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The Stratford planning committee has refused outline plans for up to 75 homes on farmland off Sycamore Close in Stockton, near Southam, going against its officers, who had recommended approval. Stratford-on-Avon District Council’s Planning Committee made the decision on Wednesday 21 October, the council’s results notice says.
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What was refused
Application 25/00823/OUT, submitted by Richborough with Turley as planning agent, asked for outline permission for up to 75 homes, with access from Sycamore Close and a temporary construction access from the A426. Everything else, such as layout and design, would have been settled later.
Officers recommended approval subject to a Section 106 agreement, which would have secured 35% affordable housing (up to 26 homes). As we reported in our preview of the meeting, the officers’ report listed 136 objections, raising traffic, the A426 access, school places, drainage and the nearby quarry, and both Stockton Parish Council and the ward councillor, Cllr Andrew Crump, objected. The report also noted that the council can currently show only 2.43 years’ supply of housing land, against the five years national policy expects, which counts in favour of new homes.
Why it was refused, and what happens next
The results notice gives the decision but not the committee’s reasons. These will be set out in the formal decision notice on the planning file, which still showed “Pending Decision” on Thursday afternoon. We’ll add them when it’s published. The applicant can appeal to the Planning Inspectorate, normally within six months of the decision notice. You can watch the debate in the council’s recording of the meeting.
The rest of the meeting was adjourned
Only three items were decided. Two holiday lets at Winchcombe Farm, Upper Tysoe, were approved as permanent homes, and a loft conversion in Wellesbourne was passed to officers to decide. The meeting was then adjourned, so the retrospective training centre at LP Training Services on Snitterfield Road, Bearley, four homes at Fosse Close in Tredington and a driveway at Edgehill will go to a future committee, date to be confirmed. The council’s YouTube channel lists a Planning Committee for Wednesday 28 October, but the council hasn’t yet said which items it will hear.
It was one of the last meetings under the old rules: from 31 October, officers will decide most applications (what’s changing). For applications near you, see Planning near me, this week’s Planning this week and all our planning news.
Alex Harrington
Alex Harrington grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and runs What's up, Stratford? as an independent guide to the town.
