Warwick District Council is developing and commercialising Newbold Comyn against the wishes of the community.

The MTB trails are more intrusive and damaging to the landscape than we could ever have imagined. 

 

 

 

 

 

The next stage is a full size all-weather plastic surface football pitch that will cost between £800,000 - £1.5 million. It will be open until late every night of the week and require floodlights, creating noise and light pollution harmful to wildlife and the environment. The Council plans to hire the pitch out to 'support the site financially'. 

It’s time to call a halt to any further development and elect an independent committee to manage the Comyn in a way that protects and preserves it for generations to come.

We’re signing this petition because we want:

X      Further development on the Comyn to stop immediately

X      An investigation into the whole cycle trail process – from the survey results and the grant from British Cycling, to the planning process, ecological concerns, wildlife crime and beyond

X      An independent committee elected to manage Newbold Comyn in the interests of the community.

Background: 
Two public surveys showed overwhelmingly that people loved the open space at Newbold Comyn, the views, the peace and the safety. What worried us most was over-development and commercialisation of the land, as well as losing the natural resource and openness. 

 

 

 

 

 

But in developing the MTB facility, WDC has destroyed the landscape and the views, and restricted access for the majority of users against our explicit wishes. They’ve been investigated for wildlife crime and breached their own strict planning conditions.

More commercial developments are planned, eyesores that will further impinge on our green space and detrimentally affect wildlife and the environment.

We believe that Warwick District Council is incapable of managing our largest green space. This space is loved and used by many. It should be run by the community, for the benefit of the community.

• Mountain biking was never mentioned in the surveys.  
  What was shown to the community in 2020 was a design for a few 'family-friendly cycle trails' in 2020 but this was superseded in 2021 by a completely different plan for a dedicated MTB facility.
  
  We were never shown or consulted about the proposed design. We didn't know about it until the planning application went live.
  
  
• Warwick District Council ignored the community when they became aware that a grant from British Cycling was available. Warwickshire Wildlife Trust was in discussions with WDC to manage Newbold Comyn so that it could ‘be enhanced for wildlife, protected from development and accessible for people to use’.
  
  These discussions were terminated as soon as WDC became aware of the grant.
  
  
• The development contravenes just about every local, regional and national planning policy there is. It doesn’t enhance or protect the landscape – in fact, it does exactly the opposite.
  
  The MTB development encompasses the most valued part of the old golf course and when completed with the associated landscaping, it will greatly restrict pedestrian access to nearly half of the open space on that part of the Comyn. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• The trails that are being constructed don’t match the designs agreed at planning. The application was approved on the basis that the layout drawing was ‘strictly adhered’ to.
  
  After construction started, WDC applied for permission for changes to the design for wholly fictitious reasons - and then approved the changes themselves in breach of their own strict planning conditions. 
  
  WDC has also given On Track, the construction contractors, free reign to add new trails as they see fit without seeking the required planning consent.
  
  
• WDC has been subject to investigation by the Rural Crime Police. We have reason to believe they’ve endangered protected species and not obtained the correct licences they needed before submitting the planning application.
  
  These were pre-application requirements and if this is the case, the planning application shouldn’t even have been submitted.

 

 

 

We have to stop further development.
As well as the artificial football pitch, WDC has earmarked 197 new parking spaces, despite this contravening the Neighbourhood Plan’s objective to reduce driving and pollution.

We don’t believe Warwick District Council is fit or trustworthy enough to manage our Comyn – it’s time for new management.