SOUTH WARWICKSHIRE LOCAL PLAN
QUINTON PARISH COUNCIL RESPONSE

Quinton Parish Council recognises the need for a robust and deliverable South Warwickshire Local Plan and supports the principle of sustainable growth where it is appropriately located, properly planned and supported by the necessary infrastructure.

The Parish Council recognises that South Warwickshire has significant housing, employment and infrastructure requirements. However, these requirements must not be met at the expense of established rural communities, the character and identity of existing settlements, or the ability of existing infrastructure and services to cope with additional development.

Quinton Parish Council considers that the South Warwickshire Local Plan must give much greater consideration to the cumulative impact of development proposed across the southern part of Stratford-on-Avon District, including Lower Quinton, Upper Quinton, Meon Vale, Long Marston and the proposed Long Marston Airfield development.

The Parish Council is particularly concerned that development in this area could result in the gradual coalescence of separate settlements, placing substantial additional pressure on local roads, schools, medical services, drainage, utilities and community facilities.

Quinton Parish Council therefore considers that the SWLP, in its current form, requires further evidence and assessment before the proposed level and distribution of development can be considered sound, justified and deliverable.

Key Concerns
1. Cumulative scale of development
The Parish Council is concerned that the SWLP does not adequately assess the cumulative impact of development across the wider Quinton and Long Marston area.
Development should not be considered site by site in isolation. The combined effect of:
- development at Long Marston Airfield;
- development at Meon Vale;
- proposed development within and around Lower Quinton;
- development at Upper Quinton;
- development at other settlements south of Stratford-upon-Avon; and
- proposed development in neighbouring authorities must be assessed together.

The cumulative increase in population and vehicle movements could be substantial. The Parish Council considers that the SWLP must demonstrate that local infrastructure can accommodate this growth before further development is committed.

2. Protection of settlement identity and prevention of coalescence Lower Quinton and Upper Quinton are established communities with distinct identities and character.
The Parish Council is concerned that continued development between Lower Quinton, Upper Quinton, Meon Vale, Long Marston and the Long Marston Airfield development could progressively erode the separation between these settlements.
Small areas of open land should not simply be regarded as development opportunities. The spaces between settlements perform an important planning function by maintaining their individual identities, rural character and landscape setting.
The SWLP should therefore provide firm and defensible settlement boundaries and protect important gaps between settlements from incremental development.

3. The Cotswolds National Landscape
Quinton lies in a highly sensitive landscape setting, including the Cotswolds National Landscape and its surrounding landscape. The Parish Council considers that the landscape implications of development around Quinton must be given significantly greater weight.
Development should respect:
- the setting of the Cotswolds National Landscape;
- views towards and from Meon Hill;
- the rural setting of Upper Quinton;
- the character of Lower Quinton;
- historic landscape features;
- existing hedgerows, trees and ecological corridors; and
- the open countryside separating neighbouring settlements.

The Parish Council does not consider that landscape harm can simply be addressed through landscaping schemes or narrow green buffer strips.
The location and scale of development must be appropriate in the first place.

4. Traffic and highway capacity
Traffic is one of the Parish Council’s principal concerns. The existing local road network was not designed to accommodate the cumulative level of development now being proposed across this part of South Warwickshire.
Particular consideration should be given to:
- Main Road, Lower Quinton;
- Campden Road;
- the B4632;
- roads through Upper Quinton;
- roads connecting Quinton with Meon Vale and Long Marston;
- routes towards Stratford-upon-Avon;
- routes towards Mickleton and the Cotswolds; and
- the wider network serving Shipston-on-Stour, Evesham and surrounding settlements.

The SWLP must demonstrate, through robust and transparent modelling, how traffic generated by the full scale of proposed development will be accommodated.
It is not sufficient to rely upon a future strategic road improvement or the proposed Stratford-upon-Avon bypass without demonstrating how traffic will move locally and in all directions.
A comprehensive assessment should consider traffic generated by neighbouring local plans as well as the SWLP.

5. Infrastructure must come before development
The Parish Council considers that infrastructure must be delivered in advance of, or alongside, development rather than retrospectively.
This should include:
- highway improvements;
- public transport;
- school capacity;
- healthcare;
- drainage and sewerage;
- electricity supply;
- broadband and telecommunications;
- community facilities;
- open space;
- pedestrian and cycling infrastructure; and
- appropriate long - term maintenance arrangements.

The SWLP should contain clear, enforceable infrastructure triggers.
There must be no mechanism whereby substantial numbers of homes can be occupied while the infrastructure intended to support those homes remains undelivered.

6.Drainage and sewerage
The Parish Council has concerns regarding the capacity of existing drainage and sewerage infrastructure to accommodate the scale of development proposed in this area. Before sites are allocated or confirmed, the SWLP should demonstrate that sufficient capacity exists and identify the infrastructure improvements required. This assessment should include cumulative development rather than assessing individual sites in isolation.The impact of increased surface water runoff, particularly during extreme weather events, must also be properly assessed.

7. Electricity and utilities
The Parish Council considers that the SWLP must provide clear evidence that electricity and other utility infrastructure can support the proposed scale of development. Infrastructure requirements and associated costs should be identified as part of the viability and deliverability assessment for each strategic allocation. Development should not be treated as deliverable where essential utility infrastructure has not been demonstrated to be available or deliverable within the required timescale.

