbrook Settlement Boundary. The preferred site (H23 in the Village Housing Options document) is known as Land South of the School and

is shown on Map 6 page 95.

10.2.2e A developer has been granted outline planning permission for 150 new dwellings on the preferred site. The Parish Council has indicated that

this is an acceptable way to deliver the required housing growth, subject to the provision of community safeguards set out in Policy BTH1 that

can be achieved through relevant planning obligations and conditions.

Strategic basis

10.2.2f Policy BTH1 facilitates the level of housing growth identified in the emerging Warwick Local Plan and identifies a site to deliver this. An

increase from 737 dwellings in 2013 to 887 dwellings (20%) over the Neighbourhood Plan period (to 2029) allows housing development which

is proportionate in scale to Bishop's Tachbrook as a Primary Service/facilities Growth Village and which could, through appropriate planning

obligations and planning conditions, enable local facilities to be improved.

This policy fulfils the Neighbourhood Plan’s Strategic Aims and Housing Objectives 3.2.1, 3.2.2, 3.2.5 and 3.2.6.

10.2.2g Policy BTH1 supports sustainable development by concentrating new housing development within an enlarged settlement boundary and may

lead to the improvement of local services and facilities. Other policies in the Neighbourhood Plan and the Local Plan will ensure that a


proportion of the new dwellings will be for groups of people with protected characteristics such as older people and people with young

children, and for those who cannot afford open market housing.

POLICY BTH1: LOCATION OF NEW HOUSING TO MEET STRATEGIC DEMAND WITHIN THE VILLAGE SETTLEMENT

a) Within the plan period new housing development will be permitted on the site South of the School, and north west of Oakley Wood Road

shown on Map 6.

b) The site will be developed in accordance with a master plan based on the principles set out in Policy BTH3 for mix of housing types and Policy

BTH4 Design of new Housing Development and produced for the planning application for detail matters.

c) Surface water drainage should include a Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) and other measures to reduce surface water run-off and to

alleviate the known and regular flood risk of Oakley Wood Road with a drainage system that connects into a reliable outfall in the watercourse

that flows towards the Tachbrook as shown on Map 7 below. In addition, a ground drainage system shall be provided to the west of the school

playing field and along the south side of the houses in Holt Avenue to drain high water table levels in that part of the development site to the

SuDS system, all to the satisfaction of the Environment Agency.

d) The access road into the site shall be of sufficient width, after allowing for street parking, to allow easy access for the school bus to deliver

children to a new rear entrance to the school with a good turning road and bus parking point. At the bus stop the pavement shall be of sufficient

capacity to ensure children’s safety getting to the school gate and the developer shall provide a new secure gated access to the satisfaction of the

school authorities.

e) The development will include a new pedestrian/cycle access from the new school entrance to the existing road to the Sports & Social Club, with

bollards to prevent misuse by motor vehicles. Relocate any allotments affected by this requirement to join the allotments to be provided to meet

open space standards for this site. Provide a new public footpath from the development to Oakley Wood, on the field side of the road hedgerow

to the southernmost point under the developers control and connect into a roadside path leading to the M40 bridge with provision for a path from

the southern side of the motorway bridge to a safe crossing point across the Banbury Road to Oakley Wood.


f) Native Tree shelter belt to be planted on southwest boundary to comply with policy BTCC1 Climate Change.

g) the 2014 Housing Need Survey identified 16 dwellings that local people may need for their family members. To meet this identified need, this development should include the following in the 150 overall housing mix proposed and this will discharge the need identified. Rented; 2 x 2 bedroom house ; 2 x 3 bedroom house ; Shared Ownership 1 x 1 bedroom bungalow Owner Occupier; 3 x 2 bedroom house ; 7 x 4 bedroom house ; 1 x 4 or 5 bedroom house

10.2.2h Application of Policy BTH1

Policy BTH1 is specific for the preferred site to meet the WDC strategic policy for Bishop’s Tachbrook DS11 site H23 and is in conformity with

WDC Policy H1(b) and H10 rural housing, with additional requirements to meet the Neighbourhood Plan.

All other proposals for housing development to meet the District Council’s housing strategy in the Bishop's Tachbrook Neighbourhood Area

will be considered against Policy BTH4. Other proposals for new housing not in that strategy will be not be permitted, except where

permitted by Policy BTH2. Policy BTH1 requires the design of the development to follow good practice principles of urban and architectural

design as detailed in Policy BTH4.

The Parish Council will work collaboratively with appropriate partners – public, private or third sector – to deliver the housing development

identified in Policy BTH1 so that appropriate improvements to village infrastructure, services and facilities can be achieved through planning

obligations and planning conditions or other agreements.


Map 6 : Bishop’s Tachbrook Settlement Boundary

Boundary Primary School Conservation area

New Residential Historic garden


Map 7 Environment Agency Surface water run-off flood risk map for Preferred Option site BTH1


10.2.3 POLICY BTH2: BISHOP’S TACHBROOK SETTLEMENT BOUNDARY


10.2.3a Bishop's Tachbrook is located approximately 1km south of the urban area of Warwick / Leamington Spa. The land between the village and

the main urban area is rural and in agricultural use which serves to separate the two built-up areas with open farmland comprising fields

defined in part by hedgerows with trees. This land provides an important visual amenity and consultation showed that the local community

places high to very high value on the open nature of this land and is strongly of the view that it should remain undeveloped.

To comply with the Draft Local Plan, Strategic policies DS3 d) protecting areas of significance including high quality landscapes and DS4 d)

limiting development on sites which would lead to coalescence of settlements to ensure settlement identity is retained will be applied on

rural areas north of the village settlement boundary.

The rural nature of the parish is a substantial part of its character and history, making it an essential component of the heritage of the Parish

that should be considered relevant to policy BTRE3. The distance between settlements that could reasonably said to be the minimum

necessary to prevent coalescence is considered by the communities of Bishop’s Tachbrook, Whitnash and Warwick Gates to be all land South

of Harbury Lane, due to visibility from long distance views across the valley. With the permissions that have recently been granted for Grove

Farm and Lower Heathcote Farm any further permissions for more housing reaching down to the Tach Brook should only be granted in very

special circumstances and after all other urban, regeneration and brownfield locations have been utilised.

The Area of Coalescence Protection will be between Europa Way/Banbury Road and Oakley Wood Road from the northern village

settlement boundary and the north side of Mallory Road up to Harbury Lane or its recent southern permissions, plus all areas to the east of

Oakley Wood Road from the northern village settlement boundary to the north east corner of the conservation area boundary due east to

the southern corner of Whitnash where it meets the northern corner of the sports ground on the north east side of Harbury Lane, as shown

on the map following. The area is shaded pink and bound by an orange line.


Map 8 Area of Coalescence Protection.


10.2.3b This approach is supported by the recommendations of the Inspector at the Inquiry into objections to the Local Plan that was adopted in

2007. Extracts from the Inspectors report that relate to Site A which comprises 2 fields totalling 2.4 ha on the eastern side of Oakley Wood

road to the north of Savages Close and site B which is a 1.8ha rectangular site lying to the west of the Leopard Inn and north of Croft Close

are quoted here.

12.3.12 For Site A, I do not consider such development would be appropriate for a number of reasons. Firstly, the site is highly prominent at the northern

entrance to the village. This is clearly demonstrated in Photograph 1 supplied by the District Council and appended to its further written statement. It

would erode the gap separating Bishops Tachbrook from Whitnash, setting a precedent for development in this sensitive location that could over the

course of time lead to the settlements merging. Secondly, it would not accord with the thrust of emerging Local Plan policy. In compliance with

national and strategic guidance, that framework seeks to concentrate most new development into the urban areas of the District and onto previously

developed land. There would be direct conflict with the terms of Policy RAP2 which, in allowing limited growth to meet local needs in villages like

Bishops Tachbrook has drawn the village envelope boundaries tightly around the existing built-up area. Thirdly, as regards the market housing

element of the proposals, the District has already exceeded its strategic housing target. There is clear evidence of an oversupply of housing. This led

the planning authority in 2005 to introduce a Supplementary Planning Document ‘Managing Housing Supply’ to reduce the future supply of urban

windfall sites. And in terms of housing needs beyond 2011, the housing requirements of the District are uncertain pending completion of the partial

review of the RSS. Current indications are that urban brownfield sites will be able to satisfy the bulk of additional housing needed beyond 2011. Any

greenfield releases should be done through preparation of a DPD where a comparative analysis can be undertaken in the context of a sustainability

appraisal and public consultation. And fourthly, the site does not adjoin the village envelope to the south. In the Revised Deposit Plan, land at

Savages Close is excluded. In my report I have already endorsed that alteration from the adopted Plan. Consequently, Site A would not relate well to

the village envelope but would be out on a limb.

12.3.13 Turning to Site B, this 1.8ha rectangular site lying to the west of the Leopard Inn and north of Croft Close is promoted as an affordable housing site.

The land is accessed via a driveway leading between domestic garages. It extends as far north as the Tach Brook and is enclosed by mature hedging.

It was formerly part of Church Farm, and subsequently Wyslade Farm. Owing to its size and location it has not been used for agricultural purposes

for more than a decade. The topography and screening is such that development in this location would be out of sight of much of the village, although

it would be seen from Croft Close to the south and from Brookside Farm and the bungalow immediately to the north of the Tach Brook.

Approximately half of the site is owned by the objector’s family who still have local connections. Located less than 5km from Leamington Spa it is

argued that it could provide affordable housing for key public sector workers and for people employed at Trident Business Park, Gallagher Business

Park, Spa Business Park and Warwick Technology Park. The objector says that his family is willing to enter into discussions with the District Council

to sell the land at a discounted rate (as has been done, for example, by Herefordshire Council) to enable affordable housing to be provided.


12.3.14 I see no reason to allocate this land for affordable housing or to include it in the village envelope. Like Site A, it would extend the compact form of

the settlement boundary northwards in a linear fashion, eating away at the relatively narrow gap that maintains the separate identities and integrity

of Bishops Tachbrook and Whitnash. While there is an undeniable need for many more affordable homes throughout the District (and some of this in

the rural areas), I believe this should be addressed through the use of previously developed land within the settlement boundaries of the Limited

Growth Villages, rather than by taking greenfield sites into the village envelope and then allocating them for low cost housing. Alternatively, if no

brownfield land is available then the ‘rural exception’ provisions of Policy RAP5 should be applied. But, as the District Council says, a strong and

convincing case would need to be made before such land could be released. I note that the precise needs of Bishops Tachbrook have not been

identified through a parish or village appraisal. The consultation draft of PPS3 indicates that: “Local planning authorities should consider, in

applying the rural exception policy, the need to meet the needs of the rural economy, and in particular the needs of households who are either current

residents or have an existing family or employment connection, in order that the rural communities remain sustainable, mixed, inclusive and

cohesive.” The essence of national policy is that rural housing should meet rural needs, not general needs arising from the urban area no matter how

close.

12.3.16 I note that Sites A and B were included in the Omission Sites Consultation exercise. This resulted in 5 objections to Site A with no supporting

representations, and 7 objections in respect of Site B with, again, no letters of support. Those objections are indicative of public feeling. They

reinforce my overall conclusions that neither of these potential housing sites, nor Site C, should be allocated for development and/or be included in

the village envelope for Bishops Tachbrook. I also consider it would be inappropriate to include other areas on the margins of the settlement but

outside the defined policy boundary, including the existing playing fields on the south-east side of the village.

10.2.3c The Settlement Boundary shown on Map 6 accommodates the required new housing growth without encroaching on open farmland to the

north of the village, whilst also ensuring that the village remains a compact settlement. The new housing is located within a convenient,

walkable distance to village services and facilities.

10.2.3d Outside the Settlement Boundary, new housing development is controlled by the Affordable Housing on Rural Exception Sites policies H1 &

H3 in the Local Plan. A rural exception site should be within or on the edge of a settlement. In order to compensate for their relative isolation

from existing services and facilities such developments will be required to achieve an enhanced standard of environmental sustainability and

Policy BTH2 requires any development proposal of this nature to demonstrate this. In view of the visually prominent or sensitive nature of

the land where such proposals may be made, developments on Rural Exception Sites will also be required to make a positive contribution to


the character and appearance of the area and restrict the number of dwellings to a maximum of three. Also, because of the impact on the

environment of Bishop’s Tachbrook of such developments no other market homes will be permitted for any reason.

10.2.3e Sometimes, historic buildings become redundant and conversion for residential, employment or other purposes provides a means to secure

their preservation. Opportunities to preserve such buildings through beneficial re-use will be considered positively, providing other criteria

defined in Policy BTH2 can be satisfied.

Strategic basis

10.2.3f Warwick District Council’s publication Draft Local Plan based on the Village Housing Options and Settlement Boundaries Consultation (2013)

suggests an amendment to the Bishop's Tachbrook Settlement Boundary dependent on the finally agreed layout for an outline planning

application, which coincides with the boundary shown in Map 6. This boundary will be included in the Warwick District Council Local Plan.

The Neighbourhood Plan formally designates this boundary.

10.2.3g Community consultation for the Bishop's Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan revealed a unanimous preference that the village should not merge

with the urban edge of Warwick / Leamington Spa.

10.2.3h The Warwick District Local Plan 2011 to 2029 Publication Draft (May 2014) is the emerging Local Plan. This proposes a new country park

between the urban edge of Warwick / Whitnash and the village of Bishop's Tachbrook in order to provide a permanent, landscape buffer

between the two. The Bishop's Tachbrook Settlement Boundary will ensure that the village does not expand northwards to reduce the buffer

of open land between the two built up areas. However, the proposed line of the country park east to west is a thin slither of land on a

relatively steep gradient falling towards the brook on land that cannot be built on. It is at the lowest point of the valley and any tree belts that

may be planted will not screen the housing from views across the valley. It will destroy the highly valued landscape of the Tachbrook Valley

and is not compliant with the WDC strategic policies DS3 d) or DS4 a), d), or f). It is not supported by the communities of Bishop’s Tachbrook,

Warwick Gates, Heathcote Park, Whitnash or South Warwick. If the Country Park is to be built at all, then it needs to safeguard the whole of

the remaining area of the north bank of the Tach Brook Valley from the brook to the housing line that has been granted permission so far on

Grove and Lower Heathcote Farms as well as the former sewage works. This can be done by reallocating the remainder of the current

strategic plan south of Harbury Lane on to land west of Europa Way and north of Gallows Hill made available from the relocation of


employment land to Stratford Road as set out in the Stratford Road consultation amendment to the draft local plan and by accounting for

635 dwellings completed, under construction or granted permission through delegated powers, permitted developments or Building

Regulation approvals that are not included in the current component of supply.

10.2.3i A compact settlement with no development on the northern (Warwick) side of the village would accord with both local strategic policy and

also the local community’s preference. In addition it would help achieve sustainable development by ensuring the new housing growth is

located close to existing village services and facilities. Any development within the area of coalescence protection would cause serious harm

to the setting of the conservation area and to the character of the entrance to the village from Leamington and the natural environment as

well as the valued landscape views from the Leopard country pub towards the east that supports this rural enterprise so would be contrary to

NPPF 28 points 2, 3,& 4 and 109 points 1 & 5.

10.2.3j Very occasionally, cases arise where small scale development outside the Settlement Boundary may be appropriate. Policy BTH2 provides

criteria to determine when such cases are justified as NPPF54. The National Planning Policy Framework 55 requires isolated homes in the

countryside to be truly outstanding in their design.

POLICY BTH2: BISHOP ’S TACHBROOK SETTLEMENT BOUNDARY

The Bishop's Tachbrook Settlement Boundary is shown on Map 6. Housing development proposals outside that Settlement Boundary will only be

permitted in locations that are

1. strategic sites in the WDC Local plan 2011-2029; or

2. not in the Area of Coalescence Protection north of the village (see 10.2.3a) and only if it can be demonstrated that

a) the development is for affordable housing in perpetuity; and on a rural exception site not exceeding 3 dwellings located within, or adjoining, an existing settlement; and where it can be demonstrated, by a new housing needs survey, that it is essential to meet the needs of the local community by accommodating households who are either current residents or have an existing family or employment connection and no other affordable housing is available for people with local connections within the parish. No additional market homes will be allowed for any reason; or

b) the development is for rural worker’s dwellings where it is demonstrated that it is essential for the/those operative(s) to be always


available to enable the particular rural activity to be effective, that the activity is continuous & not seasonal, and suitable accommodation is not available within 2 miles of the workplace; or

c) the development is a new isolated home in the countryside complying with NPPF55, to be truly outstanding or innovative in its design without any intrusion into the landscape, distant or protected views or alteration to the defining characteristics of the area and which significantly raises the quality of its immediate setting ; or

d) in the case of replacement dwellings, they do not exceed the footprint area or height of the dwelling to be replaced; and, for all cases,

e) the development makes an overall positive gain to environmental quality as the Framework defines sustainability (NPPF 6 to 10); and

f) the development enhances the character or appearance of the area; and

g) where relevant, the development brings redundant or vacant historic buildings back into beneficial re-use and enhances the immediate setting.

Policy BTH4 will apply to the Design of any new development.

10.2.3k Application of Policy BTH2

Policy BTH2 replaces WDC Policy H3 for applications within Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Area and seeks to focus any new development to be within the village or other residential settlements set out in 10.2.2a and to prevent the dispersion of new development around the parish. It recognises that some minor development in other parts of the parish may be necessary to deliver some affordable housing on rural exception sites, for rural workers or where existing dwellings are being replaced. Such developments must demonstrate high standards of environmental sustainability, preserve and enhance the quality and character of the wider landscape or, where relevant, bring redundant historic buildings back into beneficial re-use.

The Warwick District Council Local Plan will continue to provide

the overall policy framework for the provision of affordable housing

Policy H10 for allocated sites in Growth villages within the Warwick District Council Local Plan

Policy H12, and BTH2b will apply in addition for rural workers

Policy H13, and BTH2c will apply in addition for replacement dwellings in the open countryside

Policy H14 Extensions to dwellings in the open countryside.

and if there should be disagreement between the Local plan and the Neighbourhood Plan, the Neighbourhood Plan requirement will take precedence.


10.2.4 POLICY BTH3: MIX OF HOUSING TYPES


10.2.4a A Housing Needs Survey for Bishop's Tachbrook was commissioned by the Parish Council for the Neighbourhood Plan and the report was

published in January 2014. The full report is at Appendix NP3. Responses were received from 234 households (23% of those surveyed).

