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Plan for Hundreds of Homes South of Henley-in-Arden Faces Objections

Up to 265 homes are proposed around Blackford Mill Farm, south of Henley-in-Arden. National Highways wants more traffic evidence, the county's flood team objects, and comments close on 28 October.

By Alex Harrington 2 min read Source: Stratford-on-Avon District Council
Footpath across fields towards Blackford Mill Farm, south of Henley-in-Arden
Footpath to Blackford Mill Farm. Photo: David P Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0

A developer has applied to build up to 265 homes on fields south of Henley-in-Arden, around Blackford Mill Farm, where the River Alne runs through the site. The Henley-in-Arden housing plan has drawn objections from both parish councils, the ward councillor and a village action group. Stratford-on-Avon District Council is taking comments until Wednesday 28 October and aims to decide by 18 November.

On this page
  1. What’s planned
  2. What the official consultees said
  3. Local objections
  4. How to comment and what happens next

What’s planned

Mac Mic Strategic Land’s outline application (26/02084/OUT) asks for permission in principle for up to 265 homes, open space, landscaping and road works. Only the access into and out of the site would be fixed now; layout and design would come later. The Stratford Herald reports one entrance on Warwick Road and one on Stratford Road, either side of the river.

The site is mostly in Wootton Wawen parish and partly in Henley-in-Arden and Beaudesert. The application was submitted on 19 August. In June, before applying, the developer had asked the council for advice on up to 300 homes. Warwickshire County Council notes that the site is not one of those proposed for housing in the draft South Warwickshire Local Plan published in July.

What the official consultees said

  • National Highways has recommended that the application should not be approved for three months from its 30 September reply. That gives the developer time to provide more traffic evidence. It questions how the transport assessment estimates car trips. Its main concern is the M40 and A46, and the nearest point is M40 junction 16, about 5.4km north.
  • Warwickshire County Council’s flood team objects for now. It says there isn’t enough evidence that the homes would be safe from flooding or that surface water drainage would work.
  • The Environment Agency does not object. It says all the homes can be built in the lowest flood risk zone, above the river’s floodplain, and recommends conditions on building near the Alne and on a new footbridge.
  • Historic England referred the council to its guidance on the setting of heritage assets and doesn’t need to be consulted again.

Local objections

Wootton Wawen Parish Council has asked for the application to be refused, backing a highways and road safety objection from the Wootton Wawen Action Group. The action group’s objection focuses on the safety of schoolchildren. Henley-in-Arden and Beaudesert Joint Parish Council has lodged a holding objection on traffic and asked the council not to decide until it has reviewed the 300-page transport assessment. The ward councillor, Ian Shenton, has also objected. More than 300 public comments had been published on the file by 23 October.

Campaigners protested about the plan on Saturday 17 October, as first reported by the Stratford Herald. The developer has published its case on its own website, landsoutheastofhenleyinarden.co.uk.

How to comment and what happens next

Search for 26/02084/OUT on the council’s planning website to read the plans and comment before 28 October. The council’s target decision date is 18 November. No Planning Committee date has been set. For other plans around Henley, see our Henley-in-Arden page and Planning near me.

Alex Harrington

Alex Harrington grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and runs What's up, Stratford? as an independent guide to the town.

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