Health, schools & community

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the green and blue infrastructure policy and sets measurable standards. Major developments must provide a green and blue infrastructure strategy. Commercial schemes must achieve an Urban Greening Factor score of at least 0.3 and residential schemes at least 0.4. Tree canopy must cover at least 14% of commercial sites and 20% of residential sites, or improve on existing cover if that is greater. These networks support wildlife, manage flood risk, store carbon and provide accessible space for recreation.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires development to protect existing public open space and provide new space for growing communities. Existing open spaces can only be lost if they are shown to be surplus or replaced with equivalent or better provision. Major developments must provide 5.67 hectares of accessible greenspace per 1,000 people, made up of parks and gardens (1.4ha), recreation grounds (0.5ha), natural and semi-natural greenspace (3.17ha) and amenity greenspace (0.6ha). Smaller schemes contribute pro rata, and all open space must remain publicly accessible permanently.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets further open space requirements and explains how they apply. Developments must provide 0.86 hectares of community growing space, including allotments, per 1,000 households, and 0.5 hectares of play provision for children and teenagers per 1,000 people. Major schemes must submit an open space and play assessment. Off-site provision or payments are only accepted where on-site provision is genuinely not achievable. Student housing, care villages and retirement communities must contribute, and major commercial schemes may also need to provide open space.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy sets accessibility standards for open space and play areas. Every home in a major development must be within reach of a neighbourhood greenspace and a local or doorstep greenspace, with catchments ranging from 200 metres for a doorstep space to 5,000 metres for a district space of 100 hectares. Play areas have their own catchments, from 100 metres for small local play areas to 1,000 metres for larger equipped ones, and community growing spaces should be within 1 kilometre of new homes. Design should follow recognised guidance, including inclusive play and provision suited to teenage girls.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy sets out who will own and look after public open space created by development. Open space will be offered to the town or parish council or the local planning authority, along with a 30-year maintenance payment from the developer. A management and maintenance plan is required, including yearly joint inspections with the council. Handing open space to a private management company is only allowed in exceptional circumstances, after both the council and a residents' association have declined it. Open space must stay publicly accessible permanently.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains how the open space stewardship policy will be enforced. Where a private company manages open space, the council keeps the right to inspect it and require remedial work, backed by planning enforcement if needed. If a residents' association route is used, the space should transfer to it within 5 years of the last home being occupied. The council may decline to adopt open space where costs or practical difficulties are too great. Detailed standards and methods for calculating maintenance sums are set out in Annex C of the plan.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section introduces the community and leisure infrastructure policies. It explains that sustainable communities need access to facilities that support daily life and residents' health and wellbeing. The policies that follow protect existing sport, recreation and leisure facilities and secure new ones, protect community facilities such as local shops, halls and pubs, and support the area's arts and culture offer across South Warwickshire.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the evidence behind the sport and leisure policy. The Playing Pitch Strategy and Built Facilities Strategy inform decisions on protecting and providing facilities. Sport England's calculators estimate how many pitches and buildings a new development's population would need and the associated costs. Where a scheme is too small to justify a whole new pitch or facility, a contribution towards improving an existing site is recommended instead. The approach follows national planning policy on access to sport for health and wellbeing.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy protects sport, recreation and leisure facilities and requires new housing to support them. Facilities can only be lost if an equivalent replacement is provided, they are shown to be surplus, the benefits of the proposal clearly outweigh the loss, or the facility adds no real value to the area. New facilities must meet recognised sporting standards and be reachable by public transport, walking and cycling. Major developments must provide facilities on site or pay towards off-site improvements, calculated using Sport England's tools.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy protects community facilities that serve local needs. A facility can only be lost if a viability assessment confirms it has no realistic prospect of continuing, it has been actively marketed for at least 12 months at a realistic price for its lawful use, and similar facilities are easily accessible nearby or a comparable replacement is provided. Proposals for new or improved community facilities will be supported where they promote healthy, inclusive and safe communities.