Owner-occupiers represented 92% of respondees; people renting or with shared ownership represented 7 % of respondees. The conclusions

were that

there is a need for 16 new homes in Bishop's Tachbrook for local people; and

local housing needs should be accommodated within the housing sites coming forward to meet the requirements of the emerging Local Plan

within the Bishop’s Tachbrook Village settlement boundary.

The affordable housing needs identified were for 2 x two-bedroom rented houses, 2 x three-bedroom rented houses, 1 x one-bedroom

shared ownership bungalow, and the market housing need was 3 x two bedroom owner-occupied houses, 7 x four-bedroom owner occupied

houses, and 1 x four- or five-bedroom owner occupied house. This provision will be satisfied by their inclusion in the site allocated in Policy

BTH1. Any rural exception sites in the future will have to be tested against a new Housing Needs Survey.

10.2.4b This housing mix is intended to adjust the village housing mix to be closer to the District wide housing mix.

10.2.4c Key issues identified during the consultation process that will be addressed by Policy BTH3 are:

The village had 414 people aged 65 plus in 2001. This is addressed in paragraph 6.1.1c.

A perceived need for housing for larger families. This is addressed in paragraph 6.1.1d.

Opportunities for growing families to stay in the village. This is addressed in paragraph 6.1.1e.

An over-dominance of 2-3 bed houses. This is addressed in paragraph 6.1.1f.

Unmet need for smaller properties. This is addressed in paragraph 6.1.1g.


Strategic basis

10.2.4d The emerging Local Plan Policy H4 contains the policy framework for securing a mix of market housing and to take account of up-to date

housing need assessments in rural areas.

As a rural area, new housing provision will only be permitted within the settlement boundary or in WDC Local Plan Strategic Site allocations

except for sites complying with policy BTH2.

POLICY BTH3: MIX OF HOUSING TYPES

Proposals for new housing development must demonstrate how the type of dwellings provided will help ensure a balanced mix of housing for

Bishop's Tachbrook. 40% of the development will be affordable homes to the tenure mix required by the WDC Housing department. For the site

south of the school in BTH1, market housing will be generally to the tenure mix suggested in Table 3 of paragraph 6.3 of this Neighbourhood Plan

which is written for the site in BTH1 but to form the base of any housing mix on other sites, to provide

dwellings designed for older persons as one or two bed bungalows to Lifetime Standards, clustered to enable early care of elderly

residents, providing accessible dwellings suitable for “down-sizing” or as purpose-designed accommodation for older persons, with

provision for minimum age of 55 to qualify and for sale or rent to local people in perpetuity;

one bedroom/2 person dwellings for smaller households in one or two storey provision;

two and three bed dwellings in terraces not exceeding 5 dwellings or semi-detached;

four or more bedrooms in semi-detached or detached dwellings.

Where compliance to within 10% of the suggested mix is not to the advantage of the village, parish or prospective occupiers of the development,

reasons for departure from the mix will be positively considered.

Warwick District Council Strategic sites outside the village boundary will be subject to the Local Plan policy H4.


Application of Policy BTH3

10.2.4e Policy BTH3 seeks to ensure that Bishop's Tachbrook remains a sustainable settlement with a balanced provision of housing, including

dwellings suitable for occupier groups who may otherwise experience difficulties in accessing suitable housing in the parish. The housing mix

suggested is intended to rebalance previous enlargements of the village that has led to age stratification of the residents and make the

housing offer more flexible, particularly for local people.

10.2.4f Working collaboratively with the developer, through the housing policies of the Neighbourhood Plan, it is intended to meet both the Housing

Need Survey 2014 established local housing need and the Warwick District Local Plan Strategic need to meet the objectively established

housing need of the district.

10.2.5 POLICY BTH4: DESIGN OF NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT


10.2.5a Bishop's Tachbrook is a village with a distinctive rural character and a historic core. It is important that all new housing development is well

designed and integrates well with the existing village both in terms of design and community cohesion. The selection of the strategic village

site from the options that were available had this consideration at its centre to absorb a new influx of housing into the community the best

way to maintain and enhance the quality of the built environment in the village without losing too much of the environment that the people

in the village value. Objective BTH4 of this Neighbourhood Plan is “To ensure that new housing is well designed and respects its local

setting”.

Strategic basis

10.2.5b Good design is indivisible from good planning. The National Planning Policy Framework recognises that well-designed buildings and places

improve the quality of people’s lives and that it is a core planning principle always to secure good design, particularly where developments

are in an isolated location. Neighbourhood plans should develop robust and comprehensive policies that set out the quality of development

that will be expected for the area. Such policies should be based on stated objectives for the future of the area and an understanding and

evaluation of its defining characteristics.


10.2.5c The emerging Warwick Local Plan promotes the delivery of new development which delivers high quality layouts and design and integrates

well with its setting. Good design is a key element in achieving sustainable development. It is the District Council’s wish that by 2029

Warwick is known for its sustainable garden towns, suburbs and villages. Policy BTH4 is intended to help deliver this aim in Bishop's

Tachbrook.

10.2.5d Building For Life 12 is the national standard against which proposals for new housing development can be assessed. Policy BTH4 draws on

the design principles which underpin the Building For Life 12 Standard.

POLICY BTH4: DESIGN OF NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

Proposals for new housing development, including inside the settlement boundary, must demonstrate how they will improve Bishop's Tachbrook

as a sustainable ‘garden village’ and have regard for policy BTH3. New housing developments must

1. Be well integrated with their surroundings by reinforcing existing connections and creating new ones; and

2. Provide convenient access to community services and facilities; and

3. Have good access to public transport or otherwise help reduce car dependency through pedestrian paths and cycleways to other parts of the village and/or urban locations; and

4. Provide a mix of housing types and tenures that suit local housing needs as set out in policy BTH3. Provision of some allocation for selfbuild will be encouraged; and

5. Create a place with a locally inspired or distinctive character; and where new housing is within 100m of existing housing boundaries, it shall be single storey to minimise impact on neighbours; and

6. Take advantage of the local topography, landscape and water features, trees and plants, wildlife habitats, existing buildings, site orientation and microclimate; and

7. Provide buildings, landscaping and planting to create well defined streets and spaces and meet the open space requirement for recreation, children’s safe play areas and allotments within the development, with contributions for children’s play equipment if it is not provided in the development; and

8. Take advantage of views into and out of the site in order to make the development easy to access and to navigate through; and

9. Provide streets which encourage low vehicle speeds and which can function as safe, social spaces; and


Application of Policy BTH4

10.2.5e The Design and Access Statement submitted with planning applications for housing development must show how the design of the proposed

development satisfies Policy BTH4 and responds to each of the principles set out in it. This should be tested against a peer review of the

design of the development carried out by an independent design review panel, the reviewer panel to be agreed before it is undertaken.

10.2.5f Although community consultation revealed strong support for the principles of reducing car dependency and reducing the impact of car

parking it was also clear that in a rural area the need for the car is important. That is why urban sites are preferable for new housing rather

than rural areas.

10.3 EMPLOYMENT POLICIES

The strategic objectives for new employment and business development are

A. To facilitate new jobs for the local community; B. To reduce travelling to work; C. To improve the range of local services and facilities available to local residents; D. To facilitate the provision of high speed broadband for new and existing businesses.

10. Integrate car parking within landscaping so that it does not dominate the street and provide at least one off-road parking space for each bedroom provided up to 3 bedrooms and then half a space per bedroom to the nearest whole number thereafter, including any garage(s)or carports; and

11. Clearly distinguish between public and private spaces, provide appropriate access, and enable the site to be well managed and safe to use; and

12. Provide convenient, well-screened storage space for bins and recycling, and for bicycles and motor vehicles; and

13. where developments lead to fragmentation of farming units and land that would otherwise remain as unviable agricultural units, include proposals for making it available for student related agricultural starter units as described in policy BTE2(f).

An independent design review report must be submitted with all planning applications for housing developments of more than 8 dwellings.


10.3.1 POLICY BTE1: NEW EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT


10.3.1a From paragraphs 6.4 and 6.5 it is clear that the Bishops Tachbrook community has a wide range of knowledge, experience and workplace

skills that are needed away from the village. About half of the jobs they do are in the urban areas of Warwick & Leamington, whilst the

remainder travel further away facilitated by the proximity of the motorway network or good rail services to Birmingham or London. Of the

1,430 economically active 16 to 74 year olds, only 51 (2.7%) were unemployed at the time of the 2011 census. It has been policy for the

District to provide employment sites within urban locations to ensure jobs are where people live to reduce travel implications of CO2

emission, costs, time and congestion. The community recognises the benefits of thriving local businesses but that the current employment

provision meets the majority of their expectations while giving them the benefit of a life within a rural area.

10.3.1b Young people can find it difficult to find their first job where they can develop workplace skills. The local community believes that local

businesses should be supported, so that more jobs can be provided for local people and school leavers moving into the workplace for the first

time.

10.3.1c There are not a large number of businesses within the parish of Bishop's Tachbrook. Farming is the largest land use but with modern

machinery, the work content and labour requirements are low. The 25 farms in the parish register only 16 people from Bishops Tachbrook in

agricultural work. The total number of fulltime equivalent jobs from these farms is not known but this may mean that some employees come

from surrounding locations. A major employer for residents is Jaguar Land Rover at Gaydon and 7.6% of the workforce is employed in High

Tech Manufacturing. Another major business is the Guide Dogs for the Blind National Breeding Centre but employees will tend to be

specialist and live anywhere in the district.

10.3.1d High speed broadband is important to any development of the parish. Businesses without good broadband and those that wish to improve

work life balance and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by working from home are at a disadvantage. Access to high speed broadband is seen

as a priority to ensure local businesses thrive so any proposals must demonstrate that good broadband is available or will be installed.


10.3.1e Unemployment in Bishop's Tachbrook is low (2.09% in 2001; and 2.7% in 2011). Whilst this Neighbourhood Plan does not allocate sites for

employment development, it seeks to support the viability of existing local businesses and their expansion where this is proportionate and

appropriate in the individual circumstances.

Strategic basis

10.3.1f Both the emerging Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework encourage and promote sustainable economic growth in rural

areas. The National Planning Policy Framework states that planning policies should support economic growth in rural areas through the

sustainable growth of local businesses and the retention and development of local services and community facilities (paragraph 28).

10.3.1g The emerging Local Plan encourages new employment development in Growth Villages, which include Bishop's Tachbrook, and the

diversification of agricultural and other land-based rural businesses, providing such developments are sustainable and do not generate

unacceptable levels of traffic and do not adversely affect the landscape and character of the area. These are generalised statements open to

interpretation.

10.3.1h The community considers that for Bishop’s Tachbrook, whilst supporting NPPF28 - To promote a strong rural economy, in the ways

suggested, this Neighbourhood Plan should take into account that it is a rural parish and the majority of residents are employed in a range of

non-rural occupations in locations relatively close but outside the Neighbourhood Area. Of itself, that demonstrates the rural economy of

Bishop’s Tachbrook is already strong and that any new business proposals should be related to the need to retain and grow the agricultural

economy and retain the land necessary to do so.

10.3.1i This Neighbourhood Plan therefore has two equally important policies, one (BTE1) to support sustainable environmental, social and

economic growth in the rural area that does not reduce the successful agricultural contribution to the economy of the country and the other

(BTE2) to provide a framework for the development of agricultural and rural businesses requiring land for that purpose and not for resale.

Both policies should require restrictions on the impact of any development on the open countryside and the area of coalescence protection.


POLICY BTE1: NEW EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT

A Within the growth village of Bishops Tachbrook or in existing or new settlement areas of Grove Farm or Woodside Farm, proposals for the

development of new small businesses and for the expansion or diversification of existing businesses will be permitted, providing that

a) There is no net loss of dwellings because of the development; and

b) There is no net loss of agricultural land, open or recreational space or local green space because of the development; and

c) it can be demonstrated that there will be no adverse impact resulting from increased traffic, noise, smell, lighting, vibration or other emissions or activities generated by the proposed development likely to be a nuisance to neighbouring residents ; and

d) no adverse impact on the natural or built environment will result from the development proposed; and

e) where relevant, opportunities are taken to secure the re-use of historic buildings, vacant or redundant, as part of the development and if it is within the Conservation Area or within the setting of the Conservation Area it shall be of a form, scale and appearance that contributes to the quality of its immediate surroundings and the whole of the Conservation Area; and

f) it will provide free off-street parking spaces that are sufficient for the customers and employees of the new or enlarged or diversified business based on the District Council planning parking policy uplifted by 50%. Full assessment must be made of any access and parking of all delivery vehicles that the development will need and demonstrate how it will be provided including an assessment of the capacity of any related public roads.

g) provide a Connectivity Statement setting out how Highspeed broadband is or will be provided to the development.

B Outside the growth village of Bishops Tachbrook or outside existing settlements or the new settlement areas of Grove Farm or Woodside Farm, or outside the Area Of Coalescence Protection north of the village ( in which no new small business development will be permitted) , proposals for the development of new small businesses or for the expansion or diversification of existing businesses that are not directly related to agricultural activities may be permitted, providing that the qualifications a) to g) in section A of this policy are met and the business is not located within a farming complex then

a) for a new development in the countryside, the design shall be truly outstanding in its design without any intrusion into the landscape,

distant or protected views or alteration to the defining characteristics of the area and shall significantly raise the quality of its immediate setting; and

b) the size of the new small business will relate to the surrounding landscape, hedgerows, habitats, woodland, soils or topographical features in a way that does not dominate or diminish the existing character of that location; and

c) it shall be set back from any rural road or access route and screened with woodland shelter belt planting on all sides that the development


can be seen from elsewhere in the open countryside, with bends in the development access road so that a direct view of the development is not visible from the public highway; and

d) any Rural Roads leading to the development shall be safeguarded and development will not be permitted that would require modification to rural roads in a way that would change the character of those roads in the vicinity of the development; and

e) any highway or other signage relating to the development is discrete, limited in size and number but must also be relevant.

Application of Policy BTE1

10.3.1j In applying policy BTE1, the aim is to facilitate new small business employment within Bishops Tachbrook which is appropriate in scale, that

protects and respects both the natural and historic environment. The term ‘New small rural business’ shall mean the five business areas of

farm competiveness, agri-food, tourism, forestry, and micro enterprise, which the governments Rural Economy grant scheme might support.

Development considered against Policy BTE1 must be of a scale and intensity appropriate to the context of its location, not having any

detrimental impact on residential or visual amenity and no adverse effect on the natural, built or historic environment, supporting and not

detracting from the rural and agricultural character of the neighbourhood area. This is particularly important on the Banbury Road for its

entire length from Wiggerland Wood in the east and Castle Park in the west that already supports rural tourism and leisure developments at

Warwick Castle, benefiting businesses in Warwick and the rural area to its south.

10.3.1k Any developments permitted by this policy will be in remote locations where the only access will be by car. Car parking within the village

particularly around its centre is almost negligible so it is essential that any additional business developments do not exacerbate the current

parking problem and must therefore provide sufficient off-road parking for cars and delivery vehicles that can also relieve some of the

existing problems. For this purpose, BTE1 a(f) requires a 50% increase on the District Council parking standards which should be free to the

user to ensure their use.


10.3.2 POLICY BTE2: AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT


10.3.2a Bishop’s Tachbrook is a rural parish. There are 25 farms of various sizes within the parish as described in paragraph 6.5.

10.3.2b Farming remains an important sector in the national economy and is of growing importance. The Gross value added to the British Economy in

2011 was £8.8bn a rise from 2010 of 25% from £7.1bn. In 2012 Britain was 60% self-sufficient in food which was a drop of 15% in the past 20

years. At the same time there is increasing public pressure to reduce food miles and to know where food comes from by supporting local

production where it is possible. British Farmers will need to feed an extra 7,000,000 people by 2027, roughly the Local and Neighbourhood

Plan period. Food that is imported because of any drop in production is a negative impact on the economy.

10.3.2c The average age of farmers is increasing and was said to be 58 in 2012. Many are at or past retirement age. In the next 10 years the country

will need 60,000 new entrants into farming but it appears not to be popular with young people. Other industries that are dependent on

agriculture are those that provide the increasingly technical agricultural implements and machinery, botanical developments, growing

technologies and animal husbandry. But unless agricultural land remains available it will become even more difficult to interest new young

people in farming and we will become more dependent on imports. Increasing global temperatures may mean that imports become more

difficult or at least more expensive.

10.3.2d Thus we should not only retain as much productive agricultural land as possible but also find ways of replacing the current generation of

farmers over the plan period. Moreton Morrell College is an agricultural college that offers apprenticeship training and gives students all the

skills they need to be able to set up businesses when they leave college. To ensure continuity of farming into the future, all proposals for

development and diversification of agricultural businesses should include initiatives to promote the training of young people into the

agricultural industry.

10.3.2.e Where any development, strategic or otherwise results in fragmentation of farming land so that the remaining portion is unviable, the

proposals should contain positive initiatives to transfer those portions to adjacent farms or set up small starter units for young people to

begin their agricultural career related to a relevant educational institution or course.


Strategic basis

10.3.2e The NPPF requires Neighbourhood Plans to take a positive approach to developments which can be shown to contribute to a strong rural

economy by ensuring sustainable developments which respect the character of the countryside and help the retention and development of

local services and facilities.

10.3.2f NPPF109 requires that the planning system should contribute to and enhance or improve the natural and local environment by protecting

and enhancing valued landscapes, geological conservation interests and soils; by minimising impacts on biodiversity, including by establishing

coherent ecological networks that are more resilient to current and future pressures. NPPF112 requires that the economic and other benefits

of the best and most versatile agricultural land should be taken fully into account and this is true for all developments. Where agricultural

land is included in the development proposals, all applications will need to provide an independent assessment of land quality as determined

by the DEFRA Revised guidelines and criteria for grading the quality of agricultural land.

