MORE than 2,000 homes that should have been built in Coventry could end up in Stratford district.
Coventry City Council is in the process of putting together its Local Plan but despite agreeing to build some 42,000 homes, it was recently revealed there was not room for almost 18,000 of them.
As the authority cannot accommodate its share of housing numbers set by the Government, the shortfall must be split between the rest of Warwickshire’s councils.
Warwick district has agreed ‘in principle’ to take on the biggest share – just over 7,000 homes – in addition to its own target of 12,900 homes, although the decision is yet to be rubber-stamped by councillors.
Nuneaton and Bedworth has been earmarked for around 5,700 homes but borough council leader Dennis Harvey maintains he cannot agree to the proposals without consulting the public.
Stratford District Council meanwhile, is currently trying to finalise its own Core Strategy – the key planning document, which will help shape development across the district until 2031.
But earlier this year, government planning inspector Peter Drew ruled it was not sound.
Members of the authority went back to the drawing board and agreed to revise their target from 11,300 to 14,485 homes.
To help reach the new target, councillors opted to look again at a site at Long Marston Airfield as well as backing proposals for 500 homes on land off Daventry Road in Southam and a further 450 homes on the edge of Stratford off Bishopton Lane.
And the revised document was sent out for a period of public consultation, which ended at the end of last month.
Under the plans to share Coventry’s unmet housing need, Stratford district would be in line for 2,020 homes.
But council chiefs insist the increase will not mean more homes being built in the district as the additional housing has already been accounted for within its current housing target.
A report, which forms part of the authority’s response to a public consultation on its Core Strategy, and the findings of the consultation are set to be be discussed at a meeting on Monday (October 19).
