Residents form Save Our Shipston group and meet to protest as the area could face masses more development as services dwindle and infrastructure creaks

Shipston has issued an SOS plea, angry that the town could face more development as services dwindle and the infrastructure is left creaking. Gill Sutherland went to meet 350 of the town’s residents who have had enough.

Hundreds of Shipston people were on the march again on the weekend – this time to protest about the “bonkers” earmarking of land to potentially build 3,000 houses.

The area has suffered a series of knocks and losses of services over recent years – see picture box – and the controversy over the Ellen Badger Hospital has seen residents adopt a campaigning spirit.

Testing tolerances this time is the preferred options consultation currently being conducted to finalise the South Warwickshire Local Plan. It sees Stratford and Warwick district councils seeking feedback on, among other things, where houses should be built in Stratford and Warwick districts up to 2050.

Shipston’s suggested intake of 3,000 more houses spurred the formation of a new campaign group, Save Our Shipston (SOS).

The Herald invited SOS to meet on Saturday for a photo and to talk about the strength of feeling in the area regarding the issues over more development.

On a soggy and dreary morning, an estimated 350 people turned up to vent spleen over the proposals.

Resident Lindsey Walker, told the Herald: “Shipston is a great place to live, but we are at breaking point. Development has increased our population by 20 per cent in the last five years putting our infrastructure under huge strain.

“We have a shortage of medical facilities and a cottage hospital with no beds, our schools are at or over capacity, we have no police or fire station and our only bank is due to close this year. Many of our roads are single track or one-way, with pedestrians taking their lives in their hands as lorries hurtle through the town.

“To make matters worse, the town and surrounding villages flood seriously every year and sewage regularly runs into people’s gardens as a result of recent house building.”

Founding member of SOS, Alice Free, added: “When you read what the South Warwickshire Local Plan wants to achieve, it’s obvious these sites do not meet those criteria. I don’t understand why our sites are even still included in the plan. We trust the objections being made by Shipston Town Council and the parishes, as well as by residents, will make this clear and we will be removed from the process going forward.”

Pointing out that Shipston’s population of around 6,000 would almost double if the new houses went ahead, John Weaver, another SOS supporter, commented: “The 3,000 new houses being proposed will virtually double Shipston’s population and mean new residents will have to travel miles to work. It is as far from sustainable development as you can get. Talk to local people and they all the say the same thing: we simply can’t take the strain. We urge people to let their voices be heard before the 7th March deadline.”

Members of all political parties were also present on Saturday, and were all in agreement that Shipston is the wrong place for more development.

“My take is that it’s absolutely bonkers,” said county councillor Jo Barker (Shipston, Con) of the suggested sites. “Some of the sites that we’ve seen before have fallen through before and some of them are new ones. Some of them are absolutely pie in the sky.”

She continued: “In a lot of countries they build the infrastructure first, then they put the housing in, but what we get is piecemeal development. If any of this goes ahead, I expect that will be the same.

“I think the strength of feeling in Shipston this time is so strong. We’ve lost a lot, we’ve had huge battles over all sorts of things – this comes in the same week as our bank is going. We know we’re at the bottom of the county, but sometimes it feels like we’re dropping off the end of it.”

Giving his view, district councillor Dave Passingham (Shipston South, Green Party) said: “There are many good planning reasons to object to any more building around Shipston. For a start the population increase means existing infrastructure, especially the sewers, cannot cope.

“One of the objectives of the Local Plan is that development should be in sustainable travel locations, yet Shipston has no train station and there is an inadequate bus service to Stratford. Major employers have left Shipston in recent years and many people must travel long distances by car to work.

“Two-thirds of land put forward in the consultation will not be required according to the planners. There are many places in the district that have better infrastructure on which to build than Shipston. If the objectives laid out in the draft Local Plan were stuck to there would be no building around Shipston except perhaps a small amount for local need.”

Beyond the free car park by the Stour where the Herald meets the protesters lies a large parcel of land towards Barcheston in the east. It is one of the sites (along with two smaller plots to the north and south of the town) that has been identified as potential options for ‘strategic growth’.

For the past week or two images of the flooded fields where thousands of new houses will perhaps be built have been shared on Shipston social media channels.

Among those questioning the credibility of the such a plan are members of the Shipston Area Flood Action Group (SAFAG).

A spokesperson told the Herald: “SAFAG has serious concerns about sites presented by the district councils as possible options for developing new homes around Shipston. It is clear that, despite the work of SAFAG and the town council, the town’s infrastructure and ability to cope with both floodwater and sewage is already beyond the intended capacity. Adding hundreds of new homes on a flood plain would either require very expensive engineering to prevent flooding, and to direct excess water elsewhere (where?), or it will simply result in hundreds of homes being routinely flooded.

“With every one degree of warming in the atmosphere, there is seven per cent more moisture in the air which accumulates to become rain. We are now at, and sailing past, one point five above internationally accepted safe baseline temperatures. That’s ten per cent more moisture in the atmosphere, and we can expect up to ten per cent more rain on average. All future development should be planned with that new climate reality, and the natural limitations of our environment, in mind.

“SAFAG supports well planned development which integrates into existing infrastructure, or significantly improves it. Our survey of the intended sites, and the number of homes considered, leads us to strongly object to these plans as they stand.”

Decline of amenities, jobs and services

Ellen Badger Hospital demolished and unclear what services will be at replacement building, with beds looking unlikely.

Limited spaces at Shipston Primary School and Shipston High School already oversubscribed with no sixth form.

Reduction in service at fire station.

Shipston Police Station closed in 2013.

Only bank, Lloyds, due to close in November 2025.

Sewage treatment facility is currently at full capacity, excess being removed by lorry.

Employment levels in Shipston have been in serious decline over the past 25 years.

Business closures include Norgren in 2008 (employed more than 1,000), Turbine Blading and Mill Engineers.

Shortage of green spaces.

No rail link and only limited bus service.

The only two bridges crossing the Stour –Shipston and Honington– are single track.