POLICY BTE2: AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT & DEVELOPMENT

Proposals for the development or diversification of existing agricultural businesses will be permitted, providing that

a) the development remains agricultural in nature, the scale and nature of the proposals are appropriate to their rural location so that they can be satisfactorily integrated into the landscape without being detrimental to its character and does not constitute a different land-use class and there is no net loss of dwellings because of the development; and

b) it can be demonstrated that there will be no adverse impact resulting from increased traffic, noise, smell, lighting, vibration or other emissions or activities generated by the proposed development; and

c) any new buildings needed for the development are in scale with and within the existing building complex area to avoid loss of any production land unless animal or vegetable production takes place within the building proposed; and

d) no adverse impact on the natural or built environment will result from the development proposed, including but not limited to, the visibility of the development from a distance, the loss of hedgerows, habitats, woodland, soils or topographical features, or where some very limited loss occurs, it is to be replaced close to the development to achieve this objective of no adverse impact; and

e) where relevant, opportunities are taken to secure the re-use of vacant or redundant historic buildings as part of the development as well as having regard for the setting of any Listed buildings within, or near to, the developed building complex; and


f) it provides all necessary parking for staff, customers and all related vehicles and farm machinery and any rural roads leading to the development shall be safeguarded. Development will not be permitted that would require modification to rural roads in a way that would change the character of those roads in the vicinity of the development; and

g) any highway or other signage relating to the development is discrete , limited in size and number, but must be relevant; and

h) it can demonstrate that the development will include initiatives to promote the training of young people into the agricultural industry including, where developments lead to fragmentation of farming units, land that would otherwise remain as unviable units, being made available for student related starter units; and

i) it can demonstrate the development is sustainable in environmental, social and economic terms including its commercial viability as well as retaining the viability of the existing agricultural business ; and

j) provide a Connectivity Statement setting out how High-speed broadband is or will be provided to the development

Application of Policy BTE2

10.3.2f In applying policy BTE2, the aim is to facilitate Agricultural employment and development within Bishops Tachbrook which is appropriate in

scale, supports agriculture and respects both the natural and historic environment. Development considered against Policy BTE2 must be of a

scale and intensity appropriate to its context, not having any detrimental impact on residential amenity and no adverse effect on the natural,

built or historic environment, supporting the rural and agricultural character of the neighbourhood and encouraging the uptake of agriculture

based careers by young people.


10.4 CLIMATE CHANGE POLICIES


10.4.1 The National Planning Policy Framework in the preamble to Achieving sustainable development, quotes Resolution 42/187 of the United Nations General Assembly that defined sustainable development as “Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

The UK sustainable Development Strategy ‘Securing the Future’ set out five guiding principles of sustainable development

1 living within the planet’s environmental limits; 2 ensuring a strong, healthy and just society; 3 achieving a sustainable economy; 4 promoting good governance; 5 using sound science sensibly.

The purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the

achievement of sustainable development. The policies in paragraphs 18 to 219, taken as a whole, constitute the Government’s view of what sustainable development means.

10.4.2 The 1st principle, Living within the planets environmental

limits, is the first and most important principle because of the global threat to life as we know it. Carbon Dioxide is a product of a large number of chemical reactions. Globally,


the planet has a carbon cycle that demonstrates the way that CO2 which is produced from all activities globally is recycled to Oxygen through a range of natural processes. Until the 1750’s, the start of the Industrial Revolution, CO2 production and absorption balanced so that the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere globally balanced at 280 ppm. CO2 is a ‘greenhouse gas’ that has the property of limiting the amount of heat that passes out of the earth’s atmosphere into outer space and so is responsible for maintaining the global temperature at a constant level giving us a warm planet to inhabit. Since the Industrial Revolution began and more and more CO2 was produced by artificial processes such as burning fossil fuels, very gradually at first, but by the late 1950’s global CO2 levels had risen to about 315 ppm. The fact that levels rise at all means that the natural processes which convert the CO2 back to Oxygen are not sufficient to deal with all the CO2 produced and so the number of parts per million in the global atmosphere increases. The graph at 10.4.1 from Dr. Pieter Tans, NOAA/ESRL* (www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/) shows that by January 2010, CO2 levels had risen to 388ppm. In the last 5 years the level has risen to about 399ppm and in May 2014, the highest monthly figure ever of 401.83 was recorded. But more concerning than that is that the rate of change is also increasing. In 2013, the highest ever 5 year average rate of change of 2.174ppm was recorded. *The Mauna Loa Observatory is part of the

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL), Global Monitoring Division (GMD) in the USA. The continuous, high-precision measurement of changes in atmospheric CO2 concentrations was started in March 1958 at the Mauna Loa Observatory by Charles David Keeling.

The result of increasing CO2 levels is increasing global temperatures. This will reduce polar ice cap and other ice that traps water, raising sea

water levels and reducing salinity. It also reduces large areas of frozen tundra in which methane from plant waste is trapped and is released into the atmosphere. Methane, CH4, is also a greenhouse gas having a similar effect to CO2 because it prevents heat escaping. However, it is not normally part of the atmospheric mix and any methane that escapes in to the atmosphere has a short life quoted as 9 weeks, as it is fairly readily broken down into CO2 and water vapour by atmospheric electrical discharges. Such invisible and seemingly insignificant changes to the global balance will have consequences that are unknown and difficult to predict. At the very best, there will be weather changes, so we call it climate change, but there will be a level at which much more serious consequences will occur. Because the global atmospheric balance is based on the ability of the processes that convert CO2 back to O2, if those processes are insufficient, runaway CO2 may result leading to higher temperatures the result of which it is impossible to predict. Some scientific estimates suggest that somewhere between 500 and 1000ppm runaway global warming will occur. Before that and before we get to 500ppm, abnormal weather disturbances will occur. To be tolerably safe we might suggest topping out at 450ppm and then aiming to reduce. However at the current rate of increase of 2.174 we will be at that level in 23 years from now. Once runaway CO2 begins globally it cannot be reversed.

That is why it is a global problem that all parts of our human civilisation are contributing to and will suffer from if we do not take firm steps to

reduce CO2 emissions. It is not a popular message because we have all got used to the lifestyle that is producing the problem and it is in conflict with the economic growth tool that is used to measure success. But economic growth needs to be seen in the same long term view as the global warming problem except that the one is inversely proportionate to the other. As global warming rises, economic growth will fall.

http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/)shows


The added complication is that today’s level of CO2 is due to the developed nations past growth. As the under-developed nations aspire to

the same level of comfort, they, being much larger in populations, will potentially have a greater effect on the atmosphere than has happened to date.

10.4.3 The root problem is that the only way that current energy and economics works is from the use of fossil fuels that produce CO2. Coal, oil and

natural gas, (which is methane), by exothermic reactions with oxygen produce heat by which most of our energy is gained to power all the machinery we need to keep us warm, transport us to wherever we want to go and produce the wherewithal for life as we practice it.

The term climate change glosses over the problem and hopes it will go away. It won’t. Planning Practice Guidance ID6-001 says that addressing climate change is one of the core land use planning principles which the NPPF

expects to underpin both plan-making and decision-taking. This is clearly, in view of the global magnitude of the problem, something which should be at the heart of those processes. Indeed, governments across the world have set themselves targets to reduce emissions. They have done for some ten or more years now. So why is the rate of CO2 emission increasing at a faster rate than ever before? It is not slowing down as you might expect but it is accelerating.

10.4.4 Data and conclusions reached by NOAA says

Decade Total Increase Annual Rate of Increase

2004 – 2013 20.71 ppm 2.07 ppm per year

1994 – 2003 18.70 ppm 1.87 ppm per year

1984 – 1993 14.04 ppm 1.40 ppm per year

1974 – 1983 13.35 ppm 1.34 ppm per year

1964 – 1973 10.69 ppm 1.07 ppm per year

1960 – 1963 3.02 ppm 0.75 ppm per year (4 years only)


Before the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, global average CO2 was about 280 ppm. During the last 800,000 years, CO2 fluctuated

between about 180 ppm during ice ages and 280 ppm during interglacial warm periods. Today’s rate of increase is more than 100 times faster

than the increase that occurred when the last ice age ended.

Why is the atmospheric concentration of CO2 increasing at an accelerating rate? Research suggests that it is because fossil fuels are being

burned at an enhanced rate, the ending of the long-term trend of increasing carbon efficiency of economies, and the ocean's diminishing

absorption of CO2 (Canadell et al., 2007).

10.4.5 POLICY BTCC1 : CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION APPLIED TO NEW DEVELOPMENT.

10.4.5a Planning Practice Guidance ID6-001 says that the NPPF includes the requirements for local authorities to adopt proactive strategies to

mitigate and adapt to climate change. Mitigate means take steps to reduce CO2 emissions and adapt means “try to anticipate what might

happen and plan to overcome that unknown eventuality”. So what proactive strategies are suggested? They are stated in the NPPF93 to 108.

93 Planning plays a key role in helping shape places to secure radical reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, minimising vulnerability and providing resilience to the

impacts of climate change, and supporting the delivery of renewable and low carbon energy and associated infrastructure. This is central to the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.

94 Local planning authorities should adopt proactive strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change, taking full account of flood risk, coastal change and water supply

and demand considerations.

95. To support the move to a low carbon future, local planning authorities should:

plan for new development in locations and ways which reduce greenhouse gas emissions;

actively support energy efficiency improvements to existing buildings; and

when setting any local requirement for a building’s sustainability, do so in a way consistent with the Government’s zero carbon buildings policy and adopt nationally described standards.

Try to understand these paragraphs first. 93 says that shaping places is the intention of the NPPF using a plan-led system. Therefore, Local

and Neighbourhood plans should, by relating land usage and energy using functions imaginatively, minimise energy usage so that

Greenhouse gas emissions can be radically reduced. Would it?

10.4.5b First, any new development that uses energy for whatever purpose, unless it uses energy that does not depend on fossil fuels or sources that

do not produce CO2, will increase and not radically reduce current emissions. Second, greenhouse gas emissions include gases other than CO2


and include methane (natural gas). In producing the gas in the pipe, methane is flared off at the wells and escapes into the atmosphere by

just being there. But CO2 is by far the greatest concern because of the volume of it in the natural atmosphere at 0.28% of the total

atmosphere at preindustrial levels and now 0.4%.

CO2 emissions are produced in the home, in industry and by all transport. Gas, oil and coal are fossil fuels that when burnt produce CO2.

Electricity when produced by these fuels is considered to be the worst CO2 emitter due to the efficiency of the steam production to power

the generators. However, it is the only fuel that can be produced without any CO2 emissions, by nuclear, hydro, solar, tidal or wind

generators.

10.4.5c This would seem to suggest that the only new development that can meet the criteria of NPPF93 to 95 is development that uses energy

produced by zero carbon methods and is accessed by people with zero carbon transport and if the current level of CO2 emissions are to be

reduced, then the new development should also replace old fabric that currently produces CO2. Only then will the current emission levels go

into reverse and fall back to where they were. Every m3 of building volume requires heating and lighting and if that is produced by fossil fuels

then CO2 emissions are increasing, not reducing.

Strategic basis

10.4.5d Therefore to meet NPPF94 this Neighbourhood plan will adopt proactive strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change so that it will only

allow

a. essential new development that meets the governments zero carbon buildings policy; desirable new development should not take place and

building volume efficiency , previously controlled by cost targets regrettably must be reimposed; this applies to all building types, including

housing and employment, to meet actual need and not aspirational growth that may or may not be necessary.

b. developments that locate employment as close as possible to people, which is normally considered to be in urban areas; in Open countryside

developments should be resisted because of travel distances resulting in increased CO2 levels;

c. development that replaces or upgrades existing buildings by regeneration to zero carbon levels should be encouraged; regeneration of high

carbon generating fabric should be programmed for replacement. Retrofitting rarely will get to zero carbon levels.


10.4.5e There are three core requirements which must all be met for a home to qualify as zero carbon:

1. The fabric performance must, at a minimum, comply with the defined standard known as the Fabric Energy Efficiency Standard (FEES) and 2. Any CO2 emissions that remain after consideration of heating, cooling, fixed lighting and ventilation, must be less than or equal to the Carbon

Compliance limit established for zero carbon homes, and 3. Any remaining CO2 emissions, from regulated energy sources (after requirements 1 and 2 have been met), must be reduced to zero.

Government has not yet concluded its Zero carbon policy for 2016 and beyond. The Fabric Energy Efficiency Standard is 39kg/m2/ year for apartments or mid terrace properties or 46kg/m2/ year for end of terrace, semi-detached or detached properties. After calculation using SAP 2012, if the dwelling CO2 emission rate exceeds this standard, then the balance should be reduced to zero by an allowable solution.

This standard, because it depends on a rate in terms of kg/m2/ year, means that the larger a property is, the more CO2 it is allowed to produce. This is contrary to the intention to reduce CO2 emissions. Therefore, the size of any property allowed to be taken into account should be limited to the base area of each house type used to arrive at the standards quoted. Properties with larger areas should have all of the extra area counted into the area that requires an allowable solution.

To meet this requirement, In Bishops Tachbrook the allowable solution will be to provide carbon sequestration by planting a new area of woodland.

In order of preference, the woodland area should (a) be part of the development, (b) be in another location in the parish or (c) in an area nominated by the Woodland Trust. Developers will have to demonstrate that preference (a) cannot possibly be met before considering preference (b) and likewise before considering preference (c).

Provisions for protecting the new woodland areas into the future must be included as well as maintenance provision including fencing or hedging to safeguard planting. Depths of Woodland areas should not be less than 25m. The calculated area should be increased to allow for any internal roads (not footpaths), non-wooded area such as water, awkward edge shapes etc. on the site available.

http://www.zerocarbonhub.org/zero-carbon-policy/fabric-energy-efficiency-standard

http://www.zerocarbonhub.org/zero-carbon-policy/carbon-compliance-target

http://www.zerocarbonhub.org/zero-carbon-policy/carbon-compliance-target


The Carbon sequestration to be achieved by new woodland planting will be calculated on the standards set out in the Zerocarbon Hub publication FABRIC ENERGY EFFICIENCY FOR ZERO CARBON HOMES - A flexible performance standard for 2016, using the following table 15. To determine the area of woodland needed the following procedure is to be followed. 1. Column A shows the base zero carbon floor area for each house type. Min gifa column is the expected minimum gross internal floor

area which should be the minimum figure included in column B. 2. Enter actual gross internal floor area for each house type in column B and the number of dwellings of that type in column C. 3. Column D shows the zero carbon maximum FEE for each house type. 4. From SAP 2012 section 12a enter all gas usage in entry references (211) to (232) less any renewable contributions for heating/hot water

in kwh/m2/annum in column E.. If main fuel is not gas enter fuel type. Similarly enter all electricity usage in column F. 5. Convert energy to tonnes of CO2 with the formula (((E - D) x 0.216 x(B - A)) + ( F x 0.519 x (B – A)))*C/1000. If main fuel is not gas, use

the SAP emission factor for that fuel. 6. Woodland CO2 sequestration is measured over 40 years. Enter result of G x 40 in column H. 7. The 40 year CO2 cumulative sequestration is 223 tonne per hectare. Divide H by 223 and enter in I to give hectares of woodland

required.

8. Add results of all house types to get total area of woodland required for the whole development.

The 40 year CO2 cumulative sequestration shown is the normal mixed woodland tree mix and includes all sequestration losses due to set up, management and soils, less 20% for model precision. If a different tree mix is used, then the appropriate calculated constant should be used.


TABLE 15 TO POLICY BTCC1

Note 1: choose constant from woodland trust carbon lookup tables V 1.4 22Feb 2012 . 0.233 is for mixed native woodland 20%oak, Ash & Birch, 10% Alder & Rowan, 8% Aspen, 7% Hazel & 5% Willow all at 2.5m c/cs gives cumulative net carbon sequestration of 223 tons of CO2 per ha over 40 years ∑column G = number of ha of woodland required.

Dwelling

type

Zero

Carbon

floor

area

Min

gifa

Actual

gross

int

floor

area

(gifa)

Actual

Number

of

homes

Maximum

fabric

energy

efficiency

Kwh/m2/an

num

SAP

calculation

of total gas

use

Kwh/m2/an

num

SAP

calculation

of total

electricity

use

Kwh/m2/a

nnum

Conversion of

E and F to

tCO2/m2/annum

See procedure point 5

Woodland

sequestration

tCO2

Area of

40year life

woodland ha

Constant varies

on tree mix see

note 1

A B C D E F G H I

1 bed

apartment

40 43 39

2 bed

apartment

63 67 39

3 bed mid-

terrace

70 76 39

3 bed end

terrace/semi-d

70 76 46

Detached 110 118 46

Large detached 110 130 46

TOTALS ∑column C

∑column F ∑column G


POLICY BTCC1 : CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION APPLIED TO NEW DEVELOPMENT.

Development within Bishop’s Tachbrook is required to meet zero carbon principles by

a) reducing energy usage by the use of layout, building volume, orientation, construction techniques and materials including elimination of

the use of energy for cooling and ventilation, so that any Carbon Dioxide emissions from energy usage in the development, for housing

according to the types and sizes set out in the table to the policy and in other developments, that exceeds the Maximum Fabric Energy

Efficiency of 39 Kwh/m2/annum, in the case of developments that have a party wall with adjacent properties that is not less than 25% of

its own perimeter external wall or of Maximum Fabric Energy Efficiency 46 Kwh/m2/annum in all other cases; and

b) where the Maximum Fabric Energy Efficiency exceeds these limits, woodland carbon sequestration will be provided by the planting of

new woodland of a land area calculated in accordance with the table to this policy and to be located within the site of the development,

or if this is demonstrated not to be possible, on another location within the Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood, or if that is also

demonstrated not to be possible, then in a location nominated and certificated by the Woodland Trust , all costs to be met by the

development including maintenance for the 40 year carbon calculation period ; and

c) all proposals for development must have a Statement of the Development being Essential and the consequences to society of the

development not proceeding. Where the essential nature of the development cannot be proven, if the energy usage is completely CO2

free, then the development may be considered in relation to the other policies in the Neighbourhood Plan.

Application of Policy BTCC1

10.4.5e In applying policy BTCC1, the aim is to proactively direct development to avoid adding further CO2 emissions into the atmosphere because it

would otherwise compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs to continue successful lives and where minimal emissions

are expelled from essential developments, sequestration equal to output is provided to limit the effect of raised levels of Carbon Dioxide.


10.4.6 POLICY BTCC2 : CLIMATE CHANGE, SOLAR POWER AND OTHER RENEWABLES

10.4.6a The National Planning Policy Framework explains that all communities have a responsibility to help increase the use and supply of green energy, but this does not mean that the need for renewable energy automatically overrides environmental protections and the planning concerns of local communities. As with other types of development, it is important that the planning concerns of local communities are properly heard in matters that directly affect them. (PPG 5-003)

Neighbourhood plans are an opportunity for communities to plan for community led renewable energy developments. (PPG 5-004)

The deployment of large-scale solar farms can have a negative impact on the rural environment, particularly in undulating landscapes. However, the visual impact of a well-planned and well-screened solar farm can be properly addressed within the landscape if planned sensitively. (PPG 5-013)

10.4.6b Bishops Tachbrook already has 2 solar farms - one that ought not to have been approved as it has a negative impact on green field land in the rural environment, now proven, because it can now be seen from across the Tach Brook Valley from many directions, contrary to the ‘evidence’ provided by the applicant and the other, that was identified and encouraged by the community that is in a location that is both not visible from any known ground location but also screened by new woodland shelterbelts and is on built up waste land. Both are over 4.1 MW ouput.

