DISGRUNTLED residents have slammed the decision to give the go-ahead to an industrial development on the outskirts of Warwick.
The proposal for an industrial development consisting of general and light industrial buildings on 8.8 hectares of land off Stratford Road was agreed by members of Warwick District Council’s planning committee.
The final design and layout of the buildings is not yet known, as only a plan showing where within the site the development is proposed has been submitted, along with a height restriction guarantee of 18.5 metres.
But the application attracted a raft of objections.
Officers had recommended the planning committee grant the application as the site was part of the local employment allocation and they felt the concerns submitted were balanced out by the mitigating planting which was proposed around the site as well as the potential boost to employment opportunities in the area.
Councillors voted to approve the plans after putting off making a decision at a previous planning meeting to enable a site visit.
Objections were submitted by the Gardens Trust and Historic England who were both concerned about the impact on the nearby grade II listed Castle Park as well as the potential for archaeological finds on the site.
There were 114 letters of objections from the public.
Resident Sue Wallbank said: “Stratford Road is mostly residential. A relatively narrow main road, it already carries a large volume of commercial and private traffic. In addition, the emergency ambulance service is based just off it, close to the proposed development site entrance.
“The application relates to demolition as well as construction work, both of which would cause an extended period of traffic chaos, not to mention noise and dust.”
Ms Wallbank also pointed out the proposed development could create up to 1,000 jobs, inevitably increasing the traffic both leaving and joining the M40 Londbridge Island junction, causing greater congestion than is currently experienced.
She also voiced concerns about the accompanying increase air pollution, noise and safety hazard for school children crossing the Stratford Road.