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains which buildings count as community facilities and how any loss must be justified. The list includes local convenience stores, community halls, pubs, libraries, places of worship, local health facilities and nurseries, though it is not exhaustive. Applicants seeking to close a facility must supply at least two years of audited accounts, show they explored ways to improve viability, and normally provide five years of maintenance evidence. A marketing statement must set out the asking price, any price changes and all offers received.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation describes Kingsbrook, a 306.6-hectare urban extension east of Aylesbury delivering 2,460 homes, 10 hectares of employment land, two primary schools, land for a secondary school, a neighbourhood centre and a major wetland park. Outline permission was granted in 2013 and the site is built as three villages. As of March 2025, 1,922 homes were complete with 538 remaining, and the Eastern Link Road and Stocklake Link have been finished. The whole development is expected to be complete by 2028.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation covers Terriers Farm, a 24-hectare site on the northern edge of High Wycombe, for an assumed 410 homes, which already have planning permission subject to legal agreements. The site must include a sport and recreation hub extending Hazlemere Recreation Ground, helping keep the development physically separate from Hazlemere. Development should retain the main north-south hedgerow, field boundaries, the pond and a wildlife corridor towards King's Wood, and contribute financially to the new primary school planned at Gomm Valley. Road, junction, bus stop and footpath improvements are also required.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section introduces the plan's approach to employment and road freight. It notes that employment sites can harm the road network if transport is not considered early, and that rising demand for large storage and logistics sites has increased lorry traffic. Policy EC.7 asks new employment development to improve sustainable transport access, cut freight carbon and support electric freight vehicles. Schemes that significantly increase freight movements must provide lorry parking, large developments need Travel Plans and transport assessments, and freight vehicles should avoid residential areas wherever possible.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation proposes an assumed 245 homes on 7.7 hectares of farmland east of Roman Field, on the edge of Stoke Hammond. The village's neighbourhood plan already allocates part of the site for around nineteen homes, which count towards the total. Building must avoid the flood zones in the south of the site, which should stay as green space. The scheme must also respect nearby heritage, including a listed building, the conservation area and probable Neolithic remains, and consider cross-boundary needs with Milton Keynes.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation describes Shenley Park at Whaddon, a landscape-led new neighbourhood of about 99 hectares delivering at least 1,265 homes, a 110-bed care home or extra care facility, a primary school and a mixed-use local centre with healthcare. It requires a link road between the A421 and the Milton Keynes grid roads, improved buses and walking and cycling routes. A countryside buffer must protect Whaddon village, and ancient woodland including Thrift Wood must be retained. Development must follow a comprehensive masterplan and the Shenley Park Development Brief.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation covers land at RAF Halton, an eighty-two hectare military base near Wendover due to close in 2030. It is allocated for an assumed 1,000 homes, a primary school and a new local centre reusing St George's Church. Half the site must be green infrastructure, with parkland, play space and links to Wendover Woods. Historic features, including the Registered Park and Garden and listed barracks, would be restored or converted. New roads, junction upgrades and mitigation for the Chilterns Beechwoods protected area are also required.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy sets criteria for new Gypsy and Traveller pitches and Travelling Showpeople plots. Sites must avoid significant harm to heritage, ecology and landscape designations, be a reasonable distance from schools, GP surgeries, shops and community facilities, and not be visually intrusive. Private sites are limited to a maximum of 15 pitches. Sites also need safe road access with turning and parking space, plus adequate water, electricity, drainage and waste services. Any permission will include conditions limiting pitch numbers and restricting occupancy to the travelling community.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation covers the Winslow Centre, the former Winslow Secondary School site of around six hectares, for an assumed 480 homes and a community library. Existing sports facilities must be replaced at the new settlement site north of Winslow before they are lost. Part of the land is safeguarded for East West Rail, so development must not conflict with the railway's delivery. Higher density is expected given the town centre location, with improved walking and cycling links to the station and schools.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires new non-residential buildings of 100 square metres or more, where viable, to achieve net zero operational energy use. Space heating demand must be no more than 15 kWh per square metre a year in schools and light industrial buildings. Total energy use targets are 52 kWh per square metre a year for primary schools and 35 for unrefrigerated light industrial buildings, while other uses must disclose their energy use and keep regulated energy within 30. On-site renewable electricity must match the building's annual total energy use, and targets can be met as a site-wide average.