DRAFT MINUTES OF AN EXTRA-ORDINARY MEETING OF GAYDON PARISH COUNCIL HELD IN THE VILLAGE HALL ON TUESDAY 2nd MAY 2017 AT 19:45

Present: Councillors Brine, Claxton, Morisot & Hughes

1. Opening Statements

Cllr. Brine provided an introductory speech to the assembled members of the public regarding the imminent presentation by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) representatives regarding the development to the immediate north of Gaydon. Further updates were provided regarding the size of the Parish Council and plans to add more members, as well as the prospective alterations to the Gaydon Inn and the progress that has been made regarding the field behind Church Lane. Cllr. Brine also spoke about the impending formulation of a Neighborhood Plan and invited residents to participate in the process.

2. Declarations Of Interest

Cllr. Brine declared an interest, as his property is directly impacted by the Environmental Enhancement Area (EEA) being constructed by JLR.

3. Presentation

Laura Humphries of JLR delivered a summary of the company’s plans for the land to the immediate north of Gaydon, using a slideshow to display maps and pictures to show how the area looks at present and how it should look in the future. Also covered were the more detailed aspects of the EEA, including topics such as construction and maintenance, as well as details of archeological finds on the site.

4. Questions From The Public

As well as requests for clarification of details covered in the presentation, members of the public also had demands for additional information, presented here in chronological order.

Q: Will there be dry ponds to take overflowing water from the existing wet areas.

A: Yes

Q: Will extra traffic be passing through Gaydon in order to access the site?

A: No, all vehicles will be using the site access constructed on the Old Warwick Road.

Q: Will the site entrances be lit, as light pollution is already an issue in Gaydon?

A: Yes, for security and safety purposes, the site will require lighting although it will be kept to a minimum and faced away from the village.

Q: Will the activity at Manor Farm be continuing at its present level?

A: Much of the activity at the farm requires no planning permission. Laura Humphries then agreed to seek more information regarding the future timeline of activity at the location.

Q: Will the gate on the Old Warwick Road be wide enough?

A: Laura promised to check and inform the council of the answer.

Q: Will the Old Warwick Road be closed to the public?

A: The road will be kept open for as long as it is safe to do so.

Q: What species will be planted in the EEA and which will be removed?

A: Fast growing and locally native flora will be put in, with crops being removed. Great Crested Newts would also be added to the site.

Q: What will happen to the Barn Owls that have previously lived on the site?

A: JLR will have to talk to their ecologist to see if anything can be done to attract owls back to the site in the future.

Q: What will be done about greenfield runoff from the site coming into Gaydon?

A: The site has the stated capacity to hold floodwater plus an extra 40 percent, with the excess going into drains from the attenuation ponds.

Q: Wells had previously been constructed in the field – have they been factored into the plan?

A: Laura said that she would pass the information to the drainage engineer for further scrutiny.

Q: Will the village’s insurance status be updated after the project is complete?

A: That is up to the insurance providers, who are informed by the Environment Agency.

Q: Will there still be access to the lower field?

A: Contractually, it will be necessary to maintain access to that property.

Q: Will the hedges removed to enable site access be replaced with saplings?

A: That would depend on Stratford District Council’s own judgement.

Q: How long will this take to complete in total?

A: A year, including time for plant growth.

Q: Is there any way for water to flow under the flood defences and into the village?

A: Laura pledged to find out.

Q: What will be the impact of farming on the land owned by JLR outside of the EEA? Will the land still be retained for agricultural use?

A: Nothing is certain at this time – it might not be farmed.

Q: What kind of soil is being dumped – is it suitable for plants to grow on?

A: It is good quality soil that will enable plant growth.

Closing Statements

Cllr. Brine thanked the members of the public and JLR for attending.

A request was also made on behalf of the Parish Council that Manor Farm should cease to be used for access as soon as the new site entrances on the Old Warwick Road have been installed.