Developer eyes Shipston site for new homes, but can Shipston cope with more?

THE prospect of more new homes pushing Shipston’s built-up area further into the countryside has sparked alarm among residents already troubled by the way the town’s infrastructure has struggled to keep up with the rapid expansion of recent years.

The spotlight fell on one of the parcels of land proposed for potential future development in the next Local Plan, after a link was shared on social media to a description of it on the website of Henley-based land promoters Rainier.

The site is next to the leisure centre in Darlingscote Road, a field sitting beyond the current ‘Welcome to Shipston’ sign.

The website includes an impression of how it could look with homes rather than cows and says: “Rainier Developments is promoting 9.5 acres of land at Shipston through the emerging Local Plan.

“The land is located adjacent to the northern edge of the village in a sustainable location and has the potential to accommodate up to 90 new homes.

“Over the coming months the site will continue to be promoted through the various stages of the emerging Local Plan with a view to securing the site’s allocation upon adoption”.

But while the next stage of the new South Warwickshire Local Plan is awaited to indicate which of the many plots across Stratford and Warwick districts put forward in two calls for potential sites has found favour with the planners, the Rainier vision was soon under fire.

Comments on a Shipston Facebook page highlighted a wide range of concerns such as the existing pressure on services, the problem with sewers and drains – well documented by the Herald – the distance of the site from the town centre and a belief that Shipston has done its bit to meet the demand for new housing in Stratford district.

Rainier’s planning director Grant Stevenson told the Herald why it saw it as a viable option for development.

He said: “We consider that the site is in a sustainable location because it is within 10-15 minutes walking distance of the majority of the services and facilities available within the town centre, meaning that residents could feasibly undertake journeys to and from the town centre on foot or by bicycle and not have to use the car.

“The local schools and the leisure centre are closer than this, meaning those journeys are also within walking and cycling distance.

“More generally, Shipston is a sustainable settlement providing a range of services and facilities to cater for residents’ day to day needs without them needing to travel further afield.

“Shipston is also linked to Stratford via a regular bus service providing a choice of means of travel for residents.”

And responding to the points about flooding and sewage, he said: “The land lies within Flood Zone 1 meaning it has a low probability of flooding unlike land to the east of the town for example, some of which lies within Flood Zones 2 and 3.

“Any development proposal would incorporate a sustainable drainage scheme which is required to attenuate surface water to greenfield run-off rates, plus an allowance for climate change.”

And he highlighted the role of Severn Trent in addressing sewage issues: “I understand there have been a number of sewage related incidents in Shipston over recent years as a result of either blockages in the system or the system being inundated with rainwater following extreme rainfall events.

“Severn Trent has a statutory duty to upgrade capacity in the system to accommodate increased flows from planned residential development, and I am not aware of any reason why this work would not be carried out by it in the future.”

Though the prospect of development has just been thrust into the public eye, he said the firm has been working with the landowner over a number of years.

And while a decision is awaited, he said: “The land will remain in its current use until such time as a planning permission may be granted.

“The remainder of the farm would remain under the control of the current landowner.

“The land we are promoting represents a small part of a much larger landholding which could still be operated as a viable farm business.”

Though it is the only Shipston site currently being promoted by Rainier, the calls for sites have included others around the town, as well as across the two districts.

An interactive map showing them all, can be reached via the following webpage: www.southwarwickshire.org.uk/swlp/issues-and-options-consultation.cfm

In terms of the next steps for the plan, a district council spokesperson said: “There have been two ‘call for sites’ exercises so far in the preparation of the South Warwickshire Local Plan.

“The next stage will be to publish a preferred options version of the Local Plan for consultation purposes in the new year subject to approval by the joint cabinet committee.

“As the plan preparation progresses, further targeted call for sites exercises may be considered appropriate to inform an up-to-date evidence base.”