£250k study could hold key to unlocking funding for Stratford relief road
IF you want us to have thousands of new homes in the district then you’ll have to give us the money to pay for the infrastructure.
That’s the blunt message being delivered to the government by councillors as they set aside £250,000 to pay for another study into the possibility of building a relief road south of Stratford.
The proposal is among a wide range of projects contained in the budget proposed for 2025-26 by the ruling Liberal Democrats on Stratford District Council.
The budget envisages a £5 a year increase in council tax – or 42p a month – bringing the typical Band D rate up to £169.12 in the next financial year. (The district council element is only a small part of the tax, with the bulk being charged by Warwickshire County Council).
Building a relief road south of Stratford has been on the agenda for years, chiefly because of huge new housing developments in and around the area of Long Marston.
But all plans for such a road have got nowhere because of escalating costs, which have risen from under £30 million to a figure in 2019 of £130m. In that year a bid for funding from the government failed.
This week, however, Cllr Susan Juned (Lib Dem, Alcester East), the leader of Stratford District Council, told the Herald that the latest study was being proposed so that the council could evaluate the options and make a case for getting cash from Whitehall. “We need the ability to put a case to the government,” she said.
She added: “We have to be able to say to the government that if you want us to take the number of houses you’re asking for then you will need to fund us.”
Cllr Juned said that in the past the district had been inundated with new housing developments without the infrastructure – roads, schools and GP surgeries – to sustain them. This had happened during a period when the council did not have a Local Plan in place, which made it vulnerable to unwanted development.
Referring to the new South Warwickshire Local Plan – prepared jointly by the district councils of Stratford and Warwick – Cllr Juned said: “This will be over 25 years – and we must have money up front for these houses.
“We need to plan this properly. We need a proper study, not only with current data but data over the coming years. We need long-term planning, not short-term.
“In the past we’ve had all these houses, but not the investment in roads, schools, etc. That’s not going to happen again. We have to provide the data.”
She said it was imperative the council put forward a solid business plan to the government if it wanted to get the crucial funding.
The council’s budget also includes;
£1.2 million for an Avon Hydro Scheme, to produce electricity that could be used by residents or businesses, utilising the natural drop in the River Avon and waterflow to power a turbine. This would be similar to a scheme in Pershore which helps power the leisure centre.
£70,000 to fund the temporary closure of the High Street in Stratford to assess the feasibility of pedestrianisation.
£150,000 for a new splash pad at the Stratford recreation ground play area. It would complement the paddling pool, not replace it, and would be available in the summer months.
£500,000 for various council construction projects (allocated to provide specialist skills in order to enable key projects to move forward at speed)
£100,000 to support cycle schemes aimed at promoting sustainable transportation.
However, there may need to be tweaks to the budget later in the financial year – it all depends on what happens, and how fast, with the plans for devolution in Warwickshire.
Cllr David Curtis, (Lib Dem, Stratford Shottery), the council’s portfolio holder for resources, said: “This proposed budget will fund a number of schemes directly benefitting our residents as well as supporting our main council priorities – from health and well-being to protecting and improving our environment.
“There is still a lot of uncertainty around the government’s Devolution White Paper and this budget was prepared ahead of the publication of this, so there may be some changes due later in the year. But for now, with the proposed budget in place, we are able to continue to fund current services as well as a number of new initiatives and support a number of growth items.”
Following the consultation with residents, businesses and the council’s overview and scrutiny committee, the findings will be considered by the ruling cabinet on Monday 10th February before being presented to the full council meeting on 24th February for final ratification.
A council spokesperson added: “Despite the publication of the government’s English Devolution White Paper in December, to implement unitary government across all current two-tier areas including Stratford-on-Avon district in either April 2027 or April 2028 – resulting in the abolition of Stratford-on-Avon District Council – the district council will maintain its approach to the creation of the five year medium term financial strategy.
“However, it is probable that this approach will change for next year’s budget (2026-27) and there may also be a need for a supplementary 2025-26 budget mid-year, once the implications of the White Paper are fully understood.”
The council’s consultation about its spending plans is live now. Log onto https://online1.snapsurveys. com/budgetcons2025
The budget list
£70,000 to fund the temporary closure of the High Street in Stratford to assess the feasibility of making such a closure more permanent.
£1.2m for an Avon hydro scheme to produce fully renewable energy that could be used by local residents or businesses by utilising the natural drop in the Avon and waterflow to power a turbine.
£150,000 for a new splash pad at the Stratford Recreation Ground play area.
£2.5m for affordable and temporary housing to help reduce temporary accommodation costs.
£100,000 for the Gateway scheme – looking at the design of Arden Street car park to replace spaces from the Windsor Street multi-storey which could be demolished.
£250,000 for a Stratford relief road study (see main article).
£222,000 additional funding for environmental street scene improvement promoting public safety and security. This could be funding to build permanent structures that promote public safety and security. Such measures help prevent vehicle-based attacks in crowded areas, protecting pedestrians and buildings. This can deter potential threats, reduce the risk of casualties, and create a safer environment for public events.
£250,000 to fund various projects with the aim of enhancing and improving community facilities, services and overall infrastructure.
£50,000 for the Trees for Parish Councils scheme – open to parishes which have some land to plant trees.
£80,000 to fund a two-year screening programme for prostate cancer.
£500,000 for council construction projects.
£100,000 to support cycle schemes.
£100,000 for an economic development officer for two years.
£30,000 for Women’s Aid domestic violence project.
£50,000 for a business conference.
£520,000 for the climate change fund.
£600,000 to be used to directly target cost-of-living hardship through selected partners.
