The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section describes proposal BIT.1, land at Park Farm west of Bishop's Tachbrook. The 41-hectare site will deliver at least 655 homes between 2030/31 and 2037/38, plus 2.2 hectares of land for a possible two-form entry primary school, a community hall site and a small local centre. A significant green buffer will protect the setting of the Grade I listed Warwick Castle parkland. A contaminated land assessment is needed for the former quarry and landfill in the northern part of the site.
OpenConsult / South Warwickshire Plan Explorer
Transport & travel
Roads, rail, buses, walking and cycling, parking, EV charging and major schemes such as East West Rail and HS2.
188 sections of the plan, in document order.
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 BIT.3, 122 hectares north-west of Bishop's Tachbrook delivering at least 1,720 homes on about 46 hectares between 2028/29 and 2040/41. Around 74 hectares becomes public open space, including a 40-hectare extension to Tachbrook Country Park to keep a permanent green gap south of Leamington. The scheme includes a community hub with possible shops and a GP surgery, land for a two-form entry primary school, and funding towards secondary education. Green buffers must keep Bishop's Tachbrook visually separate from Leamington and Warwick.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section covers proposal GAY.1, a 588-hectare employment allocation at Gaydon next to the Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin Lagonda sites. It provides about 157 hectares of strategic employment land and 81 hectares of non-strategic land, focused on automotive manufacturing. At least 50% of floorspace on the main site must be industrial or research uses, with warehousing capped at 50%. It includes 51 hectares for JLR expansion, 7.5 hectares for AML, 73.5 hectares of testing tracks, and a travelling showpersons yard of at least 8 plots.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section describes proposal HEN.1 at Henley-in-Arden, a 125-hectare masterplanned development of at least 2,084 homes, largely on the golf club land, delivered from 2029/30 to 2044/45. It includes 3.3 hectares of employment land, a two-form entry primary school, expansion of the secondary school with a new sixth form, 9 Gypsy and Traveller pitches, and a new country park at Beaudesert Mount. A link road from the A3400 to the A4189, including a new rail bridge, will let through traffic bypass the town centre. The site will be released from the Green Belt.
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 covers proposal LEA.1 at Blackdown, north of Leamington Spa. Some 72 hectares will be released from the Green Belt for at least 1,043 homes on about 37 hectares, plus roughly 35 hectares of public open space, delivered between 2031/32 and 2041/42. The scheme includes a two-form entry primary school, a community hub and safeguarded land for expanding North Leamington School. Land may also be needed for a future Park and Ride, and the site must contribute to the Kenilworth to Leamington cycle route.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section describes proposal LEA.2 at Milverton, the second urban extension north of Leamington Spa. Some 76 hectares leave the Green Belt for at least 974 homes on about 38 hectares, with 38 hectares of open space, delivered between 2032 and 2045. It includes a food store of up to 15,000 sq ft, around 2 hectares of employment land, land for a possible hospital expansion, and a two-form entry primary school. A landscape-led approach is required given the site's sensitive position between Kenilworth and Leamington.
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 covers proposal COV.1, south of Coventry. The 294-hectare development area, alongside a 236-hectare biodiversity enhancement area, will deliver 4,015 homes by 2050, two two-form entry primary schools, provision for a six-form entry secondary school and two neighbourhood centres. A new multimodal transport corridor will link Westwood Heath Road with the A46 Stoneleigh Junction, and land is safeguarded for a transport interchange with a rail station, park and ride and very light rail. Densities of at least 40 homes per hectare are expected.
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 COV.3 at Kings Hill, south of Coventry. The 269-hectare site will deliver at least 4,000 homes in line with the adopted Kings Hill Masterplan and Design Code, of which 2,500 already have outline permission. It includes two two-form entry primary schools, a six-form entry secondary school with room to expand to eight forms, and two neighbourhood centres with a community centre and GP surgery. A multimodal spine road, bus gate access and provision for very light rail serve the site, with densities from 35 to 50 homes per hectare.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section covers proposal SOU.1, land east of Southam delivering at least 3,122 homes across 201 hectares between 2028 and 2045. It includes 2.8 hectares of employment land, 13 Gypsy and Traveller pitches, three primary schools, a new secondary school plus a one-form expansion of Southam College, and two local centres. Densities of at least 40 homes per hectare apply. Bus services must improve, including a half-hourly service to Leamington, and development must keep a strong sense of separation between Southam and Napton on the Hill.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section describes proposal STR.1, north of Stratford-upon-Avon. The Clopton Quarter will deliver at least 777 homes, land for a new education facility, 4 Gypsy and Traveller pitches, new community orchards and a new gateway to Welcombe Hills Country Park with a visitor centre. The allocation also redevelops the town's Park and Ride with about 139 higher-density homes at 90 per hectare and a two-storey decked car park keeping roughly 390 spaces per floor. Delivery runs from 2029/30 to 2037/38, with main access from a new A46 roundabout.
