The proposed development site is located to the north of Atherstone, bounded to the west and north by Old Holly Lane and to the east by Sheepy Road. Phase 1 of Bloor Homes’ Atherstone Development, Atherstone Place, lies immediately southwest of the site.
Site location plan - click to enlarge
Atherstone is one of three market towns in North Warwickshire which are important to the health of the surrounding rural economy as they provide many of the services and facilities to the outlying hinterland.
The existing North Warwickshire Local Plan was adopted by the Council in 2021 following extensive consultation. Bloor Homes’ Atherstone development, of which the current plans form Phase 2, is part of a larger allocation for new homes north of Atherstone. This allocation is referred to as Policy H1 in the Local Plan and allocates the area for approximately 620 homes and associated services and infrastructure.
Informed by the Local Plan allocation, outline planning consent for the wider site to deliver 620 homes and infrastructure was approved in August 2022 following the signing of the S106 agreement. The reserved matters planning application for Phase 2 of Bloor Homes’ development is in turn informed by that wider outline planning consent, adding detail to the previously established principles of development.
Local Plans are the key documents through which local planning authorities set out a vision and framework for the future development of the area, engaging with their communities in doing so. Local Plans address needs and opportunities in relation to housing, the local economy, community facilities and infrastructure. The Local Plan provides a degree of certainty for communities, businesses and investors, and a framework for guiding decisions on individual planning applications.
Local planning authorities, such as North Warwickshire Borough Council, have a statutory responsibility to maintain an up-to-date Local Plan, and national policy indicates that Local Plans should be regularly reviewed, with the expectation this is done at least every five years.
The existing North Warwickshire Local Plan was adopted in 2021. Atherstone is one of three market towns in North Warwickshire and are important to the health of the surrounding rural economy as they provide many of the services and facilities to the outlying hinterland.
The existing North Warwickshire Local Plan was adopted by the Council in 2021 following extensive consultation. Bloor Homes’ Atherstone development, of which the current plans form Phase 2, is part of a larger allocation for new homes north of Atherstone. This allocation is referred to as Policy H1 in the Local Plan and allocates the area for approximately 620 homes and associated services and infrastructure.
You can find out more about the North Warwickshire Local Plan here: https://www.northwarks.gov.uk/forward-planning/local-plan-north-warwickshire.
Family-owned housebuilder Bloor Homes is preparing a reserved matters planning application for Phase 2 of the Atherstone development. This will deliver:
- 250 high-quality family homes.
- 40% of new homes would be affordable housing, providing opportunities for key workers and people on low incomes to secure a home of their own in Atherstone.
- The development will be laid out in four distinct character areas or neighbourhoods, creating a sense of place.
- Existing landscape features including perimeter hedgerows and trees framing the Innage Brook corridor through the site will be retained.
- Existing planting and landscape features will be enhanced with additional planting and landscaping, including an extensive area of public open space on the northern part of the site to provide a buffer with the countryside beyond and a green corridor following the Innage Brook to link to further parkland within the new neighbourhood.
- Homes will be built to the very latest standards of sustainability, with measures such as EV charging infrastructure, solar panels, and high levels of energy efficiency. Sustainable Urban Drainage will provide new wetland habitat within the site, further enhancing biodiversity.
The new homes proposed for Phase 2 ranges from 1 to 5-bed family and affordable homes. These will break down as follows:
- Market homes (60% of overall development – 150 homes)
- Affordable homes (40% of overall development – 100 homes)
The affordable housing provision will be split between affordable rent (80%) and shared ownership (20%) providing opportunities for those with local connections who are on lower incomes to secure a home of their own in the community.
100 of the new homes (40% of the overall development) will be affordable homes. Of these, 80% will be available for Affordable Rent with the remaining 20% Shared Ownership.
This is a matter for the Local Authority. We are happy to discuss with the Local Authority the potential to apply Local Occupancy Criteria to affordable homes to ensure that people with local connections are prioritised.
All homes will be built in accordance with the latest version of the Building Regulations or the Future Homes Standards in place when construction commences, which both set ambitious construction and energy efficiency standards.
You can find out more about the approach that Bloor takes towards sustainability here: www.bloorhomes.com/buying-guide/sustainability
The vast majority of existing landscape features such as hedgerows and trees will be retained, with hedgerow removals being minimised to that required to allow for highway access. This, alongside the creation and management of new landscape planting, trees and SUDS features will provide new habitats and enhance the quality of the existing habitats - improving the biodiversity value of the site wherever possible.
Yes, the new homes will be set amongst extensive areas of green space with 29% of the development consisting of green public open space.
Bloor Homes is currently delivering new homes on an adjacent site, Phase 1 Atherstone Place. This gives a good indication of some of the types of homes built by Bloor Homes.
The new development will have vehicular access via a new priority junction from Old Holly Lane to access the homes on the west side of the Innage Brook, while homes on the east side of the brook will be accessed via a priority junction from Sheepy Road. There will be no vehicular link between the two development areas to prevent the creation of a rat-run through the development. There will be a network of walking and cycling routes set within the extensive green open spaces and green corridors through the site, including foot-bridges over the brook to link the two parcels of homes.
The site currently comprises improved agricultural land which is of relatively low value in terms of biodiversity. The retention of the vast majority of existing landscape features such as hedgerows and trees, alongside the creation and management of new landscape planting, trees and SUDS features will provide new habitats and enhance the quality of the existing habitats - improving the biodiversity value of the site wherever possible.
The northern section of the site is location within a flood zone, as is the corridor of the Innage Brook. There is no development proposed within these locations. The provision of SUDS as part of the surface water drainage strategy for the development has the potential to provide an improvement over the current surface drainage situation for the surrounding area, as well delivering biodiversity enhancements through the creation of wetland habitats.
Any planning consents will include a condition for the agreement of a Construction Management Plan with the Local Authority to ensure that all construction is well managed and minimises its impact on the surrounding area.
The existing outline planning consent included a S106 agreement which will generate significant financial contributions to be invested into local infrastructure and services such as healthcare, education, public transport etc. This was determined by statutory consultation carried out by the Local Planning Authority with bodies such as the local NHS, the Local Education Authority, Local Highways Authority and others.
The development will also provide increased footfall for businesses in Atherstone.
We are keen to hear suggestions from local residents and the wider community as we finalise our plans. We have created a consultation website, www.blooratherstonephase2.com, which includes an overview of the plans, as well as an easy-to-use interactive map and online questionnaire. In addition, the local planning authority, North Warwickshire Borough Council will carry out further consultation of their own once our planning application is submitted.