The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy protects community buildings and facilities, such as halls, pubs, shops and places of worship, where there is a demonstrable local need. Change of use will only be allowed if equivalent or better provision replaces the loss, or if the use is shown to be unviable after being marketed for at least 12 months at a realistic price. The loss of a public house must not simply reflect short-term land value pressures. Developments of more than 10 homes must contribute financially to providing or enhancing community facilities.
Transport & travel
Roads, rail, buses, walking and cycling, parking, EV charging and major schemes such as East West Rail and HS2.
224 sections of the plan, in document order.
The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy supports new sport and recreation facilities that are accessible by walking, cycling, wheeling and public transport, provided they avoid unacceptable impacts on amenity, roads, wildlife, heritage and flooding. Housing developments of more than 10 units, or over 1,000 square metres of floorspace, must meet the sports and recreation standards in Appendix P, normally through on-site provision. Existing facilities can only be lost if they are shown to be surplus, replaced with equivalent or better provision, or the change delivers clear open space benefits. Long-term management arrangements must be agreed.
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 policy requires all new development, except most householder schemes, to include Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), which mimic natural drainage by slowing and storing rainwater on site. Run-off must not materially increase, with greenfield sites limited to existing greenfield rates. Schemes must show no flooding in a 1 in 30 year storm and safe containment of a 1 in 100 year storm plus climate change. A drainage hierarchy applies, preferring rainwater reuse and infiltration over sewer connections, and long-term maintenance plans must be secured.
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.