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the non-residential net zero policy in detail. Buildings must not use fossil fuels except for safety-critical backup, and schemes of 1,000 square metres or more should follow an assured performance method through design and construction. Where on-site renewables fall short, developers must pay an offset contribution, starting at £2.03 per kWh, ring-fenced for local renewable energy projects. Building-mounted solar panels are preferred, standalone commercial power stations do not count towards the target, and accurate energy prediction methods such as Passivhaus Planning Package or CIBSE TM54 are required rather than standard building regulations calculations.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation supports an assumed 210 homes on 10.75 hectares southwest of Buckingham Road, Padbury. The site is split into two parcels separated by playing fields designated as Local Green Space. A comprehensive masterplan must be approved before any planning application is decided. Developers must show that vehicle access can reach all parts of the site, which is straightforward for the south-east parcel from the A413 but harder for the north-west parcel next to the Padbury Conservation Area and its listed buildings.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section introduces the chapter on enhancing South Warwickshire's built and natural environment, starting with the natural environment. It notes that key habitats and species are in worrying decline locally, and that development under the plan must not come at nature's expense. Instead the plan will protect and enhance existing ecological assets and include proposals for country parks and biodiversity enhancement areas. It previews policies on protected sites, nature recovery, Biodiversity Net Gain, trees and hedgerows, landscape management and farmland.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This allocation supports Silverstone Circuit and Silverstone Park at Dadford as an internationally significant motorsport destination and a centre for high-performance engineering, business, education and leisure. It backs track and event improvements, new and upgraded employment space, training facilities linked to the Silverstone University Technical College, and accommodation for students, apprentices and employees connected to the site. Proposals must protect neighbouring communities from noise and traffic, improve sustainable transport, and conserve the rural landscape and heritage assets including Luffield Priory. The site straddles the boundary with West Northamptonshire, so cross-boundary working will be important.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section introduces the healthy environment part of the plan. It explains that a healthy environment means building health and wellbeing into spatial planning, helping to reduce health inequalities, promote active lifestyles and give people access to safe homes, good open space and clean air. The plan aims to tackle challenges such as obesity and poor mental health through measures including active travel, green and blue infrastructure, healthy homes and Health Impact Assessments.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy supports proposals that reduce health inequalities and create an environment promoting healthy communities. It backs development that improves the physical, mental and social health and wellbeing of all residents, including children, elderly and vulnerable people. This includes schemes that consider green and blue infrastructure, access to open spaces and greenspaces, and active travel, meaning walking, cycling and other physical ways of getting around.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets out when a Health Impact Assessment is required with a planning application. The thresholds are residential schemes of 10 or more homes or 0.5 hectares, non-residential schemes of 1,000 square metres or 1 hectare, hot food takeaways within 400 metres of schools and places where young people gather, and betting shops. Developments causing significant harm to health, or the loss of educational, health, leisure or community facilities or public open space, will not be supported without mitigation. Local life expectancy slightly exceeds the England average.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy states that development must not cause unacceptable pollution or environmental harm to human health, amenity or the natural environment. All development must apply the mitigation hierarchy, meaning avoid pollution first, then minimise and mitigate it, covering air, water and soil contamination, noise, vibration, odour, artificial light and other emissions. Where harm remains, it must be compensated through measurable environmental improvements. Pollution-sensitive uses such as housing, schools, hospitals and care homes are only permitted where people would not suffer unacceptable harm from existing or historic land uses.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the pollution policy. It notes that residual harm may only be permitted where it is offset through environmental improvements, secured and monitored long term, and where cumulative pollution from several developments together would not become unacceptable. The justification cites national policy requiring development to avoid causing or suffering unacceptable soil, air, water, noise or light pollution, and to respect Air Quality Management Areas and Clean Air Zones. Planning conditions or legal agreements may secure long-term management of compensation measures.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains how conservation areas, locally listed assets and archaeology will be managed. Councils may use Article 4 Directions, which remove certain automatic development rights, to protect high quality townscapes and locally listed buildings. Warwick District Council keeps a list of locally important parks and gardens, such as Abbey Fields in Kenilworth and St Nicholas Park in Warwick, which will be considered in planning decisions. Applicants on strategic sites should check the Warwickshire Historic Environment Record, and field evaluation may be required where archaeological information is lacking.