Plan for 350 homes on farming fields

Hundreds of homes could be built in a rural area of Coventry which has been earmarked for expansion.

Land promoter Richborough is planning up to 350 houses on farming fields off Fivefield Road in Keresley. Its agent has asked the city council for advice on a planning issue before sending an application.

Parish residents have previously spoken out about the level of development in the area which is set to gain more than 3,000 homes.

Keresley's expansion was agreed in 2017 as part of the authority's plans for the city's growth.

In a letter on 16 December, the agent Marrons said its client Richborough wished to obtain a formal opinion as to whether an environmental impact assessment was "necessary for the proposed development".

The document, which had details of the housing plans, also stated these were "not considered likely to have significant environmental effects" and such an assessment was "not considered necessary".

It comes months after some residents of the parish criticised the level of planned development.

One woman compared Keresley to a "warzone" at a planning meeting to agree another housing scheme for the area in September. She told councillors there were problems with overgrown hedgerows, clogged roads and full schools.

Another resident claimed there had been no road improvements to cope with traffic, despite seven separate schemes being under way.

Council officers said money from developers will cover a new road and junction upgrades and officers were working on plans for a school. 

The area is set to gain 3,100 homes, a school, shops and a link road, while important natural features will be kept, the council said.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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