10.4.6c From the experience of these two applications and the content of the Neighbourhood Plan Climate Change policies this plan, will support Solar Power Generation proposals that meet the following criteria

1 Proposals must not be located on greenfield land that is best and most versatile land including grade 3B, but be focussed on land that has been previously developed and not agricultural, provided that it is not of high environmental value and does not support birds and wildlife that are protected; and

2 The land must not be visible from any other ground location other than in the immediate vicinity of the Solar Power Generator and not in the view of any adjacent residential properties, roads or public footpaths or Rights of Way; and

3 great care should be taken to ensure heritage assets are conserved in a manner appropriate to their significance, including the impact of proposals on views important to their setting. As the significance of a heritage asset derives not only from its physical presence, but


also from its setting, Solar Power Generators will not be permitted within the setting of such assets due to the substantial harm to the significance of the asset that may be caused; and

4 Security fencing around the Solar Power Generator shall be carefully designed, including 300mm into the ground to prevent accidental animal incursion under the fence and planted both sides with native woodland hedgerow plants at least 3 plants depth either side with native Woodland trees at intervals ; and

5 All cables from the generation plant shall be underground to the point where it joins the existing grid powerlines; and 6 the proposal allows for biodiversity improvements around arrays; and

7 the proposal is to be considered as a temporary structure and planning conditions will be used to ensure that the installations are removed when no longer in use and the land is restored to its previous use;

8 any lighting to the site shall be for maintenance only and only be used when needed and fitted with a timed cut-off to prevent lighting pollution; and

9 the site shall be assessed for local flooding, particularly where such flooding may affect adjacent properties and either adequate drainage provided or the application be refused.

10.4.7 Other renewable power generation forms.

Proposals for other renewable sources of power generation will be considered positively, but they must have the same regard for the countryside as set out in 10.4.6c. Any windpower proposals in particular should limit its height from ground to top of the blade sweep of 30m and not be visible in any distant views, a distant view being greater than 500m away from the device. Hydropower is unlikely within Bishop’s Tachbrook as the only water course is the Tach Brook.

POLICY BTCC2 : CLIMATE CHANGE AND SOLAR POWER

Solar Power Generation proposals that meet the following criteria will be permitted :

1 Proposals must not be located on greenfield land that is best and most versatile land including grade 3B, but be focussed on land that has been previously developed and not agricultural, provided that it is not of high environmental value and does not support birds and wildlife that are protected; and

2 The land must not be visible from any other ground location other than in the immediate vicinity of the Solar Power Generator and not in the view of any adjacent residential properties, roads or public footpaths or Rights of Way; and


3 great care should be taken to ensure heritage assets are conserved in a manner appropriate to their significance, including the impact of proposals on views important to their setting. As the significance of a heritage asset derives not only from its physical presence, but also from its setting, Solar Power Generators , which are industrial in nature, will not be permitted within the setting of such assets due to the substantial harm to the significance of the asset that may be caused; and

4 Security fencing around the Solar Power Generator shall be carefully designed including 300mm into the ground to prevent accidental animal incursion under the fence and planted both sides with native woodland hedgerow plants at least 3 plants depth either side with native Woodland trees at intervals ; and

5 All cables from the generation plant shall be underground to the point where it joins the existing grid powerlines; and 6 the proposal allows for biodiversity improvements around arrays; and

7 the proposal is to be considered as a temporary structure and planning conditions will be used to ensure that the installations are removed when no longer in use and the land is restored to its previous use; and

8 any lighting to the site shall be for maintenance only and only be used when needed and fitted with a timed cut-off to prevent lighting pollution; and

9 the site shall be assessed for local flooding, particularly where such flooding may affect adjacent properties and either adequate drainage provided or the application be refused.

To help the community reduce Carbon Dioxide emissions and support the move to a low carbon future, proposals should include the installation of solar power and the upgrading of insulation to current standards to existing dwellings in the parish at the rate of 10 dwellings per MW capacity of the solar generator, the dwellings to be nominated by the Parish Council and the installations be provided free of charge to residents.

Application of Policy BTCC2

10.4.6d In applying policy BTCC2, the aim is to meet the requirements of NPPF93 to 98 and reduced Carbon Dioxide Emissions both for the grid power

supply and to improve existing dwellings in the provision of energy supplies and their usage.

10.5 RURAL ENVIRONMENT POLICIES

10.5.1 The strategic objectives for the rural environment are as follows:


A. To ensure that new development is not located in areas which may be affected by flooding due to rising water course levels, natural springs or aquifers or in areas where subsoils contain water and prevent swift water dispersal;

B. To ensure that future development in Bishop's Tachbrook does not adversely affect the rural setting of the village; C. To preserve and enhance the natural environment of the parish including its Landscape character and agricultural opportunity; D. To preserve, enhance and provide wildlife habitats and access to them.

10.5.2 POLICY BTRE1: FLOOD RISK


10.5.2a The Environment Agency Risk of flooding from surface Water in Bishop’s Tachbrook identifies that along the Tach brook there is a Medium to Low Flood Risk. In paragraph 2.6.2 of the Consultation Statement it was found that in flood conditions, water rises above the new road level of 58m AOD by at least a metre. Ground to the side gets vey soggy. In Bishop’s Tachbrook we should not permit development on any land less than 62m AOD to allow for increased flooding that may occur in the future due to Global warming.

10.5.2b The Environment Agency also identifies many tributaries to the Brook which are susceptible to surface water flooding both within the village and in the open countryside of the parish. The local community has expressed concern about the importance of considering flood risk in designing and assessing development proposals in Bishop's Tachbrook. Policy RE1 aims to ensure that due regard is given to the risk of flooding when any development proposals are assessed. These are shown on the map showing the risk of flooding from surface water.

10.5.2c The Environment agency advises that the Policy should include a requirement for a Flood Risk Assessment where necessary, a design and Access Statement to show mitigation measures, the inclusion of Sustainable Drainage Systems and proposals for surface water drainage that flooding does not occur on the development site and the development does not increase flooding elsewhere.

Strategic basis

10.5.2d Both the National Planning Policy Framework and the emerging Local Plan are clear about the need to avoid development on land that is at

high risk from flooding. The National Planning Policy Framework says that development should be directed away from areas at highest risk

from flooding, but where development is necessary it should be designed to be safe without increasing flood risk elsewhere. The emerging

Local Plan states that development will be directed away from areas at risk from flooding, with certain stated exceptions.


MAP 10


POLICY BTRE1 : FLOOD RISK

1. Where necessary, planning applications for development in Bishop's Tachbrook must be accompanied by a Flood Risk Assessment which

identifies the flood risk for the site and describes the measures that will be taken

a) to ensure that the development does not have an adverse impact on flood risk in the locality, and

b) Ensure flood risk will be managed now and over the developments lifetime, taking climate change into account and with regards to the vulnerability of its users

2 The Design and Access Statement accompanying the relevant planning application, and where relevant in other documents supporting the

application, must show how any proposed mitigation measures have been satisfactorily integrated into the design and layout of the

development.

3. Along the length of the Tach Brook, no development will be permitted that is below 62m AOD, including any access routes into and out of the

development to prevent flooding of properties in the Tach Brook Flood Plain

4. Surface water shall be discharged through a Sustainable Drainage System to meet National Standards to reduce surface water runoff and at

the same time improve biodiversity, amenity and water quality. Natural flood plains shall be identified and avoided for development.

5. Prevention of flooding on the development site shall be designed to be safe without increasing the risk of flooding elsewhere.

6. All development proposals should seek to actively reduce flood risk and provide betterment wherever possible.

Application of Policy BTRE1

10.5.2e The Flood Risk Assessment must make reference to the most up to date information on flooding in the area, including the most recent

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment. The Design and Access Statement must show how the proposed mitigation measures have been designed to

integrate with the layout and landscaping, and with the surroundings to the site, including the provision of Sustainable Urban Drainage


Schemes (SUDS) and other measures to reduce surface water run-off and to provide capacity for water retention. Systems must be designed

and approved by WCC SAB before any work commences on site. Pre-applications discussions with the Environment Agency in respect of

BTRE1(6) must be demonstrated.

10.5.3 POLICY BTRE2: PROTECTION OF LAND


10.5.3a Bishop's Tachbrook is a village surrounded by land almost entirely in agricultural use. DEFRA land classification shows large areas of Grade 2

agricultural land in the areas of the Asps and Grove Farms, with edges and small parts being Grades 3a mainly and some 3B. The existing land

use Magic Map on the next page shows that south of these farms, land is arable and mixed with some areas of grassland (Dudley Stamp Land

Use inventory).

In paragraph 4.4 Natural England describe the parish as being a “predominantly rural, agricultural landscape, crossed by numerous small rivers and tributaries and with a more open character in the Feldon area”. “It is an important food producing area and the agricultural expanse of large arable fields, improved pasture and small villages forms a transitional landscape between the surrounding National Character Areas”. “This NCA is drained by the rivers Avon and Leam flowing in a south-westerly direction. Flood meadows, characterised by great burnet and meadow foxtail, occur on the regularly flooded alluvial soils.”. “The historic character of this area is very important, in particular its ancient woodlands, enclosed fields, veteran trees, landscaped parklands and areas of archaeological interest, including deserted villages and numerous sites of remnant ridge and furrow. The Fosse Way Roman military road passes through the area and has influenced patterns of settlement in this NCA. “

The River Avon flows strongly through Castle Park to the west of the parish and this is part of the parkland setting to Warwick Castle. The

Tach brook runs through the parish before it joins the Avon, just south of the Castle at New Waters.


Map 11 Agricultural land classification


10.5.3b So it is not surprising that local people think that Bishop’s Tachbrook should remain a free-standing settlement and in particular that there

should be no further development on the open agricultural land between the village and the urban edge of Warwick and Leamington Spa to

the north. Consultation responses showed a very strong body of opinion that the current District Council’s proposed Local Plan would ruin the

heritage and quality landscapes that previous incumbents of the Council posts had striven hard to retain and look after, a position supported

by previous planning inspectors.

People expect consistency of approach to planning and a respect for the countryside in which they live.

10.5.3c For this reason, this Neighbourhood Plan sees it to be essential to strongly protect this agricultural parish from inappropriate development

and to ensure that development that is justified is located in the right place to solve problems in the village at the same time. Policy BTRE2

intends that land outside well-defined settlement boundaries that is planned as rural, remains rural.

10.5.3d It is helpful to quote Planning Practice Guidance 26-014 which says that “Planning should promote cohesive and vibrant neighbourhoods” and

“Cohesion relies on a community having a robust structure and identity.” That is what is already successful about Bishop’s Tachbrook and why

any change has to be welcomed and not resented by the community as if it were being imposed upon them. The community agrees with 26-

014 in that “the health, wellbeing and quality of life of those who will be using an area will be influenced by its cohesion.”

10.5.3e The community, in consultation responses, show a high value being placed on the agricultural nature of the Tachbrook Valley. People like the

PRoW across the valley but would like to see brookstray walks along the Tach Brook and to Warwick Gates / Heathcote Park from the village.

This could be achieved through DEFRA stewardship schemes and would open the valley up whilst protecting its agricultural character. A

Country Park as envisaged would change that character to an urban park, but with the limited nature of it, it will be overpowered by the

development to the north.

There is deep suspicion that, when the Country Park is handed to the District Council to maintain, it will be found too expensive to run and to

be found a reason to further spread housing southwards. As agricultural land it is productive and does not cost the District to run.


10.5.3f The Neighbourhood Plan, reflecting the community view, will not permit the conversion of agricultural land to an Urban Country Park unless

the District Council overrides the community by making it a strategic requirement, when we shall have no option but to allow that

development.

10.5.3g The Environment Agency, in its statutory response to the pre-submission consultation, strongly supports the Neighbourhood Plan policy

saying that the Tach Brook is part of the arterial network of tributaries and wildlife corridors which are an intrinsic feature of the River Avon

itself and is part of the Avon LWS designated area (LWS SP1=15Li8f). This has an important role within the wider ecological and biodiversity

setting of the area and should be protected and enhanced where possible. The Environment Agency is very pleased to see the Tach Brook

listed as a local asset. Housing so close to this wildlife corridor as the district is proposing will have a high negative impact and would destroy

that setting rather than protect and enhance it. The Brook already is reported by the Environment Agency to be of below standard water

quality. Building close to it will contaminate it further.

Strategic basis

10.5.3h A Landscape Character Assessment carried out in 2014 for the whole of the Parish, includes the area south of Warwick and Leamington and

rated the value of this land as the setting for Warwick and Leamington as high. The land has at least this value as the setting for Bishop's

Tachbrook.

POLICY BTRE2: PROTECTION OF LAND

A. Land within Bishop's Tachbrook Neighbourhood Area that is outside Settlement Boundaries defined in Policy BTH2, will be protected from

development, except for certain exceptions set out in paragraphs (a) to (c) on Policy BTH2; or Policies BTE1B or BTE2; or strategic sites set

out in WDC Local Plan 2011-2029.

B. No development will be permitted in the Area of Coalescence Protection north of the village, as shown on Map 8 in paragraph 10.2.3a,

unless it is a strategic site set out in WDC Local Plan 2011-2029.

C. Agricultural land will be protected from any form of development, including a ‘Country Park,’ that changes its character from its

agricultural base, unless determined otherwise by District Council Strategic Policies essential to meet unavoidable objectives.


Application of Policy BTRE2

10.5.3i The development of the land between Bishop's Tachbrook and the urban edge of Warwick / Leamington Spa would conflict with WDC

Strategic Local Plan Policy DS4(d) and would undermine Strategic Aim 10 in the Neighbourhood Plan. Development in this area would not be

appropriate. The Area of Coalescence Protection defines the land to which this policy applies in Bishop’s Tachbrook.

10.5.3j Small scale development may be allowed in certain exceptional cases, such as for Rural Exception Sites delivering affordable housing, or

where redundant historic buildings can be brought back into beneficial use. Occasionally the redevelopment of previously developed land

may be appropriate, subject to satisfying high standards of design.

10.5.4 POLICY BTRE3: PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT


10.5.4a Bishop's Tachbrook is a village surrounded by land almost entirely in agricultural use. Most of it is natural environment, so this subject is

uppermost in the communities mind.

Chapter 7 sets out the

Natural England description of the Feldon National Character Area profile,

the NPPF requirements for the Natural Environment,

relevant clauses from the Warwick District 2011-2029 draft Local Plan

Landscape study for Bishop’s Tachbrook.


10.5.4b Chapter 11 of the NPPF makes it clear that conserving the natural environment is very important. In September 2014 an appeal against

refusal of planning permission on land south of Mallory Road was dismissed by the Inspector and the main reason given was the substantial

harm that would have been done to natural environment if it were to proceed. This was held despite the fact that the District Council were

unable to show they had a 5 year housing land supply.

The key NPPF clause for Bishop’s Tachbrook is 109 a) The planning system should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by: protecting and enhancing valued landscapes.

The valued landscapes in Bishops Tachbrook should be made clear. The Community considers the valued landscapes to be most of the rural

parish but identifies the following views that particularly should be protected and be designated ‘Protected Views’. PV1 All views across the Tachbrook Valley bounded by Mallory Road and the village settlement boundary, Oakley Wood Road, Harbury Lane,

Europa Way and Banbury Road at the large number of viewing points across the valley from each of those roads, particularly from the very well-used Oakley wood Road pedestrian cycleway recently installed. In its Statutory Response the Environment Agency said that it strongly supports the Policy LACV1 which seeks to protect local assets of community value and was very pleased to see that the Tach Brook was listed as a local asset and asked for the policy to be strengthened further by looking for opportunities to link open spaces, to make green corridors for people and wildlife, planting trees or making improvements to waterways. The community are pleased to take action through all its policies to achieve this level of protection. Most of this is in the Area of Coalescence Protection.

PV2 Views southwards along the Oakley Wood Road from the corners with Church Hill and Savages Close, with the Old School on the right and the

wooded area to the left, being part of the parkland planted around the Manor House it is thought in the 1750’s or thereabouts. The woodland contains Tree belts with Tree Preservation orders and a number of individual veteran trees from the original planting with TPO’s. One of these is a pendant Silver Lime which has a girth thought to the largest for this species in Warwickshire. The rising hill bending gently to the right through the overhanging trees has a magical quality. This is all in the village conservation area.

PV3 At the same place there are views up Church Hill to the right up the hill towards St. Chad’s Church with its clock tower and in to the

Conservation area. This view and its value are included in the WDC leaflet on the Bishop’s Tachbrook conservation area.


PV4 From the Leopard Inn, the views across Oakley Wood Road with its steeply sloping field dropping towards the brook matched by a steeply sloping hill on the other side of the Brook is a topographical feature that is worthy of protected view status. The willow and other trees that grow along the brook are the remains of a willow osiery of former times. This view is in the Area of Coalescence Protection.

PV5 Views towards the village from the north side of the Brook, descending the hill from Leamington and bending left up the hill towards the

village take in the fields on the left and the conservation area to the right presenting the listed buildings of the Leopard Inn and Eden Cottage and its front Garden. This view is in the Area of Coalescence Protection.

PV6 The View towards Harbury on the Harbury Lane from its junction with Oakley Wood Road as it climbs the hill and winds to the right towards

Mallory court is also something special. New housing on Woodside Farm needs to be carefully located to retain the view without interruption. The view is created from the combination of the rural road going uphill, with the trees in Grove Plantation meeting trees in the historic grade II listed gardens of Mallory Court on the south side and the hedgerows and steeply sloping field falling down to the road on the north side. This view is in the Area of Coalescence Protection.

PV7 There are attractive views along Oakley Wood Road southwards from the Harbury Lane alongside Grove plantation on the Left, the Grove and

Chapel Hill Farm, with roadside lined with mature trees and hedgerows that contain and frame views on either side bending to the right as it goes down the hill towards the brook. This is in the Area of Coalescence Protection and is particularly important as the new pedestrian/cycleway is well used by people recreationally between village and Warwick Gates as well as part of the safer route to the primary school in the village.

