Infrastructure & utilities

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets out road safety requirements and the reasoning behind them. In urban areas, residential streets should be designed for 20mph, with continuous footpaths and cycleways connecting to the surrounding network. In rural areas, new accesses need good visibility and speed reduction where necessary, with the needs of horse riders and farm vehicles considered. Warwickshire County Council aims to cut deaths and serious injuries on its roads by 50% by 2030, working towards zero by 2050.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section describes the proposed Hatton New Community, a 262-hectare new settlement delivering at least 4,558 homes, with 4,000 built by 2050 and up to 5,250 possible. It includes two primary schools, a secondary school, a district centre, three neighbourhood centres, 2 hectares of employment land and at least 25 hectares of open space. Development runs in three phases from 2032/33 to 2056/7, with a new spine road bridging the railway and canal, major upgrades to Hatton Station, and a minimum density of 40 homes per hectare.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section covers proposal BIT.2 at Red House Farm, south-west of Bishop's Tachbrook. The 160-hectare site provides around 121 hectares of strategic employment land, totalling 3,750,000 sq ft of floorspace mainly for logistics and industry. The developer will fund a new M40 junction to replace junctions 13 and 14, plus a dual carriageway link road to Warwick and Leamington. The scheme also includes a Park and Ride, a central mixed-use hub, 39 hectares of green and blue infrastructure, and a travelling showpersons yard of at least 6 plots. Delivery runs from 2027 to 2034/35.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets out proposal KEN.1, land south of Kenilworth delivering at least 776 homes on 60 hectares between 2029/30 and 2036/37, at a density of at least 35 homes per hectare. A significant green edge will maintain separation between Kenilworth and Leek Wootton. A spine road linking Rouncil Lane and Warwick Road must come early in the development. A buffer to the north-west protects sightlines from Kenilworth Castle, and the site sits in a mineral safeguarding area for sand and gravel.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets out proposal LEA.3 at Lillington, east of Leamington Spa. Of the 83-hectare site, 69 hectares leave the Green Belt for around 1,455 homes on 38 hectares, with 43 hectares of open space including a new Cubbington Community Park, delivered between 2031/32 and 2040/41. The scheme includes a two-form entry primary school and a small local centre. Open space keeps Lillington and Cubbington separate, and walking and cycling links must connect the site to Newbold Comyn and the surrounding countryside.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section describes proposal COV.2 at Coventry Airport, a 117-hectare site released from the Green Belt for advanced manufacturing and engineering, reflecting its place in the West Midlands Investment Zone. It particularly targets battery manufacturing for electric vehicles. At least 60% of floorspace must be industrial or research uses, warehousing cannot exceed 40%, and very large warehouse units over 32,500 sq m are not supported unless tied to manufacturing. Applications must include a marketing strategy showing how investment in these sectors will be attracted.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets out proposal STR.2, a 174-hectare site south-east of Stratford-upon-Avon delivering at least 2,727 homes between 2030/31 and 2048/49. It includes two new primary schools, a six-form entry secondary school, an on-site health facility, a mobility hub and 15 Gypsy and Traveller pitches. A new spine road will connect Shipston Road and Banbury Road. Design must avoid merging Stratford with Clifford Chambers or Tiddington, and a large area of parkland to the east will focus on biodiversity net gain.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section introduces the guidance on developer contributions, the payments and works councils can require to support new development. It explains the two main types: the Community Infrastructure Levy, a fixed charge per square metre, and planning obligations under Section 106 agreements, used for on-site infrastructure or funding elsewhere. Any obligation must be necessary, directly related to the development, and fair in scale and kind. Typical uses include affordable housing, schools, health facilities, open space, transport and drainage.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section gives detailed guidance on how developer contributions work in practice. Councils prefer to agree the terms of any Section 106 obligation before an application is submitted. Developers claiming a scheme is unviable must provide open-book financial evidence, with developer returns typically expected between 15% and 22.5%. Contributions are index-linked to inflation, payments are usually triggered when development starts, and developers pay the councils' legal and monitoring fees. Councils will pursue costs where obligations are not met.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section provides detailed guidance on delivering affordable housing. It explains the Vacant Building Credit, which reduces affordable housing requirements in proportion to the floorspace of vacant buildings being redeveloped, with a worked example. It covers viability negotiations, tenure and size mix, and requires affordable homes to be visually indistinguishable from market homes and dispersed in clusters of generally no more than 8 to 10 units. It also sets out Section 106 delivery arrangements, local connection rules, phasing triggers, off-site contributions, rural exception sites and the four tests for specialised housing.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the guidance for self-build and custom-build housing, where occupiers lead the design or construction of their own homes. The home must be the builder's main residence for at least three years to qualify for exemption from the Community Infrastructure Levy. Councils keep a register of interested people and must permit enough plots to match demand over a rolling three-year period. Plots for sale must be fully serviced, and schemes of 2 to 9 homes are supported. Plots unsold after 12 months of marketing, plus 6 months at a reduced price, may become general market housing.