8. Schools, healthcare and community facilities
The Parish Council is concerned that existing local facilities could become increasingly overstretched as a result of cumulative development.
The SWLP should clearly demonstrate how additional demand for:
- primary and secondary education;
- GP services;
- dental services;
- emergency services;
- community facilities; and
- recreational facilities will be met.

Financial contributions alone should not be regarded as sufficient where there is no realistic mechanism for delivering the required additional capacity.

9. Quinton Neighbourhood Plan
Quinton Parish Council has an adopted Neighbourhood Plan, which came into force on 27 February 2023.
The SWLP must properly recognise the policies and objectives contained within the adopted Neighbourhood Plan and demonstrate that proposed allocations are compatible with its strategy.
The existence of an adopted Neighbourhood Plan should not be treated as an obstacle to sustainable development, but neither should strategic allocations simply override locally prepared planning policy without compelling evidence and justification.

The Parish Council considers that the SWLP should work with the Neighbourhood Plan rather than undermine its approach to the location, scale and character of development.

10. Lower Quinton
Lower Quinton already accommodates significant development and provides a range of local facilities and services. Any further development must have regard to the existing size and character of the settlement and the capacity of its infrastructure.
The Parish Council does not support the principle of continued expansion simply because services currently exist within the village.
The question must instead be whether additional development can be accommodated without causing unacceptable impacts upon:
- the village’s character;
- the surrounding landscape;
- highway safety;
- infrastructure;
- local services;
- settlement identity; and
- the relationship between Lower Quinton and neighbouring settlements.

11. Upper Quinton
Upper Quinton is a smaller and particularly sensitive rural settlement. Its location and relationship with the Cotswolds landscape require a cautious approach to development. The Parish Council considers that development outside the established settlement should only take place where there is clear evidence that it is necessary, appropriate to the scale and character of the settlement, and will not undermine its landscape setting or identity.
The SWLP should avoid treating Lower Quinton and Upper Quinton as though they were one continuous urban area. Their distinct identities must be maintained.

12. Relationship with Meon Vale and Long Marston
The Parish Council is particularly concerned about the cumulative relationship between Quinton, Meon Vale, Long Marston and the Long Marston Airfield development.
The combined scale of development has the potential to fundamentally alter the character of this part of Warwickshire.
The SWLP should therefore assess whether the proposed development would result in:
- physical coalescence;
- visual coalescence;
- loss of rural gaps;
- increased traffic through existing villages;
- pressure on local services;
- loss of agricultural land; and
- irreversible changes to the character of the area.

This assessment should be undertaken across the whole area rather than on an individual site basis.

What Quinton Parish Council considers should change.
Quinton Parish Council requests that the following matters are addressed before the SWLP is found sound:
1. Undertake a comprehensive cumulative impact assessment covering Lower Quinton, Upper Quinton, Meon Vale, Long Marston and Long Marston Airfield.
2. **Repeat traffic modelling** using the full proposed housing numbers and incorporating development proposed in neighbouring authorities.
3. **Provide evidence of highway capacity** on the local road network, not simply the strategic network.
4. **Protect settlement gaps** between Lower Quinton, Upper Quinton, Meon Vale and Long Marston to prevent coalescence.
5. **Give substantially greater weight to the Cotswolds National Landscape** and the landscape setting of Meon Hill.
6. **Ensure that the adopted Quinton Neighbourhood Plan is properly reflected** in the SWLP and that proposed allocations are demonstrably compatible with it.
7. **Require infrastructure to be delivered before or alongside development**, with clear and enforceable triggers.
8. **Provide transparent evidence of electricity, drainage, sewerage, healthcare and education capacity** before allocations are confirmed.
9. **Assess the cumulative loss of agricultural land** arising from development across the southern part of the district.
10. **Assess development in neighbouring authorities** and its combined impact upon Quinton and surrounding roads and services.
11. **Avoid incremental development which would gradually merge existing settlements.
12. **Ensure that any development allocated to Quinton is proportionate to the scale and character of the settlement.

Conclusion

Quinton Parish Council supports the preparation of a sound and deliverable South Warwickshire Local Plan and recognises the need for appropriate housing and economic growth.
However, growth must be sustainable in the fullest sense of the word.

The Parish Council considers that the current proposals do not yet demonstrate sufficiently that the cumulative impact of development upon Quinton and the surrounding settlements, landscape, infrastructure and highway network has been properly assessed.

The SWLP must not allow the gradual urbanisation and coalescence of Lower Quinton, Upper Quinton, Meon Vale and Long Marston.

The individual identity and character of these communities must be retained.

Quinton Parish Council therefore requests that the evidence base is strengthened, cumulative infrastructure and traffic impacts are properly modelled, the Cotswolds National Landscape is afforded appropriate protection, and the adopted Quinton Neighbourhood Plan is fully respected.

Development should only proceed where it can be demonstrated to be appropriate to the location, proportionate to the scale and character of the settlement, supported by adequate infrastructure and capable of being delivered without unacceptable harm to existing communities.

Quinton Parish Council
September 2026