PV8 The entrance to the village from the west along Mallory Road is a rural road that should be safeguarded from any development that would

alter the character of the road. Coming in from the Banbury road there are very attractive views across the fields to the south that are used for grazing sheep and cattle, as well as, over the hedgerow, views across the valley northwards.

PV9 Views from the Banbury Road at the top of the hill (80m AOD) looking north from outside of Greys Mallory towards the Asps Farm between the

Banbury road and Europa Way into a valley at Greys Mallory roundabout at about 63m AOD rising gently on the other side to over 70m AOD.

PV10 As the Banbury Road approaches the Asps Farm going north, the Barford Road joins it and Castle Park now forms the woodland to the left. This forms an impressive entrance road to Warwick with very mature trees on either side of the road with gentle bends as the road drops to the Tachbrook and rises again as it bends to the left to approach Warwick and the Castle.


PV11 The Banbury Road south of the M40 approaches Oakley Wood and, farther on, Wiggerland Wood. The roads around Oakley Wood have fine

views along them and into the wood on Banbury Road, the Moreton Morrell Road and the Wellesbourne Road and the approach to the Crematorium.

PV12 From the bridge over the M40, looking northwest from the Oakley Wood Road towards Harbury. The Protected View only applies to land

within the Neighbourhood Area.

PV13 Panoramic view from the top of Tachbrook Hill southeast to Chesterton and Edge Hill. The Protected View only includes land within the

Neighbourhood Area. The View shows the context of the open countryside through Warwickshire.

PV14 A view from Guy’s Tower in Warwick Castle across the Tach Brook Valley shows that instead of isolated farmsteads, development of Lower

Heathcote and Grove Farms will be spread across the yellow rape fields in the middle distance. The enlargement shows Chesterton Windmill

on the hill to the right.

How does this meet the National Planning Policy Framework Chapters 11 and 12, Conserving and Enhancing the Natural and Historic

Environments?

10.5.4c NPPF109 a) emphasises: protecting and enhancing valued landscapes.

The Landscape architects report that coincides with the Environment Agency recommendation for the Tach Brook recommends the following landscape enhancements:

Gap up and manage hedgerows to enhance field pattern and increase biodiversity value.

Increase the number of hedgerow trees by planting locally occurring native species such as oak and field maple, or encouraging natural regeneration.

Manage Tach Brook, including the trees and other vegetation, in order to increase its biodiversity potential.

Where appropriate (i.e. in those areas which form part of the Feldon Parklands Landscape Character Area) plant coverts and tree belts, or larger woodlands on rising ground. This is supported by policy CC1.

Manage small woodlands and spinneys by coppicing.


Developments in the parish will be required to include proposals of this nature on or adjacent to the development site where ownership issues permit.

The parish has a wide range of areas providing a natural habitat, including the ancient woodlands of Oakley Wood & Wiggerland Wood. These areas support biodiversity and make an important contribution to the character and quality of the countryside.

10.5.4c The character of Rural Roads will be safeguarded. The scale and nature of any development within the rural area should be appropriate to its location. The rural area within Bishops Tachbrook contains some minor rural roads and it is important that in permitting new development, their character is protected. Development that would change this character is, by definition, likely to be of an inappropriate scale.

Development proposals will have to demonstrate that they do not cause any harm to highway safety, nor result in unacceptable levels of traffic generation or vehicle size and in a manner that would be not detrimental to the character of rural roads in the vicinity of the proposal, nor cause nuisance to other properties that use those roads.

Development will not be permitted that would require major modifications, for safety or capacity reasons, of surrounding rural roads because of its effect on the character of the road and damage to the natural environment.

10.5.4d. Local communities through local and neighbourhood plans are able to identify for special protection green areas of particular importance to

them. (NPPF76) Local policy for managing development in a Local Green Space would be consistent with policy for Green Belts. (NPPF 78) The Local Green Space designation should only be used:

where the green space is in reasonably close proximity to the community it serves

where the green area is demonstrably special to a local community and holds a particular local significance, for example because of its beauty, historic significance, recreational value (including as a playing field), tranquillity or richness of its wildlife; and

where the green area concerned is local in character and is not an extensive tract of land. The following table identifies the green spaces that are listed as Local Green Spaces by this Neighbourhood plan.

Ref. No.

location area Proximity and access

Special reason Arising from planned layout

Local character

Is it extensive?

LGS01 Meadow 2.968 Close, easy access recreational no yes no

LGS02 Village Green 0.467 ditto Central green , tranquillity, focal point

yes yes no

LGS03 Farm Walk 0.057 ditto A tranquil amenity Yes Yes No

LGS04 Lisle Gardens 0.133 Ditto Tranquil greenspace Yes Yes No


LGS05 St. Chads Road 0.152 Ditto Residential green Yes Yes No

LGS06 Mallory Road 0.223 Ditto Amenity for older persons housing Yes Yes No

LGS07 South of Holt Avenue tba Ditto Allotments and walking area Yes Yes No

LGS08 Field north of Croft close 0.84 Ditto wildlife No Yes No

LGS09 Othello Avenue 1.196 Ditto Waterspace and wildlife Yes Yes No

LGS10 Woodside 1 tba Ditto Green buffer to main road Yes Yes No

LGS11 NOT USED

LGS12 Woodside 2 tba Ditto Green buffer to main road Yes Yes No

LGS13 New wood & parkland off Rideswell Grove

5.0 Ditto Recreational woodland and play space

No Yes No

LGS14 Harbury Lane playing fields 8.5 Ditto recreational No Yes No

LGS15 land east of The Leopard 2.35 Ditto Valued landscape, tranquillity wildlife, brookstray and re-establish agricultural use

No Yes No

LGS16 Tachbrook Valley Ditto Valued landscape, tranquillity, wildlife, PRoW, recreational

No Yes Large but 1 unit

LGS17 land west Seven Acre Close 2.59 Ditto Natural environment & recreational No Yes no

LGS18 Oakley Wood excluding the Crematorium site

57.31 Ditto Mixed ancient woodland No Yes Large but 1 unit

LGS19 Wiggerland Wood 11.51 Ditto Broad-leaved Ancient wood No Yes no

LGS20 Grove plantation 2.94 Ditto woodland No Yes no

TABLE 16 LIST OF LOCAL GREEN SPACE

10.4.5e Bishop’s Tachbrook has two Ancient Woodlands, Oakley Wood and Wiggerland Wood. No development will be permitted in these woodlands

that will reduce the area of Woodland remaining.

10.4.5f Protecting and enhancing the natural environment is strongly supported by the Environment Agency. The Tach Brook is part of the arterial

network of tributaries and wildlife corridors which are an intrinsic feature of the River Avon itself and is part of the Avon LWS designated area


(LWS SP15Li8f). This has an important role within the wider ecological and biodiversity setting of the area and should be protected and

enhanced where possible. It is also known that the Tach Brook is a Water Frame Directive waterbody that is failing in its objectives under

water Framework Directive due to high levels of phosphates and has a Poor Status. No development will be permitted that will lead to worse

pollution of any sort and must also include proposals to improve the water status to Good subject to the agreement of the Environment

Agency.

Strategic basis

10.4.5g The natural environment will be protected by a range of policies in the Neighbourhood Plan. Policy BTRE3 sets out how the NPPF

sustainability criteria in relation to the natural environment and biodiversity and as included in the emerging Warwick Local Plan will be

applied in The Neighbourhood Area.

POLICY BTRE3: PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

A) All development proposals will be required to demonstrate that the natural environment in Bishop's Tachbrook will be protected and,

where appropriate, sensitively made more protective of the natural environment. A Planning Statement should show how the natural

environment requirements of policies BTH1 (f), BTH2 (c), (e), (f), BTH4 6, 7, 8, BTE1 A(d) B (a) to (e), BTE2 (d), BTCC1 (b), BTCC2, BTRE1 (4),

& BTRE2 (A) have been met including improvement to the Avon LWS SP15Li8f designated area and Tach Brook WFD waterbody.

B) The statement should include the way by which the proposal makes the natural environment more accessible to the local community and

includes proposals for ecologically balanced maintenance and management of the natural environment.

C) Protected views listed in paragraph 10.5.4b, must not be affected by the proposed development.

D) Rural roads will be safeguarded. A rural Road is any road in the rural area outside of defined settlements that is not a Motorway or an A

class road. Development will not be permitted that would require major modifications to surrounding rural roads in a way that would

change the character of rural roads in the vicinity of the proposal.

E) Land to be designated as Local Green Space is set out in table to paragraph 10.4.5d.

F) No Development of designated Ancient Woodland will be permitted that will reduce the area of the Woodland or that has the potential to


reduce wildlife and biodiversity.

G) Planting of new woodland and expansion of existing coppices or woodland will be sought to help to reduce the effect of the loss of the Elm

that was once an important part of the Warwickshire Landscape particularly in this area and to increase biodiversity and habitat. These

may be linked to or in addition to Policy CC1. Trees should be native species or a targeted crop.

Application of Policy BTRE3 MAP 12 WIGGERLAND WOOD ANCIENT MONUMENT

10.4.5h Any new development in the rural areas of Bishop's

Tachbrook must be located and designed so as to have

no adverse impact on the natural environment,

conserving and, where appropriate, sensitively

enhancing the natural environment.

10.6 HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT POLICIES

10.6.1 The Neighbourhood Plan has the following objectives for

the historic environment in Bishop's Tachbrook:

OBJECTIVES FOR THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT

A. To protect and enhance all designated and undesignated historical assets within the Neighbourhood area;

B. To identify and list undesignated heritage assets including historic field systems, hedgerows, route ways and other man-made features such as woodlands and ponds

C. To protect and enhance the Conservation Area and to provide a safe and attractive centre for the village to encourage its wider use.

D. To encourage high standards of maintenance and


management to enhance the visual quality of the Conservation area.

10.6.2 POLICY BTHE1: PROTECTION OF HISTORICAL ASSETS

10.6.2a The parish of Bishop’s Tachbrook contains 32 buildings and structures which are included in the national statutory list of buildings of special

architectural or historic interest. It also has two scheduled ancient monuments and two registered historic parks, part of Castle Park and Mallory Court.

The Scheduled monuments are (1) Oakley Wood Camp as described in paragraph 8.10; and (2) Circular ditched enclosures SW of Wiggerland Wood Farm.

The location of the Circular ditch enclosures SW of Wiggerland Wood Farm is shown on Map 12 from the English Heritage website. No other detail is yet available on the website. Monuments are scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as they appear to the Secretary of State to be of national importance.

10.6.2b Permission will not be granted for any development within the designated red areas of Scheduled Ancient Monuments nor within their setting, taking account of views into and out of the site being of sufficient distance so that there is no effect on the setting because of that spatial separation; except for any work necessary in relation to the Ancient Monument itself authorised by English Heritage.

10.6.2c Listed Buildings are of national importance. Any work on them for maintenance, repair or alteration must meet the District Council’s

conservation policies. Where proposals for material changes within and/or minor extensions to and/or changes of use to Listed Buildings are made, a design and

access statement should be provided with fully detailed and dimensioned drawings to justify and explain the works proposed. It should clearly show the effect on the setting of the Listed Building and any other adjacent Listed Buildings and maintain the scale, massing and character of the Listed Building utilising the original construction materials, design philosophy and detailing. When applicable, the reason for changes of use of the building should explain why the existing use is no longer viable.

Where proposals include large extensions or new buildings adjacent to Listed Buildings, to which they may or may not be connected, the


form of construction should be either the same as the existing listed building or be of a high quality design to 21st century standards but which remains sympathetic to and respects the scale and character of the Listed Building.

10.6.2d When proposals for extensions or new developments are made in the proximity of a Listed Building, undesignated historical asset or Historic

Park or Garden, then the setting of the historical asset must be taken into account. If it is in an urban location where the listed building is part of an existing complex then the requirements as to setting will be different to a listed building in open countryside. Applications should clearly show the views to and from the Listed Building/ asset due to the development and the way that materials, construction, mass and heights between the new and old sympathetically relate including the spaces between the buildings. In the open countryside where the setting of the listed building/asset is part of a landscape then the open space around it should be maintained as well as views from it.

10.6.2e The setting of a Heritage asset will be commensurate with the importance of the Asset. If a significant Heritage asset is part of an overall view

in an open area, then development will not be permitted that causes serious harm to the character and appearance of the area. NPPF 132 requires that as heritage assets are irreplaceable, any harm or loss should require clear and convincing justification. NPPF128 requires that the significance of any heritage asset affected by a development includes any contribution made by their setting. Substantial harm to or loss of designated heritage assets to Grade I and II* listed buildings and Grade I or II* registered parks and gardens should be wholly exceptional. Where a proposed development will lead to substantial harm, consent should be refused unless either the substantial public benefits can be said to outweigh that harm or loss.

Planning Practice Guidance ID: 18a-009 advises “Heritage assets may be affected by direct physical change or by change in their setting. Being able to properly assess the nature, extent and importance of the significance of a heritage asset, and the contribution of its setting, is very important to understanding the potential impact and acceptability of development proposals”.

POLICY BTHE1: PROTECTION OF HISTORICAL ASSETS

A) Permission will not be granted to alter or extend a Listed Building unless

a) a design & access statement is provided that clearly shows the detail set out in paragraph 10.6.2c demonstrating that the proposal is sympathetic with and maintains the scale, massing and character of the Listed Building; and

b) The reason for changes of use of the building demonstrates that the existing use is no longer viable or that the proposed use is sympathetic to the special architectural , historic or setting of the Listed building.

B) New developments or extensions in the visual proximity of a Listed Building that do not and cannot demonstrate that the setting of the


listed building will not be affected by the new development as set out in paragraph 10.6.2d will not be permitted; and

C) Development will not be permitted within the designated red areas of Scheduled Ancient Monuments nor within their setting, taking

account of views into and out of the site being of sufficient distance so that there is no effect on the setting because of that spatial

separation; except for any work necessary in relation to the Ancient Monument itself authorised by English Heritage.

Application of Policy BTHE1

10.6.2f Policy BTHE1 is in addition to Warwick District Council Local Plan Policies HE1 & HE4 for applications within Bishop’s Tachbrook

Neighbourhood Area and seeks to ensure the quality and protection of listed buildings and Historic Parks and Gardens from any new

development or works to adjacent listed buildings including taking into account the setting of any listed building or Historic Park or Garden.

10.6.3 POLICY BTHE2: ENHANCEMENT OF BISHOP'S TACHBROOK CONSERVATION AREA


10.6.3a The easterly original part of the village is a conservation area, which was designated in 1969 and extended in 2001. The centrepiece of the

Conservation Area is the Grade I listed St Chad’s Church on its prominent raised site, with 5 Grade II listed buildings in the near vicinity and a

total of 12 in the Conservation area. The quality of the environment in the Conservation Area is adversely affected by past highway works,

facilitating increased volumes and speed of traffic and creating extensive road surfaces particularly at junctions. These areas are dominated

by surfaces designed for motor vehicles and provide a visually inappropriate setting for the historic buildings at the core of the village, as well

as acting to separate parts of the village community. The purpose of Policy BTHE2 is to ensure that opportunities are taken to bring about

environmental improvements in the conservation area and centre of the village.

10.6.3b Conservation areas are a historic asset that has been designated in order to conserve an area because of its special architectural or historic

interest. So it would be of help to understand the village as it was before post-war development began.

In 1887 the Ordnance Survey plan of the village at that time shows that the village was centred on St. Chad’s Church. From the Church yard to

the north of the church the footpath still exists, going West Norwest across field 205 &202 to the Asps farmhouse. North of the church there


was a cluster of 10 timber frame cottages in New Yard with a garden area and fruit trees between them and the unmade road that is now

Church Hill. The cottages were demolished in the 1960’s to make way for the houses there now, the only one remaining, 12, Eden Cottage

being a Grade II Listed Building. Next to Eden cottage is another original house that later became the Leopard Inn and this is also Grade II

listed.


This 1860’s photo of the footpath up to the church shows a pony and

trap in front of what is now 16, Church Hill that gives an impression of

the openness and simplicity of the village. At the junction of Church

Hill with Savages Close and Oakley Wood Road the school was built in

1771. It was a free school funded by benefactors. By the 1860’s the

school housed 100 children and was too small, so a new room had to be

built at a cost of £470. South of the church, timber framed houses were

set out along Mallory Road that go back to 16th and 17th Century, with

Church Farm buildings on the other side of the road.

On the east side of Oakley Wood road, Savages Close ran around the

wooded parkland that was the grounds of the Manor House, thought to

have been built in 1558. The parkland is thought to be of about the

1750’s and is now locally listed by Warwick District Council as a historic

garden. The house on the corner of Savages Close was the village post

office and the dairy was in the northern cluster of cottages.

The 1887 map shows the location of the water pumps being the only

water supply available until after WW2 but diligently shows the levels in

feet above ordnance datum of bench marks and spot levels plus field

numbers and areas.

The road from the school that was the road from Banbury to

Leamington rises from 206ft to 250ft as it travels up the road between

The Church of St. Chad, Bishops Tachbrook Date: 1860s © Warwickshire County Council the school and the wooded parkland to the manor. The east side of the

road has a dry stone wall embankment retaining the parkland at a higher level of 237feet. Trees lined the road and were Elm, Ash, Sycamore, Lime

and those on the top of the bank were coppiced and form the attractive route through the village as they overhang the road and which is one of the

protected views in paragraph 10.5.4b (2).


Map 14 Bishop’s Tachbrook Conservation Area

10.6.3c

This plan shows the boundary of the

Conservation Area in Bishop’s Tachbrook.

Comparing with the 1887 map it can be seen that

village around the Manor House remains much

the same as it was with some new infill east of

the Close. The wooded parkland has two TPO

treebelts and several TPO veteran trees. The

parkland became neglected during the 1980’s to

2000, but since then has been replanted with

trees from the Woodland Trust that are

beginning to have an impact and improve

habitats for birds and small mammals.

On the west side of the Oakley Wood Road, there

has been considerable infill which together with

the 3 major housing development of the 50’s ,

60’s and 70’s to the south and west of the

original village has served to fill if not overfill the

land within the current settlement boundary.

Some recent developments have been allowed

but it is unlikely that any more material new

development is possible without having an

adverse effect on the Conservation Area. The old


school has closed and moved to a primary school site on Kingsley Road and the old school building has recently been converted to residential.

10.6.3d The Conservation Area now has to deal with a number of issues brought about by those developments

1. With the advent of the M40 and junction 13, Mallory Road and Church Hill connect that junction into Leamington. At peak times it means that

this and the Oakley Wood Road going south to the Banbury Road are busy with through traffic which is not good for the conservation area or

those trying to use facilities within the village centre. With the new developments in the local plan for housing growth both within the village

and to the south of the 3 towns, this is going to get worse. In the pre-submission consultation, many in the community raised the matter of

safety on all the main roads through the village.

