Q&As update
We have compiled a list of new questions and answers to reflect the latest questions that we have been receiving about Middle Quinton. Our original set of questions and answers are still available to view and are at the end of the updated list.
What is the Vision Document?
The document, prepared in response to a Government request, sets out the updated masterplan for Middle Quinton and provides significant detail about the vision to create a new and environmentally advanced town on this 258 hectare brownfield site. It also plays an important role in helping CLG and the Government to decide whether to place Middle Quinton on its final shortlist.
Isn’t this Greenfield land?
No – the site is on what is classified as Brownfield Land. Some local opposers to the site have stated that Middle Quinton is a greenfield site but this is not correct. The site is a former military base and is official brownfield land as recognised by the government and planning guidelines. The site is currently used for warehousing and storage including storage of cars, trains as well as commodity recycling.
Why are you continue to promote the eco town when opposers such as BARD continue to campaign against it?
There are in fact a range of local supporters for the Middle Quinton eco town, including local people trying to get on the housing ladder or wanting a new home or those needing affordable housing. Much of the opposition has been based on misconceptions of the proposals. For example we will not be building 6,000 homes at Middle Quinton all at once. The development will be phased over 12 years. Furthermore, much opposition has been based on the false presumption that the site is greenfield when in fact it is brownfield (unlike some of the other proposed eco-towns.)
How long will public consultation last?
We held our first public exhibition in June and started stakeholder consultation in May. We are committed to carry on informing the community and working with stakeholders throughout the process until the government announces the list of eco towns in the New Year. If Middle Quinton is included in this list we will continue to consult and work with the community and local councils in the run up to the submission of a planning application. Consultation to date has also included the setting up of a Stakeholder Forum, presentations to various groups plus proposals for a Parish Council Forum.
What will happen to the Greenway?
A. The development of Middle Quinton will preserve the Greenway which is used for cycling and walking. Any new guided bus/tram or rail link between Stratford via Middle Quinton, to Honeybourne will run alongside the cycling and walking and there will be tree planting and landscaping between the Greenway and the guided bus/tram or rail. There has been much misinformation about the Greenway from those campaigning against Middle Quinton and we want to assure everyone that despite comments made by some opposers, cycling and walking along the Greenway will be maintained.
Are the existing transport links acceptable and sustainable for a development of this size? Will you clog up local roads?
We are proposing a significant financial and infrastructure investment at Middle Quinton which will include additional public transport such as guided bus or tram services from Stratford to Honeybourne and enhancements to existing bus services to key population centres such as Stratford and Evesham. There will be a range of highway improvements including traffic calming on the B4632. Twin tracking of the Cotswolds line by Network Rail is due to be completed in 2010 and we have the aspiration to reconnect Stratford to Honeybourne and the national rail network. We will also be putting in place a range of measures to minimise car use.
The guided busway being constructed in Cambridgeshire is costing over £100m. This would use up the total infrastructure budget you have allocated for Middle Quinton.
The Cambridgeshire Guided Busway runs from Hitchingbrooke Hospital north of Huntingdon through the towns of Huntingdon, St Ives, the new development of Northstowe and then all the way through Cambridge city centre, with a separate link to Addenbrookes Hospital. It finishes at Trumptington Park and Ride site south of Cambridge. The total length of the route is 40Km, 25Km of which is new off road twin track guide way. Two new Park and Ride sites, at St Ives and Longstanton are also included in the scheme.
At Middle Quinton the total length of guide way is approximately 13 Km the majority of which is single track, with a significant part of the track bed already existing. The cost is therefore less than 20% of the Cambridge costs
You give your commitment to support the reinstating of the rail link from Honeybourne to Stratford yet you refer to providing guided buses?
An existing rail link exists from Honeybourne to the site. Network Rail will be upgrading the existing line between Moreton-in Marsh and Evesham, through Honeybourne to include twin tracks and station refurbishments. As part of this work they will include design provision for upgrading the link to Middle Quinton. The reinstatement of the line north of the site to Stratford would provide significant benefits to the region as it would establish a direct rail link between Evesham, Oxford and Stratford. Middle Quinton alone cannot deliver this link as it will require input from a number of stakeholders including, Network Rail, Train Operating Companies, and Local Authorities. We can however act as a catalyst to help promote this reinstatement.
Even with a rail line in place there would still be a need to provide a high frequency public transport link between Middle Quinton and surrounding towns such as Stratford and Evesham in order to achieve the mode shift from private car expected of an Eco Town. The establishment of this link does not prejudice the future completion of a heavy rail link.
Stratford upon Avon is an important tourist and historical centre, how will Middle Quinton impact Stratford upon Avon?
