No more fight for Save Warwick campaigners

Vocal campaign group Save Warwick has announced that it be winding down its activities, after years of work and 'little impact' on council '¨decisions for housing.
PlanningPlanning
Planning

Volunteers this week announced they will stop operating as a group in light of continued decisions to build thousands of homes - feeling they can have no impact on the future of planning.

The group has been active in campaigns to try and save green belt land from development, fight off thousands of homes and protect Warwick from the impact the council’s Local Plan could have on infrastructure. A statement released by the group read: “It is with regret I have to announce that the Save Warwick Group is winding down its activities.

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“We will not be operating as an organised group any more. We have lodged our representations on the Local Plan but have decided that ‘localism’ and ‘community involvement in planning’ are complete and utter myths.

“We have had little impact on Warwick District Council’s plans, so what is the point?

“The Asps appeal was the last straw - we won the argument but the findings were overturned, basically on an unsubstantiated whim that a misplaced Park and Ride scheme would overcome all the problems.”

The group was most active amid decisions and debates over the Local Plan and applications for thousands of new houses to be built around Warwick, at Asps and Gallows Hill and Strawberry Fields.

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Since announcing the news, the group has received messages of sadness and support from residents behind years of campaigning.

Linda Bromley, from Friends of St Nicholas Park, was among those expressing sadness, saying: “Save Warwick launched a formidable campaign in a valiant effort to protect the area we love, involving a considerable amount of time, effort, expertise and money. Unfortunately it fell on deaf ears.”

Save Warwick’s Facebook page will continue to provide information and updates.