CONTROVERSIAL plans to build up to 345 homes on land at Browns Lane have been greenlit despite staunch opposition and five petitions against the development.
The development, which also includes a two-hectare care home, infrastructure, open space, 25 per cent affordable housing and landscape enhancements, was approved at last Thursday’s city council planning committee meeting.
Speakers argued the land was considered locally to be part of the popular Coundon Wedge beauty spot, while other concerns included inadequate infrastructure and drainage and the potential for increased traffic and pollution.
The land was allocated for housing development in the 2017 Coventry Local Plan, which identifies it as a brownfield allocation.
Coun Jackie Gardiner, who was speaking as a member of the public, said: “The term brownfield is given to land which has already been developed and is now available for reuse.
“This brownfield designation is therefore nonsense when the land is green, undeveloped, unspoiled countryside.”
A council planning officer said the land had been reserved for the expansion of Jaguar’s facilities since 1975 and has never been in the Green Belt.
But Coun Gardiner argued, since Jaguar never built on the land and the firm has since moved away from the area, it should’ve been returned to the Green Belt.
Other objectors to the development have included the Coventry Society, which argued the 2017 local plan was based on faulty population projections.
A spokesperson for the organisation said with a local plan review now taking place it was outrageous the council was trying to squeeze the application through before the need for it could be properly scrutinised using more up-to-date figures and population projections.
A council officer said the authority acknowledged the 2021 census had demonstrated the 2014 population projections, which were the basis of the last plan, were not accurate.
But he added the emerging local plan was far too early in the process to be given weight and, even taking into account the inaccuracy in population projections, the 2017 plan would have resulted in the same allocations.
Coun David Welsh, the cabinet member for housing and communities, said: “Coundon Wedge is green belt and is allocated as such, and it’s my intention it stays that way.
“Discussions and consultation with residents led to a reduction of houses on site from 475 to 345 homes.
“There is a housing crisis in this city and country, we are maximising the use of brownfield sites, but those areas alone will not meet our needs.”
An agent for the developer said the care home would also address an important need.
He added the transport assessment and road safety audit demonstrated the access proposals were suitable and local services would be boosted by a more than £5.5million package.