We recognise the importance of Stratford upon Avon and our proposals to develop new homes at Middle Quinton (6 miles away from Stratford upon Avon) will help to protect Stratford upon Avon from new development in the town centre and around its edge which may impact upon the town’s heritage. Furthermore, we believe our aspiration to improve public transport links south of Stratford upon Avon into the Cotswolds will help regional tourism and help Stratford’s tourism.
Does the local area need more homes?
Yes. Combined Wychavon, Cotswold and Stratford District have a housing waiting list of approximately 13,050. There is also the issue of rising population to think about, for example Stratford District alone is due to have 5,600 new homes built by 2026 although this is likely to be increased under the current review of the Regional Spatial Strategy.
Importantly the Government has recently confirmed that the homes provided by an eco town will contribute towards meeting the Government set housing targets for the region therefore development at Middle Quinton will take pressure off areas such as Stratford Upon Avon, Chipping Campden and other villages which may otherwise be pressurised into building more new homes.
Questions from the public exhibition:
What will the phasing for development at Middle Quinton be? When will it be delivered and how?
We have enclosed in the Vision Document an indicative phasing proposal which shows this to be a minimum 12 year project. If selected we will be involved in detailed discussions with all the Local Authorities involved about the phasing of the schools, public transport improvements Following discussion with the Local Education Authority it is clear that one of the earliest priorities would be provision of a primary school on site.
Will £100 million that you are due to invest in the project cover all the infrastructure costs, schools etc?
We are fully confident that we will provide all the necessary infrastructure costs. Naturally these are open to discussion with the respective authorities. There has been much mis-information on this issue, for example over how much a primary school costs to build. In addition there will be certain areas that we can assist with but will not be funding ourselves, e.g. there are already plans in place by Network Rail to twin track the Cotswolds line 2010.
Construction traffic – will it go through all the villages?
A priority will be for construction materials to arrive by rail whenever possible. We will also be using material already on site for construction, e.g. existing hardcore.
Can you ensure local people have priority to buy the new homes?
Yes we are happy to consider initiatives to encourage local buyers. For instance, we would be pleased to have an initial period where homes are marketed in the local area only. Policies for affordable homes will be worked up with 3 local authorities so will cover a local catchment area.
What about the impact on schools and the health service?
We will be building new schools and health facilities on site and contributing off site as needed. We are meeting all the appropriate authorities to ensure that we fully encorporate all necessary facilities, for instance we have already met with Warwickshire Primary Care Trust.
Who is going to buy the houses? Where are people going to come from?
2,000 homes will be affordable as defined by the local authorities (who have over 13,000 residents on their affordable lists). The other 4,000 will be built over a period of 12 or 15s year so we expect most people to come from the surrounding local areas.
What is an eco-town?
In April 2007, the Communities and Local Government department (CLG) invited bids for eco-towns across the country.
These new developments were set five key criteria, which were that:
- Eco-towns must be new settlements, separate and distinct from existing towns but well linked to them. They need to be additional to existing plans, with a minimum target of 5,000 homes.
- The development as a whole should reach zero carbon standards, and each town should be an exemplar in at least one other area of environmental sustainability
- Eco-town proposals should provide for a good range of facilities within the town – a secondary school, a medium scale retail centre, good quality business space and leisure facilities.
- Affordable housing should make up between 30 and 50 percent of the total, through a wide range and distribution of tenures in mixed communities, with a particular emphasis on larger family homes.
- A management body which will help develop the town, provide support for people moving to the new community, for businesses and to co-ordinate delivery of services and manage facilities.
Bids were submitted in 58 locations (one of which was later withdrawn) for eco-town status and in April 2008, Middle Quinton was shortlisted as one of the 15 proposals to be consulted on before the final list of 10 sites is chosen in autumn 2008.
What does “zero carbon” mean?
Zero carbon means that over one year, the net carbon emissions from all energy use within the buildings on the development are zero
Stratford doesn’t need 6,000 new homes, why do they have to be built here?
Stratford-on-Avon District Council’s strategic housing requirement in the draft Revision to the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) is 5,600 new homes over the period to 2026. However, the Government have appointed consultants to consider options to increase the delivery of housing across the West Midlands Region and it is generally accepted that the strategic housing requirement will rise for all local planning authorities when the Revision to RSS is examined in 2009.
The Middle Quinton site comprises 240 hecatres (600 acres) of brownfield land and could provide for a significant proportion of Stratford District’s strategic housing requirement. The alternative could be additional piece-meal extensions to the edge of Stratford town and some of the larger villages.
By providing 6,000 new homes at Middle Quinton with associated supporting infrastructure and sustainable transport links to Stratford and surrounding population centres, the proposals would be taking pressure away from Stratford town centre and its greenfield boundaries, helping to preserve its historic integrity.
