Hardworking local MP Marcus Jones met with senior Warwickshire County Councillors on 12 August to discuss the ongoing issue of new development in Weddington and the County Councils ownership of the land at Top Farm, which has been put forward in the Borough Council’s draft Borough Plan for new housing.

The local MP, who is concerned that the voices of local residents are not being taken into proper consideration during this process, expressed his concerns to the County Councillors over how the people of Weddington are being treated.

At the meeting, Marcus was alarmed to discover that Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council were actively encouraging the County Council to submit a planning application for 1500 new houses this September, despite the fact that the Borough Council have not as yet given a response to the public consultation held last year.

Following the meeting, Marcus has welcomed the decision by the County Council’s Cabinet to listen to the people of Weddington and the surrounding area by committing not to proceed further without digesting the response to the Borough Plan consultation.

Marcus was also alarmed to discover that despite the Borough Council putting together a draft Borough Plan, there does not appear to be a great deal of will from the Borough Council to engage with the County Council over the provision of new roads and school places.

Commenting, Marcus said: “I am really pleased that the Leader of the County Council and her Cabinet have been willing to listen to the concerns that I have put on behalf of local people. I am not anti-development but think that the current number of houses that have been given permission for in Weddington and St Nicolas Wards is already over-intensive. I do not want to see the current infrastructure issues that we are now facing compounded against the will of local people.

“My meeting revealed what a shambles and sham of a process that the Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Plan has become. After four years of delay and smoke and mirrors, I was shocked to find that the Borough Council were actively encouraging a planning application to be submitted ahead of any consideration and formal response to the public consultation. Over 4,000 people responded to the consultation, many of those people from Weddington, and their voice deserves to be heard before any further large scale developments are allowed.”

Adding, Warwickshire County Council Cabinet Member, and the County Councillor for St Nicolas, Jeff Clarke said: “After the way in which the Labour Borough Council have treated residents in St Nicolas and Weddington, I was keen to ensure that residents’ concerns were being listened to, at least by the County Council, and not be underhandedly railroaded by the Borough Council.”