2. As part of the post war developments, when Church Farm was taken for housing development a relatively small green area was retained on

the north side of Mallory Road. It was originally the Church Farm house and yard. A wide road with echelon parking to serve the new housing

cuts the green area into 2 parcels which means that the green is smaller than it ought to be. In the main it is a residential lung on the way to

the shop, but the traffic, sometimes quite fast, is a negative problem that limits the use of the retail facilities.

3. Attracting people to the centre of the village is a problem. The green area has become known as the village green showing that those who live

adjacent to it as well as the rest of the village value the only space we have for events in the centre of the village. Church fetes that have been

held there have been very successful but it means closing the road for the day. Other small events occasionally take place but most of the time

it is very lightly used. Its tranquillity is however, part of its value to the community.

4. Parking at any of the facilities including the church and shop is almost non-existent. There are 3 spaces outside the shop, but the cottages on

the south side of Mallory Road do not have off road parking available so have to park on the street.

5. For the community in general there is little to attract people to the village centre. In the first wave of post-war development a typical retail unit

comprising 3 shops with 3 maisonettes over was built in Wychwood Close. In those days it was well used with a general store, a butchers and a

newsagents. The Post Office had moved to an adjacent cottage (one of the Grade II listed buildings). But as car usage and supermarkets took

over, the Post Office closed (and has since been returned to residential), as had the butcher, then the newsagent and the only shop left

running is the general store and that is only just surviving. This retail unit is immediately adjacent to the conservation area and because of its

use and design is a negative contributor to the conservation area.


6. St. Chads Church is sited in an elevated position but on a relatively small plot of land. When Church Farm closed and the new housing built,

west of the Church, the Grave Yard was extended into the south corner of field 205.The church was built in the 12th century as a nave &

chancel, the north aisle being added in the 14th century, and the south aisle in the 15th century. The chancel was rebuilt in 1869, possibly the

reason for the photograph in paragraph 10.6.3b and the vestry was added in 1898. When digging the foundation for the vestry, a charnel was

discovered, thought to be a burial of stragglers from the battle of Edge Hill because of the remains of a close-buttoned tunic found on one of

the dead. Before the battle, Cromwell is thought to have stabled some of his horses in the church.

7. The church does not have any rooms other than the church itself, a small vestry and a small room at the base of the tower that was originally

the west door. It has been the ambition to build a church hall for some time sited on part of the land added in the 1960’s. A scheme was

prepared and planning approval granted, but financing and opposition from some of the residents proved to be an obstacle. There were also

problems with access to the site for construction as well as no land available for the inevitable parking need that a church hall would present.

8. It was clear that the community also had a need for village hall in the centre of the village, but nowhere that this could be located except for

the village green, which was too small to begin with. Eventually, the Parish Council agreed with the Church that a combined village and church

hall on that site could be a way forward and the St. Chad’s Centre Trust was set up to be an independent trust that ran the building to

accommodate the need for hall type uses for everyone.

9. Finding a solution to resolve these problems within the conservation area will have to have regard to the Conservation Area.

The principles are –

conserve the listed buildings St. Chads Grade I and twelve Grade II, some being two dwellings in one building;

conserve settings of those listed properties;

conserve the conservation area and its setting;

conserve trees in the area;

Should comply with the WDC strategy for the conservation and enjoyment of the historic environment of BT conservation area. Recognising that conservation is not a passive exercise, identifing specific opportunities for the conservation and enhancement of heritage assets as appropriate to their significance is a core planning principle. Heritage assets are an irreplaceable resource and effective conservation delivers wider social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits.

Conservation is an active process of maintenance and managing change. All the listed buildings in the conservation area are in everyday use.

http://planningguidance.planningportal.gov.uk/blog/policy/achieving-sustainable-development/annex-2-glossary/


Clear and up to date information on identified non-designated heritage assets, both identification criteria and the location of existing assets, should be made accessible to the public.

The “setting of a heritage asset” is defined in the Glossary of the NPPF. A thorough assessment of the impact on setting needs to take into account, and be proportionate to, the significance of the heritage asset under consideration and the degree to which proposed changes enhance or detract from that significance and the ability to appreciate it. Setting is the surroundings in which an asset is experienced, and may therefore be more extensive than its curtilage. It is not fixed and may change as the asset and its surroundings evolve. Visual considerations and views of or from an asset are an important part as is noise, dust and vibration from other land uses and by our understanding of the historic relationship between places.

What about harm in relation to conservation areas? An unlisted building that makes a positive contribution to a conservation area is individually of lesser importance than a listed building (paragraph 132 of the National Planning Policy Framework). If the building is important or integral to the character or appearance of the conservation area then its demolition is more likely to amount to substantial harm to the conservation area, engaging the tests in paragraph 133 of the National Planning Policy Framework. However, the justification for its demolition will still be proportionate to the relative significance of the building and its contribution to the significance of the conservation area as a whole.

Strategy delivery may need specific policies, for example, from the use of buildings to the design of new development and infrastructure. Consider the relationship and impact of other policies on the delivery of the strategy for conservation. Resolving the identified problems within the conservation area will also take into account the purpose of the conservation area.

As relevant, neighbourhood plans need to include enough information about local heritage to guide decisions and put broader strategic heritage policies from the Local Plan into action at a neighbourhood scale. The local Historic environment record and any local list will be important sources of information on non-designated heritage assets.

Strategic basis

10.6.3e The National Planning Policy Framework says that opportunities for new development within conservation areas to enhance or better reveal

the significance of the area should be sought and proposals for new development which do this should be treated favourably. The Bishop’s

Tachbrook conservation area is fairly well built out so that apart from minor changes is unlikely to present opportunities for new

development. The purpose of this conservation area is to safeguard the 16th and 17th century cottages on the south & east side of Mallory

Road as well as the church and the ‘village green’ in the village centre plus the original village to the east and up to the Tach Brook. In that

context, finding ways to raise the profile of the village centre with facilities that attract people to it will stretch our ingenuity.


http://planningguidance.planningportal.gov.uk/blog/policy/achieving-sustainable-development/delivering-sustainable-development/12-conserving-and-enhancing-the-historic-environment/#paragraph_132

http://planningguidance.planningportal.gov.uk/blog/policy/achieving-sustainable-development/delivering-sustainable-development/12-conserving-and-enhancing-the-historic-environment/#paragraph_133




The emerging Warwick Local Plan recognises the impact that transport infrastructure can have on the historic environment and community

cohesion. New development should enhance both the historic and social environment taking measures to restore or bring back into use areas

that presently make a negative contribution to the Conservation Area.

10.6.3f Unlisted buildings can often contribute significantly to the special architectural or historic importance of conservation areas, particularly

those that contribute to the overall character of the conservation area and were part of the village before it was developed post war. Any

alterations or extensions to unlisted buildings should be sympathetic to the conservation area and not adversely affect the character,

appearance or setting of the conservation area. In addition, the demolition of unlisted buildings will only be supported if details of a new

development or treatment of the open space are provided that retains or improves the character, appearance or setting of the conservation

area and a condition imposed that demolition does not take place until a contract for redevelopment has been entered into and planning

permission has been granted for the works.

POLICY BTHE2: ENHANCEMENT OF BISHOP’S TACHBROOK CONSERVATION AREA

A Opportunities will be taken to enhance Bishop’s Tachbrook Conservation Area, either when planning permission is granted for development

within or affecting the Conservation Area or through other proposals which improve the quality of the historic and social environment.

Proposals that enhance the Conservation Area will be designed to improve the range, quality and functionality of public amenities and to

mitigate the impact of motor vehicles in favour of people on foot; and development will also be expected to respect the character,

appearance or setting of the Conservation Area and important views both in and out of them.

Gardens and open spaces that contribute to the appearance, historic interest and social cohesion will be protected from development

B Unlisted buildings in the Conservation Area.

Alterations or extensions to unlisted buildings in the Conservation Area that will adversely affect the character, appearance or setting of the

Conservation Area will not be permitted and there will be a presumption in favour of the retention of unlisted buildings that positively

contribute to the character, appearance or setting of the Conservation Area.

Consent for total demolition of unlisted buildings will only be granted as described in Paragraph 10.6.3f.


Application of Policy BTHE2

10.6.3f When planning applications are submitted for development within or within the setting of Bishop's Tachbrook Conservation Area provision

will be made through CIL contributions, planning agreements or planning conditions to secure environmental improvements to the

Conservation Area. Where other funding opportunities arise efforts will be made to develop conservation area enhancement schemes to

implement sensitively designed environmental improvements appropriate to the Conservation Area.

Such improvements may include the reducing of the surface area of the highway which is dedicated to motor vehicles, resurfacing using

historically appropriate materials, and the provision of landscaped areas including planting, seating, and other street furniture. Road signage

and any traffic calming measures must be designed to be as minimal as possible and be such that they do not have an adverse effect on the

Conservation Area.

Proposals for the redevelopment of existing buildings or sites within, or within the setting of, the Bishop's Tachbrook Conservation Area

which currently have an adverse effect on the quality and appearance of the area will be supported where it can be shown that the

development will enhance the Conservation Area and its setting. Such proposals must also satisfy the requirements of other relevant policies

in this Neighbourhood Plan.

10.7 LOCAL ASSETS OF COMMUNITY VALUE

10.7.1 The Neighbourhood Plan identifies four strategic objectives which seek to preserve and enhance assets of community value in the parish:

OBJECTIVES FOR LOCAL ASSETS OF COMMUNITY VALUE

A. To protect and maintain existing and valued local community assets. B. To guarantee important local green spaces are protected for now and future generations. C. To exploit opportunities to develop new village community facilities. D. To support the viability and continued success of Bishop’s Tachbrook Church of England Primary School.


10.7.2 POLICY BTLACV 1: PROTECTION OF LOCAL ASSETS OF COMMUNITY VALUE


10.7.2a Bishop's Tachbrook has a number of assets which are valued by the community and which are considered fundamental to maintaining a good

quality of life within the village and ensuring it remains a sustainable community into the future. These facilities provide the facilities to

support many of the policies included in the District Local plan and the Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan.

They consist of a number of types of asset –

buildings for specific purposes that involve community activity and/or interest;

land used for community for recreational purposes;

land and/or buildings used by the community for horticultural purposes;

land that provides rural amenity for the community;

land that provides green recreational spaces used by the community.

10.7.2b It is important to identify those assets in order to ensure that they continue to be available to the community if the status or availability of

the asset changes. Some of these are within the communities control in terms of ownership and decision-making and are therefore

Community Assets so that the holding body is independent of external changes. The holding body in relation to Community Assets in Bishop’s

Tachbrook and its Neighbourhood Plan is the Bishop’s Tachbrook Parish Council. All other assets considered of value to the community are

Assets of Community Value.

10.7.2c The Localism Act (“the Act”) was enacted on 15 November 2011, and the Assets of Community Value provisions in Part 5 Chapter 3 were

commenced for England at the same time as the Regulations made under those provisions came into force, both on 21 September 2012. The

provisions give local groups a right to nominate a building or other land for listing by the local authority as an asset of community value. It can be

listed if a principal (“non-ancillary”) use of the asset furthers (or has recently furthered) their community’s social well-being or social interests


(which include cultural, sporting or recreational interests) and is likely to do so in the future. When a listed asset is to be sold, local community

groups will in many cases have a fairer chance to make a bid to buy it on the open market.

The intention of the legislation is to give the community, when an asset of community value appears to be vulnerable from sale by the owner, the

right to be given notice of the sale and a moratorium period of 6 months within which both the owner is not permitted to enter into a contract of

sale and the community can arrange to finance the purchase. However, it is not at all straight forward and has a large number of exemptions of one

sort or another.

If the community wish to acquire it, they have to buy it at a price that the owner will accept and if that cannot be done or agreed in the moratorium

period then the sale can take place to anyone else. The Act does not provide any control over the cost to be paid. The theory is that planning

controls are sufficient to prevent planning gain on an asset that may have a low land value, which if it were to be given a planning usage of a higher

value and the community still wanted to retain it, then that higher value would have to be paid.

10.7.2d The first thing to do is to identify all the Assets considered to be those with community value and what that community value in functional terms, is.

Local green spaces and community facilities further the social well-being and interests of the local community. The purpose of Policy

BTLACV1 is to ensure that such assets are retained, enhanced or increased, in the future development of Bishop's Tachbrook.

Evidence gathered during community consultation identified local assets of community value in Bishop's Tachbrook – see the table below.

The Localism Act provides a process for the inclusion of valued community assets by Warwick District Council in a list of Assets of community

Value. Assets that the Neighbourhood Plan identifies in Bishop's Tachbrook that are valued by the local community and which needs the

protection and help that this Act might provide, need to be identified and submitted to Warwick District Council for consideration to be given

to include them in the statutory List of Assets of Community Value.

Since Bishop’s Tachbrook Parish council is the Community holding Body, any assets it already owns would not have any advantage on that list.

But if another public authority is the provider of that community asset, it may be that, for financial reasons for example, the authority decides

to dispose of the asset. If that were to happen, it may be that the authority arranges to pass it to the Parish Council but that cannot be relied

on. So it would seem sensible to include these unless the particular asset is in the list of exemptions in section 95(5) of the Act, or are in


Schedule 3 to the Regulations. These are complex exemptions but should be taken into account when deciding whether or not to ask the local

authority to include an asset in the list.

TABLE 17 COMMUNITY ASSETS & ASSETS OF COMMUNITY VALUE YET TO BE REFFERED TO WARWICK DISTRICT COUNCIL

Buildings Recreation Horticulture Rural Amenities Green Spaces

Community Assets in the ownership of or under the control of Bishops Tachbrook Parish Council.

Sports & Social Club The Meadow playing fields

Including children’s playground Floodlit Porous Pitch, BMX track

Allotments (by the Meadow)

Storage sheds near club

The ‘Village Green’

Local green spaces

Lgs03,04,05,06,07,08

Assets of Community Value in the ownership of other public bodies

BT C of E Primary School

Croft Surgery Harbury Lane Playing Fields (WDC)

Oakley Wood (WCC) Europa Way Wood (WCC)

Assets of Community Value in other ownerships

Wychwood Close shops Land west of Seven Acre Close Allotments off Oakley Wood Road

Wiggerland Wood

Leopard Public House Land east of Leopard Highdown Hill

Half moon plantation

The Tach Brook & its banks

Grove Plantation

Castle Park

Note; St Chads Church is exempted. Disposals of closed Church of England churches if it were to happen would come under Part 6 of the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011:

The lengthy process in Part 6 of the Measure involves public consultation, and at the end of it the building will either be sold or leased for an agreed purpose, or demolished, or

transferred to the Churches Conservation Trust for preservation – following which outcomes it will once more be possible to list the building and land if appropriate.


Strategic basis

10.7.2e The assets in the table above were identified using the criteria set out in the Localism Act 2011 (Section 88), namely that the actual current or

recent use of the building or land furthers the social well-being or social interests of the local community, and it is realistic to think that such

use can continue or could be resumed in the next five years. The Parish Council will consider the list to determine their suitability and need

to nominate the Asset to Warwick District Council for formal inclusion on the List of Assets of Community Value.

The emerging Warwick Local Plan recognises the value that cultural, leisure, shopping, open space, environmental and heritage assets have

for local communities. Several policies in the emerging Local Plan seek to protect and enhance such assets when opportunities arise.

POLICY BTLACV1: PROTECTION OF COMMUNITY ASSETS AND LOCAL ASSETS OF COMMUNITY VALUE

Community Assets and potential and actual Local Assets of Community Value in the Asset Table as amended from time to time, will be protected

from development that adversely affects the community benefit that the asset provides. Where proposals might be reduced or lost, the Parish

Council may consider an alternative location provided it is of equal or better provision than the location to be lost.

Whenever Assets are to be altered or extended the community aspect of the asset should not be reduced.

Where the Asset is thought to be at risk or may become so, the asset will be nominated for inclusion in the List of Assets of Community Value.

Application of Policy LACV1

10.7.2f The loss in whole or in part of local assets of community value would reduce the sustainability of Bishop's Tachbrook and therefore would not

help achieve sustainable development. Development proposals which result in the loss or reduction of these assets will not be acceptable.

This policy will be used to ensure that development proposals in Bishop's Tachbrook do not adversely affect local assets of community value

identified in Table of community assets. Whenever possible opportunities will be taken to improve or enhance such assets through planning

agreements or community infrastructure levies associated with relevant development proposals.


10.7.3 POLICY BTLACV2: THE PROVISION OF NEW LOCAL ASSETS OF COMMUNITY VALUE


10.7.3a Planning applications for development in the Neighbourhood area may have implications on the services that community assets provide. The

developer will provide sufficient information as the Parish Council requires to assess the effect of the development on the community assets,

either as growth of existing assets or any new assets found to be evident and the costs that will be met either by section 106 agreements or

through Community Infrastructure Levy Payments (when implemented by the Local Plan), to be used to provide new local assets of

community value for Bishops Tachbrook.

10.7.3b During consultation on this Plan several projects were highlighted by respondents that should be considered in conjunction with future

planning applications. These include:

Another access to the school ;

Better footpaths and links to Oakley Wood;

Footpath signs with a formal walking route defined;

The creation of a pathway alongside the Tach Brook;

A School / community farm.

Strategic basis

10.7.3c The emerging Warwick Local Plan contains policies which aim to support prosperous communities by recognizing the important role that

culture, heritage, leisure and shopping assets play in the lives of local communities (Policy PC0: Prosperous Communities) and seeking to

protect these valuable assets wherever possible. The emerging Local Plan also contains a policy which seeks to provide improved or new

open space, sport or recreation facilities (Policy HS4). It also seeks to create new green infrastructure assets and restore degraded ones and

to improve public access and enjoyment of such assets (Policy NE1).


POLICY BTLACV2: THE PROVISION OF NEW LOCAL ASSETS OF COMMUNITY VALUE

When planning permission is granted for development in Bishop's Tachbrook, a Parish Council assessment of the effect of the development on the

community and its assets will be made to either extend or provide new local assets of community value, in accordance with priorities identified in

the Neighbourhood Plan or as otherwise determined by the Parish Council. Appropriate use will be made of the Community Infrastructure Levy,

other planning agreements or planning conditions to provide new local assets of community value.

