A Statement from Kineton Parish Council

Dear Resident,

The Parish Council are aware of draft proposals for residential developments on Land to the East of the Lighthorne Road (promoted by Richborough) and on Land off the Southam Road (promoted by Cora).

The Parish Council cannot prevent landowners or developers from promoting sites, or indeed submitting planning applications.

The Parish Council acknowledges that the District and Parish Council have robust development plans in place (the Core Strategy and the Kineton Neighbourhood Development Plan) which have been proven to carry significant weight by decision makers despite their age. Furthermore, the District Council has a very healthy housing land supply in excess of 10 years.

Although 'some' of the land is safeguarded in the Neighbourhood Plan under Policy H6 for potential future residential-led development, the policy makes it clear that the land will only be released during the plan period if it can be demonstrated through the submission of evidence that there is an identified housing need for their early release. With a housing land supply in excess of five years there is no current evidence of need. Consequently, should a planning application/s be submitted now or in the very near future it is likely that it would be considered as speculative, premature and without justification or evidence of need.

Both developers have requested to meet with the Parish Council and our District Councillors'. We have agreed that this should be done at a public meeting where local residents can also attend and ask their own questions. Should the developers be in agreement, the meeting will be held at the village hall on a date to be advised.

We trust this goes some way to explain the Parish Council's position at the current time.