New houses in Warwick blocked due to noise concerns

Warwick District Council’s planning committee last week decided to refuse permission for the proposals, which would be built on former industrial land in Lower Cape.

Councillors were concerned about objections raised by the authority’s environmental health department, which included the site’s close proximity with existing industry with which officers had been working to abate current nuisances.

The department had warned that even if steps are taken to reduce problems, such as noise and smells, there would still be a significant loss of amenity to people living nearby.

Existing residents have complained several times about the noise and smells created by existing industry in the area but officers consider the businesses to be doing all they can to minimise the problems and say they are not breaching any legislation.

Neighbouring company MPS had also objected on grounds the development, which incorporated the route of the cycle path onto Lock Lane, would cause unnecessary danger for cyclists and pedestrians.

Cllr George Illingworth (Con, Kenilworth Abbey), the committee’s chairman, said: “There was a clear recommendation from environmental health.

“If your own officers object then it is a wise planning committee which listens to them and what they have said is that they see problems with the area being suitable for housing when there is industry nearby.

“There’s also a flooding issue in that area but that is solvable and not worth further comment.”

Planning officers had recommended permission to be refused on grounds the plans could result in the loss of existing employment uses, unacceptable standards of amenity, a lack of information on flood risk mitigation and insufficient evidence to demonstrate the land is or is reasonably capable of being made fit for the intended purposes.