Application of Policy BTLACV2

10.7.3d Financial contributions received by the Parish Council from the Community Infrastructure Levy or other agreements or conditions will be used

to improve existing local assets of community value or to provide new buildings, recreational, horticultural and rural amenities, and green

spaces for the benefit of the people of Bishop's Tachbrook.

Developments that provide new infrastructure as an integral part of the development will be designed so as to create practical improvements

in the quality of life of local people.

10.8 LEISURE AND WELL-BEING

10.8.0 The strategic objectives for leisure and well-being are as follows:

OBJECTIVES FOR LEISURE AND WELL-BEING

1. To provide facilities for sport, recreation and community activities for all ages; 2. To provide new allotments both in new housing development and around the parish; 3. To improve access to the countryside by maintaining public rights of way, reinstating lost footpaths and creation of brookstray walks 4. To provide for primary healthcare facilities.


10.8.1 POLICY BTLWB1: SPORT, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY PROVISION


10.8.1a Residents of Bishops Tachbrook, in common with the general population of a prosperous country like the United Kingdom, have a growing

desire to improve physical fitness as part of a healthier lifestyle. Currently local sports facilities within the parish are limited to 1) the playing

Fields on Kingsley Road, known as The Meadow. This is a well-used space both for sports and village events; and 2) the playing Fields on

Harbury Lane, that were provided as part of the recreational area for Warwick Gates residents. It is however remote to both Warwick Gates

and the population centres of the parish so only gets limited use. In the boundary review this area will be transferred to Whitnash Town

Council on 1st April.

10.8.1b The village has a Village Events group who organise very well attended events through the year on The Meadow. That includes such events as

the village horticultural show and a November 5th bonfire night, on average about 5 events a year.

10.8.1c The Meadow of just under 3ha has four main functions

1. Sports & Social Club – Has a Family Room with the feel of a pub, dartboard, pool table and fruit machines, a snooker room with 2

tables, a lounge for live entertainment, bingo, quizzes and a big screen for showing live sports and the concert room. It is the meeting

place for the Brownies, Rainbows and Tachbrook Tinies. It has residential quarters for the Club Steward. Externally there are changing

rooms for outdoor games, a fenced and floodlit all-weather pitch for 5 aside football. It has a car park.

2. The Playing field has a senior football pitch and a cricket square but it is of a lower quality and does not meet the necessary standard of

some teams. Teams play in 2 football leagues and 2 darts leagues.

3. Children’s play areas with play equipment with an area for small children and larger equipment for the older children.

4. BMX track built in the last 5 years.


10.8.1d For a wider range of leisure facilities, residents have to travel to Leamington spa or Warwick, or join a specialist club or health club with membership costs that for many are prohibitive. At consultation events residents have commented that we should have a large sports hall, a village hall suitable for drama, sports, kitchen, rooms for other meetings and parking. There are number of special interest groups such as the History Group, WI and there would be more if they had somewhere to meet. Some groups related to the school such as the table tennis group, do use the school hall but the school is not designed to take any but occasional community functions.

10.8.1e With the population expansion in the parish, currently 630 dwellings on top of the 2011 census of 1,021 dwellings and with the age of present facilities there is a considerable lack of facility. All of it is concentrated in one location, The Meadow, on the south side of the village. But in a countryside location it does not have other sites in the way that an urban area has that gives variety and the conclusion has been reached that another site on the north west corner of the village would be the most suitable place for an additional recreational area. It could provide some allotment space, some parkland and trees and perhaps some tennis or netball courts in a small park locked at night. The piece of land west of Seven Acre Close would seem to be the ideal location for this new community facility. This could be a positive plan-led land use for this site.

Strategic basis

10.8.1f Is the present provision for sport, recreation and community sufficient for the new population being imported into the parish bearing in mind the condition and quality of the present facilities?

NPPF 73 says access to high quality open spaces and opportunities for sport and recreation can make an important contribution to the health & well-being of communities. To do this we will need more space than we currently have.

To establish what we should have as open space the WDC Open Space Standards apply. (Appendix D thereof)

Calculate village population 2011 census from output area data

59383 59384 59385 Part 59386 59387 59388 59389 Output area

CV33 9RR CV33 9RJ CV33 9RG CV33 9RL CV33 9RB CV33 9RA CV33 9RD VILLAGE

213 305 294 65 259 306 267 1709


Add number of residents from 150 homes using tenure mix from Table 3 at 1 bed has 1.5 persons and the 1 person per bedroom

Add new population to existing 1709 + 430 = 2,139 population to provide for in the village only.

From the Open Space Standards the open space requirement will be

Amenity Green Space Parks & Gardens Natural areas allotments children sports TOTAL

0.74 2 2 .42 0.3 .25 HA/1000

2.139 X 0.74 =1.58 4.28 4.28 0.9 0.64 0.53 12.21 HA FOR 2,139

10.8.1g The recreational space available is from 10.5.4d. Up until now, the village has been the main centre of the Parish, but as 3 new developments on the boundary with Whitnash grow, the recreational space for those developments will be more naturally linked to Warwick Gates. The village, at a distance from the urban area should be considered on its own for open space assessment.

A village in the open countryside looks and feels as though it has lots of open space, but access to it very limited. You can see it but not use it. That is an important attribute which to some extent masks the deficiency, but when it comes to activities residents have to go to the urban areas where these activities are available.

The Meadow is a total of 2.968ha. About 1.47ha is pitches, 1.14ha is allotments and BMX track, 0.132ha is children’s play area and 0.234 is the club, road and carpark. In total there is about 1.032ha of Amenity green space in the village plus 2.968ha on the meadow gives about 4 ha. Some extra will come with the 150 new houses say 2ha that gives a total of 6 ha which is 6 ha below the open space standard.

No of bedrooms 1 2 3 4 5 Total population

No of dwellings 27 42 34 31 16

Population estimate 40 84 102 124 80 430


The Seven Acre Close site would go some way to rectifying this deficit and so should become a justified Asset of Community Value as set out on the Neighbourhood Plan Map. That site had a planning application for 25 homes but was refused by Planning for the reasons set out in the village housing options document. The Developer has lodged an Appeal. The village has already met the strategic demand in the village by a plan-led approach and the recent appeal result that dismissed an appeal on the refusal for housing on land on the other side of the road to Seven Acre Close for similar reasons of serious harm to the character of the open countryside and other matters, may be the result. If the appeal is dismissed, then the Asset of Community Value could proceed.

POLICY BTLWB1: SPORT, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY PROVISION

Enlargement of the village population, as distinct from the whole parish, currently does not meet the District Council Open Space

standard. Development in Bishop's Tachbrook will require more open space as set out in 10.8.1g. to provide improved sports facilities

and the upgrading of existing facilities, in line with priorities identified in 10.8.1d of this Neighbourhood Plan subject to the financial

viability of any provision, as determined by the Parish Council. Appropriate use will be made of the Community Infrastructure Levy,

other planning agreements or planning conditions, in order to deliver improved and new sporting, recreational and community facilities

Application of Policy BTLWB1

10.8.1h Development proposals in Bishop's Tachbrook will include provisions to improve or provide new sport, recreation or community facilities to

make provision for the enlarged village population. Such improvements will be enabled by planning agreements, planning conditions or

funded from the Community Infrastructure Levy (when in place).

Other potential sources of funding will also be explored by the Parish Council from grants, sponsorship or other public sources.

10.8.2 POLICY BTLWB2: ALLOTMENTS


10.8.2a The main allotment provision for the village is adjacent to The Meadow on land owned by the Parish Council. It is approximately 0.76ha. and

contains 28 plots, which are all occupied. The District Standard provision is 0.42 ha per 1,000 population. The village population is 1,709


which would therefore require 0.714ha. So the current provision is just over that standard. The national standard is 20 plots/1000 so this

would need 34 plots. This is less than the national standard.

Based on the national standard, the new development south of the school would need .43 x 20 = say 9 plots bringing the total to 43.

To provide the new pedestrian link from the Development site to The Meadow and the village may take out 2 existing allotments. Therefore,

17 plots in total need to be provided. Some will be included in the new development, but it is thought that there were would be an advantage

if some allotment are made available closer to other parts of the village so they can be more easily managed.

POLICY BTLWB2: ALLOTMENT PROVISION

Allotment provision in the parish will be to the national standard of 20 allotments per 1000 population. The population for new

developments will be calculated on the basis of 1 person per bedroom built, except for 1 bedroom properties which will be at the rate of

1.5 persons per dwelling. For this purpose, rooms described as office or similar will be taken as a bedroom.

On strategic development sites outside the village, allotments will be provided on the development and arrangements for their

management and ownership will need to be agreed at detail application stage. On the strategic development site in the village, the

allotment provision of 17 plots may be located around the village.


10.8.1b Detail arrangements for allotments related to the development will be based on Policy BTLWB2 for inclusion in the detail planning

application.


10.8.3 POLICY BTLWB3: PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO THE COUNTRYSIDE


10.8.3a Bishop's Tachbrook is surrounded by land which is mainly in productive agricultural use. To the south lies Oakley Wood & Wiggerland Wood,

separated from the rest of the parish by the M40. To the west there are areas of woodland within the Grade I Listed Castle Park which is not

open to the public. The countryside in the parish is an important informal leisure resource, as well as an important visual amenity and

contributor to community well-being. Pedestrian access to these areas is available but limited and the purpose of Policy BTLWB3 is to ensure

that opportunities are taken as they arise to improve public access to countryside and woodland areas in the parish.

10.8.3b There are 11 Public Rights of Way within the parish, most of them in rural locations but some have been built around but still provide a useful

pedestrian function now the village has grown over them. Public Rights of Way are a good indicator of the social life of the past as they

originate from the days before metalled roads and motor vehicles and almost everyone was dependent on them to travel anywhere. The

settings of paths, views and interesting topography should be taken into account when assessing the value of the path.

The map on the next page shows all the routes. Considerable work has been done to maintain signage and stiles etc. so that they are all

available to the public. The schedule after the map describes the routes for each Public Right of Way.


Map 15 Public Rights of Way in Bishop’s Tachbrook Parish ← N


Table 18 SCHEDULE OF EXISTING PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD AREA OF BISHOP’S TACHBROOK

W105 St. Chad’s Church to the Asps Farm

W106 Holt Avenue to Hareway Lane

W107 Powell Close to Oakley Wood Road

W108 Kingsley Road to Oakley Wood Road on the north side of the Meadow

W109 Oakley Wood Road to Banbury diverted around the motorway slip road

W111 Oakley Wood Road through Oakley Wood to Wellesbourne Road

W113 From junction of W114 with Banbury Rd., ENE along Banbury Rd. to Wiggerland Wood, around the south side of Wiggerland Wood across Moreton Morrell Rd. and around the south side of Oakley Wood to the Wellesbourne Road.

W114 From junction of W107 with Oakley Wood Rd. S to Banbury Rd. via Wiggerland Wood Farm, over the M40 south along the field side of the M40 to the parish boundary at a small copse, around Hogbrook Farm to Banbury Road.

W117 Oakley Wood Road at south point of Grove Plantation, NE to Harbury Lane then north to Logan Road in Whitnash.

W142 Oakley Wood Road south of M40 bridge at Park Barn Farm to Banbury Road

W227 Short length on old Banbury Road east of Tollgate Farm, now a vehicle layby.

10.8.3c There are two old claimed Rights of Way that have yet to be added to the definitive map starting from SP28206100 to SP30266118 and

SP31586088 to SP32906000.

10.8.3d NPPF75 requires that planning policies should protect and enhance public rights of way and access. Opportunities should be sought to

provide better facilities for users, for example, by adding links to existing rights of way networks including National Trails.

10.8.3d There are other paths in the Tach Brook valley that have been given permissive rights by their owners for the public to use. It would also be a

welcome addition if some brookstray walks along the banks of the Tach Brook could be arranged through a Defra Stewardship scheme

together with some habitat biodiversity. This is not necessarily a Neighbourhood Plan matter but is for the Parish Council and the Parish Plan


to consider. Any planning applications that may present an opportunity to contribute to this provision, could help, so will be included in the

policy for Leisure & Well-being in order to meet NPPF75. This policy is supported by the environment agency

10.8.3e It has to be remembered that habitats and humans are not always compatible. The majority of species see humans, cats and dogs as a threat

so will move away. Habitats will not thrive unless paths are rarely and carefully used. Bats, owls, hedgehogs, shrews, grass snakes are

examples of species that need support from the natural quiet of the countryside.

10.8.3f Developing the footpath network, especially a link to Oakley Wood, emerged as one of the leading concerns of the local community, and

most strongly supported in the three major consultation initiatives taken to inform the writing of the Neighbourhood Plan. As part of the

development of the land south of the school, the developer has agreed to provide this link. The Oakley Wood Road is a fast and narrow road

and safety of any path is paramount. A path on the field side of the hedgerow to a point where their land interest stops has been agreed, but

agreement with the County Council as to crossing the motorway and getting to Oakley Wood has to be worked out.

10.8.3g Residents have expressed the wish for a circular walk around the village area. This has proven successful at Warwick Gates (Tachbrook

Mallory) and should be addressed by the Parish Council as opportunities arise.

10.8.3h Horse riding is not well served within the parish. Even though some horses are kept locally in paddocks, there is poor access to paths suitable

for riding so that owners use residential streets or dangerous rural roads. NPPF28 supports economic growth in rural areas in order to create

jobs and horse riding can be a rural business opportunity. A bridlepath network could serve all path users.

Strategic basis

10.83g The emerging Warwick Local Plan recognises that pedestrian access to the wider network of footpaths in the countryside on the south side of

Warwick and Leamington is limited and should be improved. Country footpaths should be for pedestrians except where bridlepath provision

is planned and these should be wide enough for that purpose. Past experience shows it to be important that allowing the misuse of paths by

motorbikes or competitive cycling is not acceptable. These activities, if they are to be made available, need paths for that purpose. Cycleways

on the transport network are provided for in policy BTT1.


POLICY BTLWB3: PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO THE COUNTRYSIDE

Public Rights of Way and their settings will be protected from development including all access points to them. Opportunities will be taken to

develop, improve and extend the footpath network, including some bridlepaths, within Bishop's Tachbrook Neighbourhood Area in order to

provide better pedestrian access to the countryside and will be expected to be included in any development proposals on or adjacent to a

development site either through the granting of planning permissions for development or through other proposals which enhance or increase

the footpath network.


10.8.3h Whenever practical, development proposals in Bishop's Tachbrook will include provisions to improve, extend or make connections to the

existing footpath network, so that pedestrian access to the countryside is enhanced. Such improvements will be enabled by planning

agreements, planning conditions or funded from the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Other potential sources of funding for footpath improvements will be explored and efforts will be made to raise funds for footpath

improvement schemes from grants, sponsorship or public sources.

10.8.4 Promoting Healthy Communities


10.8.4a Primary Healthcare facilities.

The village has a surgery on Mallory Road, with a pharmacy facility within the surgery. It is part of the Croft Medical Centre but it only is open

for 50% of the week, spread evenly through it. With more patients, it could increase the opening hours to meet extra demand.

10.8.4b The Director of Public Health submitted a response to the consultation and welcomed the inclusion of matters important to health,

particularly those related to the wider determinants of health, highlighting


A range of different types of housing and a mix of resident profiles supporting the long term future of the area

Employment opportunities, as employment is a vital part of good health and access to the internet can support healthy behaviours

Building for life criteria are highlighted as good practice ( see BTH3 & BTH4 10.2.5d

Community assets including meeting places and green spaces are highlighted as important for reducing isolation and improving social isolation and improving mental health and well-being

Green spaces and access to them has been highlighted as important

Walking routes to connect areas need improving which is important for physical and mental well-being; and

Sustainable transport was highlighted. Other elements suggested were measured miles and walking school bus, signage to local amenities highlighting distance to encourage

walking, placing outdoor gym equipment in green spaces or trim trails to increase multifunctional use of space, cycling routes as a form of leisure including signage, lighting and cycle parking, consider mental health benefits, new housing to be lifelong housing for all ages and needs and consider improvement to facilities rather than new.

10.8.4c NPPF chapter 8 is about Promoting Healthy Communities. 69 says that Local Planning Authorities should create a shared vision with

communities of the residential environment and facilities they wish to see. To support this, LPA’s should aim to involve all sections of the community in the development of local plans and in planning decisions and facilitate neighbourhood planning.

The examples given are not relevant to this village. As it is, before any more developments, it is a cohesive community where crime is almost absent, as we are small enough to know where any potential risks are and influence behaviours.

70 is more relevant, but the village shops cannot compete with supermarkets, not too far distant, on price, footfall or convenience. 73 is referred to at 10.8.1f and forms the basis of Policy BTLWB1. 74, on existing open space, sports and recreational buildings and

land is very relevant and full use will be made of Local Green space listings to prevent losses of needed facilities. 75 is the basis of policy BTLWB3 and 76 & 77 are the basis of policy BTRE3(E) as set out in paragraph 10.4.5d.

Strategic basis

10.8.4d Policies through the Neighbourhood Plan are designed to achieve a strong cohesive community with a clear plan-led strategy to provide

housing and facilities in the right place and prevent opportunistic developments in the wrong place that would achieve the opposite result, a

divided, resentful and reactive assembly of people who feel they do not matter. Warwick District Local Plan Policies HS1 to HS8 together with

other policies in this Neighbourhood Plan provide the framework for promoting Healthy Communities in Bishop’s Tachbrook.


10.9 TRANSPORT & TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

10.9.1 The Neighbourhood Plan has the following strategic objectives for transport and traffic management:

OBJECTIVES FOR TRANSPORT AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

A. To facilitate the provision of a suitable range of cost-effective transport options for local people;

B. To facilitate the implementation of traffic management schemes which increase safety on roads in the village.

How people get to work is a sustainability and safety issue. Because of its rural location, poor public transport links and low level of

unemployment within the Parish even though there are few jobs in the parish itself, Bishop’s Tachbrook is highly dependent on the car.

Journey times are longer and multiple car ownership in households is higher than regional and national averages. Our transport policies aim to

address these issues.


10.9.1 POLICY BTT1: IMPROVING TRANSPORT OPTIONS


10.9.1a The Parish is served by local bus services but these are limited, typically no better than an hourly service with the last bus just after 7pm.

Residents rely quite heavily on their cars to get to work and as their main mode of transport. The cycle way that was built in 2008, connecting

the Village area to Warwick Gates and then onwards to Leamington and Warwick has been successful, but access to other local destinations

except by car is difficult and relatively dangerous for vulnerable road users.