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 covers proposal STR.3, land west of Stratford-upon-Avon delivered between 2028/29 and 2036/37. Site A at West Shottery provides at least 687 homes, a community hall, local shops and an extension to the community park, with land safeguarded at its western edge for the proposed Stratford-upon-Avon Bypass. Site B, north of Evesham Road, adds up to 130 homes with about 3 hectares of open space. Around 23 hectares of public open space is provided in total, and development must protect the settings of Shottery Conservation Area and Anne Hathaway's Cottage.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section describes proposal WAR.1, 51 hectares west of Warwick Racecourse delivering at least 850 homes between 2031/32 and 2040/41. The scheme includes a new country park with play areas, sport and flood management, plus a new off-road walking and cycling route across the A46 to Warwick Parkway station. A spine road will link Hampton Road and Old Budbrooke Road. Built development must avoid the flood-prone eastern part of the site and protect the character of the Warwick Conservation Area, with the racecourse running flat retained or relocated.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets out proposal WEL.1, land north of Wellesbourne. The 129-hectare allocation delivers at least 1,331 homes on 97 hectares between 2033 and 2042, plus 9 Gypsy and Traveller pitches, a two-form entry primary school, a local centre possibly including a health facility, and a sports pavilion. It also allocates 47.5 hectares (27 net) of employment land, mainly research and office use, at the University of Warwick's Wellesbourne Campus, with building heights ranging from one to four storeys across defined character areas. The setting of Charlecote Park must be protected.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section covers the Stoneleigh Employment Group, proposals STO.1 to STO.3, across 188 hectares. Together they deliver about 82.3 hectares of non-strategic employment land: 5.4 hectares through intensifying Stoneleigh Park, 64.9 hectares north and south of Stoneleigh Road, and 12 hectares at Manor Fields Farm. A new multimodal spine road, using former HS2 compound land, will give an alternative access to Stoneleigh Park and act as a bypass for Stoneleigh village. Development must protect Kings Wood, the Stoneleigh Abbey estate and other heritage assets, with delivery from 2030 onwards.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section opens the appendices and annexes at the end of the plan, beginning with the glossary. The glossary explains planning terms and acronyms used throughout the document, starting with entries such as accessibility, accessible neighbourhoods, active travel, affordable housing, Air Quality Management Areas, the Annual Monitoring Report and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Its purpose is to help readers understand technical language in the plan.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section provides the plan's glossary, defining the planning terms and acronyms used throughout the document, from accessibility and affordable housing to water neutrality. It explains concepts such as biodiversity net gain, brownfield land, the Community Infrastructure Levy, Green Belt and Grey Belt, flood zones, Section 106 contributions, sustainable drainage systems and the standard method for calculating housing need. It is a reference tool to help readers understand the technical language in the rest of the plan.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section lists every site allocated in the plan, organised by settlement. For each allocation it gives the local planning authority, settlement category, allocation type, related policy, site reference and name, the number of homes, hectares of employment land and any Gypsy and Traveller pitches. The list runs from Alcester through to Wellesbourne and beyond, covering both large strategic sites such as the new communities and small local sites of only a few homes.
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 sets out detailed public open space guidance. New residential development must provide at least 5.67 hectares of usable open space per 1,000 residents, calculated from bedroom numbers, with the same standard applied to jobs in commercial schemes. Space should be on site, or within about 480 metres, or funded through a financial contribution. Developments over 100 homes must provide allotments. It also covers 30-year maintenance sums, minimum sizes for council adoption, delivery before 60% of homes are occupied, management company rules, and design standards for planting, play areas and sustainable drainage.