A vision of Wellesbourne's future presented to the public

A vision of Wellesbourne’s future was presented to village residents this month during a public exhibition on its draft neighbourhood plan.

The Walton and Wellesbourne Way Neighbourhood Plan sets out how the villages will evolve over the next 15 years.

As a requirement of the Localism Act, local authorities are required to take into account neighbourhood plans when making planning decisions.

Wellesbourne’s draft plan has taken a small team of volunteers more than two years to complete following an intensive engagement with the local community.

Among the plan’s main objectives are increasing accessibility to allotments, local woodlands and maintaining and extending the views across the parish, while distinctive features of the village, such as its listed buildings and monuments must be conserved and enhanced.

It details how no housing should be permitted within the River Dene and Newbold Brook flood plain and how new housing developments should include a minimum of 35% affordable homes.

All new developments should be located in designated areas that help preserve the balance of housing around the traditional centre of Wellesbourne and maintaining the separate identity of Wellesbourne and Walton villages is highlighted.

John Hargis, chairman of the Walton and Wellesbourne Way Neighbourhood Plan, said: “I thought the open session went extremely well, we had a range presentation boards explaining different aspects of the plan and some of our members were on hand to explain how we had come to decide on our policies.

“Overall I thought people were very positive about the plan, most people seemed to quite strongly agree with what we had put forward. Most had some understanding of the plan before they dropped by, but it was useful to have our group members there to give them a bit more perspective.”

People have until 6 August to make additional comments on the draft neighbourhood plan, which can be made at www.w-w-w.org.uk and a hard copy will be available to view during a drop in session between 10am- 11.30am at Wellesbourne’s Coffee Stop Café.

If everything goes to schedule the Walton and Wellesbourne Way Neighbourhood Plan could be adopted following a referendum next spring.

Elsewhere in the district a date for a referendum on Kineton’s neighbourhood plan has been set for 1 September.