10.9.1b Paragraph 6.4.4A and TABLE 10 shows that in the 2011 census, from the summary that 5.99% of residents work at home compared with

6.77% in Warwick District, 4.72% in the West Midlands and 5.36% in England.

Those that use Public Transport (Metro/train/bus) as their main journey to work is lowest in Bishop’s Tachbrook at 4.38% compared with

7.14% in Warwick District, 11.53% in West Midlands 16.92% in England. This may reflect the level of service provided (no metro, infrequent

buses, limited train destinations) or it may be due to work locations or lifestyle choice.

Those that used the road as a driver or passenger, in a car or taxi or on a motorbike were highest in Bishop’s Tachbrook as 81.3%, with

Warwick District at 70.38%, West Midlands at 70.38% and overall in England 63.38%.

Those that were self-propelled – bike or walk – were the lowest in Bishop’s Tachbrook at 7.67%, compared with 15.21% in Warwick District,

11.76% in the West Midlands and 13.69% in England.

10.9.1c The consultation questionnaires found a large number of comments on the transport issue. The main points were Infrequent bus service (one

an hour means long waiting times particularly when buses are delayed as happens frequently), no direct bus to Warwick and the hospital in

particular, no bus in the evening, Limited bus to Jaguar LandRover at Gaydon that does not come through the village. It is a long walk to

Banbury Road with no pavement along a fast country road and not least the cost of bus services to families that far exceeds the cost by car.

10.9.1d Travel distance indicates that greater car dependency is due to it being the easiest or only travel option. Table 11, giving 2001 census data


since 2011 census data for this measure is not yet available, shows that only 6% work within 2 km of home, 45% work between 2 to 10km of

home and 32% work between 10km and 30km away. The farther away the destination is the less likely an easy transport route there is likely

to be. This is a byproduct of a dormitory settlement which is why it is better to populate urban areas than build dormitory housing.

Strategic basis

10.9.1e The Highways Agency statutory response to the Neighbourhood plan consultation is content with the policies in so far as they might affect

the Strategic Road network of the motorways and major trunk roads in the area.

10.9.1f Transport objectives in the Local Plan include the need to locate development where it minimises the need to travel and to provide

sustainable modes of transport such as walking, cycling and public transport. This is unlikely to be achieved if new housing is located outside

of urban areas where the current experience of Bishop’s Tachbrook is the norm. The Highway Authority is Warwickshire County Council and

policies directly dealing with transport in Warwick District are provided in the Local Plan and the Local Transport Plan.

The Transport objectives in the Local Plan, which need to be consistent with the Local Transport Plan, include

improvements to buses and rail

Improvements to major congestion hotspots

Cycle parking and cycle /pedestrian routes to key destinations

Better integration of transport and land use planning to reduce the need to travel

Improved public transport information,

Improved pedestrian crossing facilities and

School travel plans

The purpose of Policy BTT1 is to ensure that opportunities to improve public transport options in Bishop's Tachbrook are taken whenever


they arise from an increased population due to a new development. The evidence is that the farther away from facilities people are, the

greater the use that has to be made of the car. In addition few people live close to where they work. The greater the use of the car, the

greater the likelihood of congestion.

10.9.1g WDC Local plan policies TR1, TR2 and TR3 are high level policies that do not relate to the Neighbourhood level. TR3 does address the issue of

contributions towards transport improvements and for Bishop’s Tachbrook this should mean that all development within the parish is

required to include payments for work, both internal and external to the development sites, to

complete the cycle way from Warwick Gates to the primary school, to provide a safer route to Schools.

Ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists on Oakley Wood Road at its junction with the estate road into the new housing estate and

from there into the village.

POLICY BTT1: IMPROVING TRANSPORT PROVISION

Development will only be permitted that makes provision to

1) improve public transport, particularly bus services, in Bishop's Tachbrook, including from Warwick and Gaydon

2) improve the frequency of bus services including at evenings and weekends

3) provide additional cycle routes through the village to connect the new developments to Leamington safely

4) provides for additional safety measures in and around the parish to reduce the risk to pedestrians due to the greater impact of

traffic on the roads through the parish

5) have regard for the effect of transport works on the character and nature of the conservation area where roads pass through them

such provision to be objectively assessed by the Highway Authority in conjunction with the Parish Council when new development is

proposed or when transportation schemes are produced which affect the Neighbourhood Area.


Application of Policy BTT1

10.9.1h When proposals for new development in Bishop's Tachbrook are proposed or when transportation schemes are produced which affect the

parish, opportunities to improve public transport options including those arising from the Travel Plan will be objectively assessed for

implementation as part of the development or scheme concerned.

10.9.2 POLICY BTT2: IMPROVING ROAD SAFETY


10.9.2a Oakley Wood Road, Church Hill and Mallory Road, in the Village area and Othello Avenue in Warwick Gates, all suffer from high peak volumes

of commuter traffic, often travelling at excessive speeds. Recent community speed watch surveys found that on the Oakley Wood Road

(OWR) southbound outside the Leopard the 85thpercentile speed southbound was 44.3mph and northbound 40.3mph. Some vehicles were

in excess of 50mph.

A similar survey of the Mallory Road showed that, as traffic goes through the village, 85thpercentile speeds were 35mph in a road in which

roadside parking is significant. The majority of the measurements are on vehicles passing through the village, not residents.

The speed limit on each road is 30mph.


10.9.2b Speeding traffic is not a Neighbourhood plan issue directly. It is however a serious concern for the community and the Parish Council. The

pre-submission consultation got the highest number of comments on this sort of issue. Increased housing will lead to increased problems.

Action is being taken by the Parish Council through Highways to try to reduce traffic speed.

A study has begun of the ways that the roads in the centre of the village might be changed to improve this length to be more appropriate for

both pedestrians and the conservation area - we would like to conserve our residents as well as our historic environment. The study is being

funded by the developer of the preferred site south of the school and has yet to report.

Work arising from this has to be funded so this might be a call on developments through policy BTT1(4).

VAS signs have been found to reduce traffic speed somewhat. A VAS sign has been ordered for Oakley Wood Road southbound.

Chicanes to give village outgoing traffic priority over incoming traffic on the three entrances to the village is being considered. This might also

be a call on developments through policy BTT1(4).

Costs for any recommended actions should be included by Highways in their requirements under the Highways Act and ring-fenced for the

solutions identified.

10.9.2c BTTI now includes policy T2 in a more co-ordinated way.

10.9.2d Another priority is the completion of the Safer Routes to School initiative, which will enable people of all ages to cross Mallory Road in a safe

and unhurried manner. Provisions to enable safer road crossings are needed to reduce road safety risks.

Strategic basis

10.9.2e The Local Plan requires all proposals for new development to demonstrate that safe and convenient access can be achieved for all modes of

transport.


POLICY BTT2: IMPROVING ROAD SAFETY

Developers will be required to provide transport assessments to show the measures that will be required to improve accessibility and safety for

all modes of transport wherever it may impact both inside the Neighbourhood area and beyond. The costs of improvements identified by that

assessment and by the County Council Highways Assessment to improve road safety in the Neighbourhood Area will be met by the new

development and completed before the first house in the development is occupied.

Application of Policy T2

10.9.2f Where Transport Assessments are required to support a development proposal these should state what measures will be required to

improve accessibility and safety for all modes of travel, particularly for alternatives to the car such as walking, cycling and public transport

and what measures will need to be taken to deal with the anticipated transport impacts of the development.

For the avoidance of risk to residents, any identified works will be completed before the new occupiers add their additional load to the

transport network.

11 NEXT STEPS

11.1 Once the Neighbourhood Plan has been ‘made’ by Warwick District Council, the Council will determine all planning applications and other

proposals in the light of policies set out in the plan. Similarly the Parish Council will look to apply the Plan’s policies in its decision making. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate in their applications how they conform to the neighbourhood policies. The adjacent Parish Councils will be expected to have regard to the policies where they are consulted on development proposals within Bishop’s Tachbrook Parish.


11.2 Warwick District Council and the Parish Council will work together to monitor progress on the Neighbourhood Plan. They will bring forward proposals to review the plan as necessary during the plan period following procedures for review as may be set out in neighbourhood planning regulations applying at that time.

APPENDIX NP1 WARWICK DISTRICT COUNCIL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE GRANT BISHOP’S TACHBROOK

NEIGHBOURHOOD AREA DESIGNATION.

Executive Committee – 10th October 2012 Agenda Item No. 11C

Title Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Area Designation For further information about this report please contact Dan Robinson [email protected] (01926) 456504 Wards of the District directly affected Bishop’s Tachbrook Is the report private and confidential and not for publication by virtue of a paragraph of schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, following the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006? No Background Papers Appendix 1 – Bishop’s Tachbrook Proposed Neighbourhood Plan Area Appendix 2 – Summary of Representations Appendix 3 – Bishop’s Tachbrook Alternative Neighbourhood Plan Area – objector changes Appendix 4 – Bishop’s Tachbrook Alternative Neighbourhood Plan Area – boundary commission changes Contrary to the policy framework: No Contrary to the budgetary framework: No Key Decision? No Included within the Forward Plan? No Equality & Sustainability Impact Assessment Undertaken No These impact assessments are not necessary for a neighbourhood area designation. Officer/Councillor Approval Officer Approval Date Name Chief Executive 25/09/12 Chris Elliott

mailto:[email protected]


Deputy Chief Executive & Monitoring Officer 25/09/12 Andrew Jones; CMT 25/09/12 Chris Elliott Bill Hunt Andrew Jones; Finance 25/09/12 Mike Snow; Heads of Service 14/09/12 Tracy Darke; Portfolio Holders 25/09/12 Councillor Hammon Consultation & Community Engagement Guided by the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012, the Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Area application was subject to a 6 week public consultation between 20 July 2012 and 31 August 2012. Comments were invited on the proposed Neighbourhood Area. A public notice appeared on the Council’s website; in the Courier; community notice boards in Bishop’s Tachbrook parish; and the August edition of the local parish magazine. In addition, notification was sent via email to stakeholders and interested parties via the LDF consultation system. Six representations were received, four in support of the area designation and two objecting to specific areas included. Objections will be dealt with further in this report. A summary of representations is at Appendix 2 of this report, full representations are publicly available on the LDF consultation system at: http://warwickdc.jdi-consult.net/ldf/viewreps.php?docelemid=1512&docid=24 Final Decision? Yes 1. SUMMARY 1.1 This report summarises the representations made on the Neighbourhood Area consultation for Bishop’s Tachbrook and recommends designating the Neighbourhood Area as submitted by the Parish Council. This will enable Bishop’s Tachbrook Parish Council to begin to formally prepare a neighbourhood plan. 2. RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 That Executive designates the Neighbourhood Area as submitted by Bishop’s Tachbrook Parish Council, attached as appendix 1 having regard to the representations made. 2.2 That Executive notes the funding available from the Department for Communities and Local Government for the financial year 2012/13 as set out in the Budgetary Framework. 3. REASONS FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 The Council recently consulted on its first Neighbourhood Area designation application under the new provisions of Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012, which followed the enactment of the Localism Act 2011. 3.2 On 2 May 2012, Warwick District Council received formal notification from Bishop’s Tachbrook Parish Council of their intention to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan encompassing the whole of the Parish area (see Appendix 1). Being a Parish Council they are the only relevant body that can apply in their parish. Their application included the following statement explaining why the area is


considered as appropriate to be a neighbourhood area: ‘That, in considering the development of Neighbourhood Plan for the plan period of 15 years, recognising both the rural nature and the needs of the populated parts of the parish, it is essential to balance demand on all parts of the locality so that the most appropriate development plan is produced for the whole of the parish.’ 3.3 In July & August Warwick District Council undertook consultation as described in the consultation and community engagement section above. 3.4 Two consultation responses were objections to the proposed area, both from landowner and/or developer interests. The first, from Barwood, recommended omitting the area known as ‘South of Gallows Hill/West of Europa Way’ that is identified in the Local Plan Preferred Options as a development site. The second, from A C Lloyd Homes Ltd and Midlands Land Portfolio Ltd, for land at Grove Farm and the former sewage works, south of Harbury Lane, which is only identified in the Local Plan as a potentially suitable development option. 3.5 Dealing with the comments by each objector in turn, Barwood states that the site at Gallows Hill and the Asps is land required to meet the whole district and not a matter for the neighbourhood plan. However, it is considered that whilst there are areas currently identified for development to meet the District’s needs this should not preclude a neighbourhood plan having any influence at all over an area that is still yet to be allocated in an adopted plan. All proposed neighbourhood areas should be aware that they have to be in alignment, and subservient to the strategic elements of the Local Plan. Barwood rightly point out the example of the unsuccessful Dawlish Neighbourhood Plan examination where the Local Plan for the area had yet to be determined being one of the principle reasons for the neighbourhood plan being found unsound. Warwick District Council will be advising all local communities in the District preparing neighbourhood plans that whilst early preparation of neighbourhood plans is suitable it would be most appropriate if neighbourhood plans are not submitted for examination where there are likely to be potentially conflicting spatial issues of a strategic nature outstanding in any of the Council’s development plan documents. 3.6 The objections from A C Lloyd Homes and Midlands Land Portfolio Ltd repeat some of the same arguments put forward by Barwood above, stating that there are unresolved objections to the Local Plan in particular for the area of land they are concerned with. In addition, they consider the application statement from Bishop’s Tachbrook Parish Council, outlined above, to be inconsistent with an appropriate strategy for the District. All those undertaking neighbourhood plans should be cognisant of the hierarchy of planning documents as outlined above. 4. ALTERNATIVE OPTION(S) CONSIDERED 4.1 Revise the neighbourhood area boundary as in Appendix 3 to reflect representations made that object to the inclusion of certain areas. There is a recent example of Wycombe District Council amending Daws Hill Neighbourhood Forum’s proposed neighbourhood area designation to exclude two development sites. However, it is considered that this would be inappropriate as it would leave certain areas without any possible Neighbourhood Plan Area as the parish council is the only relevant body able to undertake a Neighbourhood Plan. 4.2 The area application could be refused on the grounds that it is premature to be preparing a neighbourhood plan and developing land use proposals when strategic elements of the Local Plan are not finalised. This is the contention of the respondent A C Lloyd Homes Ltd and Midlands Land


Portfolio . Whilst this is a possible alternative option, it is considered inappropriate not to allow Bishop’s Tachbrook to begin the early stages of preparation of a Neighbourhood Plan. 4.3 Revise the area boundary as in Appendix 4 to exclude those areas that are likely to not form part of the parish following boundary reviews. Members will be aware of the boundary review of the District wards that is currently being considered by the boundary commission. This is likely to affect the boundaries of the Warwick District electoral ward of Bishop’s Tachbrook. The District boundary review will be followed by a parish boundary review which should align the district’s ward boundaries with parish boundaries and create a new parish of Heathcote, which will encompass land currently within Bishop’s Tachbrook, notably the south eastern corner of Warwick Gates and land to the north of Harbury Lane and east of Bishop’s Tachbrook. 5. BUDGETARY FRAMEWORK 5.1 Within the Development services, staff resources have already identified to provide some support for neighbourhood plans in line with the requirements of the Regulations. This support will be ongoing as and when neighbourhood plans are proposed. Funding for this resource is covered within existing budgets, although it has required some reprioritisation of the work being performed by the Development Policy Team. 5.2 Executive has already agreed to make available up to £40,000 from the Contingency Budget to enable Parish Councils to progress their respective plans; and in addition up to £10,000 has been made available to support necessary to produce the Whitnash Neighbourhood Plan (minute 32, 11 July 2012). 5.3 The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) recently announced £10m funding for 2012/13 for Local Authorities in England to assist local communities prepare neighbourhood plans. This reflects the new duties placed upon local planning authorities to support and advise parish councils, neighbourhood forums and community right to build organisations and pay for examinations and referendums. This funding consists of £5,000 for each Neighbourhood Area designation. A maximum of £20,000 can be claimed for this payment, meaning four neighbourhood area designations. The second payment of £25,000 will be made on successful completion of a neighbourhood planning examination, however this is unlikely to happen in Warwick District this financial year given the current status of the new Warwick District Local Plan 2011 -2029 as outlined above. DCLG clear makes clear that this funding is not ring fenced and reflects the additional costs involved with introducing, adapting to and meeting the new duty. 6. POLICY FRAMEWORK 6.1 Any Neighbourhood Plan is required to be in conformity with the Local Plan. As the new Local Plan is not yet in place it would be premature for Bishops Tachbrook Parish Council to proceed to an Examination in Public at this stage of the process. However, the Neighbourhood Plan is likely to take a considerable time to prepare by which time the Local Plan will be further advanced and conformity can therefore be assessed. For this reason, the recommendations of this approach are consistent with the Council’s policy framework and with the Council’s commitment to support neighbourhood planning.


Appendix 3 to the Report Appendix 4 to the Report

APPENDIX NP2 HOUSING NEED SURVEY 2009

see file: Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan/NP2 Housing Need Survey 2009.pdf

APPENDIX NP3 HOUSING NEED SURVEY 2014

see file: Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan/NP3 Housing Need Survey 2014.pdf

APPENDIX NP4 AIMS & ISSUES STATEMENT

see file: Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan/NP4 Aims & Issues Statement.pdf


APPENDIX NP5 OPTIONS FOR NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT – FSL CONSULTING AND URBAN VISON ENTERPRISE

CIC

see file: Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan/NP5 BTNP Housing Site Assessments FINAL.pdf

APPENDIX NP6 PLANNING PRACTICE GUIDANCE FOR NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING

see file: Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan/NP6 Neighbourhood Plan procedures and requirements from PPG.pdf

APPENDIX NP7 WARWICK DISTRICT COUNCIL VILLAGE HOUSING OPTIONS & SETTLEMENT BOUNDARY

CONSULTATION

see file: Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan/NP7 village housing options & settlement boundaries extract.pdf

APPENDIX NP8 BISHOP’S TACHBROOK PARISH LANDSCAPE STUDY

see file: Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan/NP8 1 Landscape sensitivity BT01 to BT06.pdf

see file: Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan/NP8 2 Landscape sensitivity BT07to BT16.pdf

APPENDIX NP9 APPEAL DECISION APP/T37252/A/14/2216200

see file: Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan/NP9Appeal decision Land South of Mallory Road.pdf


APPENDIX NP10 PROTECTED VIEWS

see file: Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan/NP10 Protected views.pdf

APPENDIX NP11 LOCAL GREENSPACE PLANS

see file: Bishop’s Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan/NP11 LOCAL GREENSPACE PLANS.pdf

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