Local views should be sought on racecourse

The land is the same site rejected in May 2012 by Warwick District Council (WDC) planning committee as being unsuitable for a hotel of this size.

A decision which was not appealed by the Jockey Club.

Yet in June 2013 the executive accepted a report which stated: “It is therefore recommended that a business strategy for the whole of St Mary’s Lands is developed and at the heart of it sits the development of a hotel”.

Why have the people of Warwick not been consulted about selling off parts of our 800 year old common?

Why apparently have our elected representatives not been asked their views prior to the Executive making their decision?

Why have the views of the Warwick Town Council apparently been ignored by the district council?

There is an existing management plan for St Mary Lands only approved in 2005, after extensive public consultation. If there is a need to change it don’t the views of the public deserve to be heard first?

In the interests of transparency and local accountability in decision making, I believe the council should put on hold any decisions on the future of St Mary Lands; until they have sought the views of the local residents of Warwick on what they want to happen- in a full public consultation-to what is a community asset held in trust by WDC on their behalf.

Nigel Hamilton, Hampton Street, Warwick