In addition, and contrary to some other reports, Stratford-on-Avon District Council have confirmed that there 2,550 households on the Housing Waiting List and the Joint Housing Assessment for South Warwickshire provides robust evidence of high levels of unmet housing need. The Eco-town proposals will make a significant contribution towards the provision of affordable housing in the area and will make a real difference to those families on the Housing Waiting List.
Why are you proposing to build new homes on a site which is subject to flooding?
The development of the site is not constrained by flooding. Halcrow Yolles have recently completed a Strategic Flood Risk Assessment for (SFRA) Stratford-on-Avon District Council (together with the other local authorities in South Warwickshire). This indicates that whilst a small part of the site (approximately 5 hectares near to the northern boundary) is within Flood Zone 2 (medium risk – between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1000 year probability of flooding) and Flood Zone 3a (high risk – 1 in 100 year or greater probability of flooding), the majority of the site is within Flood Zone 1 (low risk - less than 1 in 1000 year probability of flooding). This is consistent with background technical work prepared by the consultant team. The overall masterplan for the development of the site will take account of this and sensitive land uses (e.g. residential) will be located away from the part of the site that may be subject to flooding.
A full explanation of Flood Zones can be found here.
Why are you proposing to build new homes on a contaminated site?
Prior to disposal of the site the MOD carried out a series of land quality assessments. Information obtained from these investigations confirmed that the majority of the site is free from contamination and does not present a risk to human health or to the wider environment. Some localised areas of contamination, mainly within the made ground, were encountered.
Subsequent to the 1999 and 2004 intrusive investigations an additional remediation strategy was prepared and works carried out on the site between January and May 2006. This work was implemented by Defence Estates, former owners of the site, who required it to be remediated to a standard which would not require further significant remediation works following their disposal of the site.
Land Quality Assessment Reports confirm that, following the remediation already carried out, there are no significant environmental constraints to the development of the site. Localised sources of ground contamination will be suitably remediated as part of normal ground preparation works.
How will Stratford’s infrastructure support 6,000 new homes?
Stratford’s existing infrastructure will not be made to cope with the new homes. The proposals include a comprehensive package of improvements to the local infrastructure network to cater for new residents and improve services for existing residents in the area. This will include the provision of new schools, both primary and secondary, which will benefit the existing communities around the site as well as new residents, many of whom are forced to send their children considerable distances for secondary school education. New health care facilities will be provided including doctors’ and dentists’ surgeries again cutting the distances that existing communities need to travel to access services.
St Modwen and The Bird Group are committed to delivering sufficient community infrastructure and services for the new community at the very first phase of development so that there will be no reliance, no matter how short that period may have been, on existing services. We believe that providing these key facilities early, and locating them at the heart of communities, is imperative in order to shape the way people live as soon as they become a part of the new community.
Where will all the new residents work?
The proposals include provision for the creation of at least 3,000 new jobs within the site. A range of different jobs will be provided including education, health care, retail, together with traditional office based employment, light industry and warehousing facilities. Those residents who do not work on site, or indeed those employees who do not live on site, will be able to travel to and from Stratford and surrounding population centres using a significantly upgraded public transport network.
What about all the additional car trips that will be generated by 6,000 new households?
Middle Quinton is being designed so that the car is an unattractive choice as a means of transport. Within the new development spaces are being designed which favour pedestrians and cycles around the concept of walkable neighbourhoods – everyday facilities, including a primary school, with a 400 metre or 5 minute walk. The need to travel outside of the site will be minimised by the provision of a comprehensive range of services and facilities, however where external trips are required, residents will be discouraged from using the car and encouraged to use a modern, clean, reliable and convenient public transport system which will provide links to Stratford and surrounding population centres.
Will the project be subject to normal planning procedures?
Absolutely. Any future application will have to go through the usual planning procedure and democratically elected local councillors will be able to have their say on the scheme.
How many landowners does Middle Quinton consist of?
Two, St. Modwen and Bird Group. St. Modwen is a regeneration specialist operating through a network of regional offices in all sectors of the property industry. We work in partnership with private and public sector organisations, continually mindful of the impact of our developments on the communities in which we operate.
The Bird Group of Companies is a family owned organisation with interests in property, manufacturing, leisure and wholesale. Based in Warwickshire, the company has business interests the UK and overseas. Honours include the Queen’s Award for Export and the Prince of Wales Award for Technology & Innovation. Managing Director Anthony P. Bird was made an O.B.E. for services to the environment.
How can I get involved?
St Modwen and The Bird Group are very interested to hear your views on how the Eco-town proposals should be developed. Further details on how you can become involved in the process will be published on this website soon.