Jenny Bevan for Budbrooke and Bishop's Tachbrook

06/09/2026

A concerned parent recently got in touch to ask me about sixth form provision at Oakley School, and I thought it was important to share what I’ve found out.

Unfortunately, the position is that there are currently no plans for a sixth form at Oakley School for the current Year 10 pupils when they reach Year 12 in 2028/29.

This isn’t new information, but the implications have become much more concerning as we get closer to that point.

Back in September 2022, I submitted an FOI to Warwickshire County Council specifically asking whether there would be sixth form provision at Oakley for these pupils from 2028/29. The response I received in October 2022 was very clear:

“There are currently no plans to include 6th form provision at Oakley School.”

The response did say that the planning permission included an option for a future 300-place sixth form and that the site had been designed to allow for it. However, it also made clear that post-16 provision across the wider area would be kept under review, with additional places potentially provided elsewhere.

And that’s where I think we now need to look very carefully at what is actually happening with sixth form capacity locally.

The figures show 200 sixth form places are supposed to be available at Aylesford School, yet Aylesford did not have a Year 12 cohort this year because of the low number of applications.

There are also supposed to be 270 sixth form places at Trinity School. However, Trinity currently has a total school population of only 369 pupils across Years 7–13, so it seems highly unlikely that 270 sixth form places will be required there any time soon.

At the same time, Myton was heavily oversubscribed.

That matters because the children currently in Year 10 at Oakley will be trying to secure sixth form places in 2028. By then, the new housing developments around us will also be much more populated.

There is another important point which I think is easily misunderstood.

Yes, there is space on the Oakley site for a sixth form building.
But having space on a site is not the same as having a funded, approved and planned sixth form.

There is currently no planning application for the sixth form building, and realistically, if it were going to be open for the current Year 10 pupils in 2028/29, construction would need to be getting underway now.

As I understand it, the funding that had originally been associated with the Oakley sixth form was ultimately used for the new sixth form building at Myton, which temporarily accommodated the additional Year 7 cohort while Oakley was being built.

There was also around £10 million spent preparing the Oakley site, including dealing with the steeply sloping land to create the level area for the school and pitches, enabling Miller Homes to build around 150 houses on the flatter land closest to Harbury Lane.
So the land is there.

What isn't there, as far as I can establish, is the funding, planning application or strategic commitment to actually deliver a sixth form at Oakley.

And I think that should concern all of us.

We have already seen the pressure on sixth form places at Myton. As the new developments around Bishop’s Tachbrook, Heathcote and The Asps continue to fill with families, that pressure is only likely to increase.

Parents quite reasonably expect that when new houses are built, there will be sufficient school places and other infrastructure to support the families moving into them.

I don't think it is good enough to simply say that there is potential for a sixth form at Oakley when there is currently no plan to deliver one.

If you are concerned about this, I would encourage you to contact Matt Western MP at [email protected] and let him know what you think.

Matt was very supportive when I campaigned on the original school plans in 2019 (and the subsequent delays), and he has continued to engage with the school on local issues, including the Duke of York Avenue and the Harbury Lane footpaths not being opened in time, the Harbury Lane crossroads traffic-light timings, the lack of country park footpath access and the dangerous crossing of Quercus Way.

I think this is another issue where it is important that parents make their voices heard before we reach 2028 and find that the lack of sixth form provision has become someone else's problem to solve.

I will continue to keep asking questions and will share anything further I find out.

03/09/2026

🚨 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓: 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝/𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐣𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

There is an important safety issue within planning application 𝐖/𝟐𝟓/𝟏𝟏𝟐𝟏 (𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝟏𝟐𝟓 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐭 𝐀𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞) that I have raised previously and which remains unresolved. If you share these concerns, please make sure you submit your own objection before the consultation closes.

The proposed highways solution 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

The key problem is not vehicles turning right 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 Mallory Road from Banbury Road. It is vehicles trying to turn right 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝.

At the moment, drivers exiting Mallory Road have to find a safe gap across continuous traffic travelling in both directions – from the M40/south and from the Warwick and Leamington/north direction.

The proposed ghost right-turn lane does 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜. In fact, it could make matters worse by removing one of the few circumstances where traffic can naturally slow or be interrupted!

I believe WCC Highways should reject the proposed mitigation and require Bellway to provide a solution that actually addresses this safety problem.

𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭, 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐯𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝.

𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐎 𝐎𝐁𝐉𝐄𝐂𝐓

If you want to make your concerns known, please submit an objection to planning application 𝐖/𝟐𝟓/𝟏𝟏𝟐𝟏.

When making your objection, please focus on the 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞, rather than simply stating that you don't like the development.

You can make the following points in your own words:

1️⃣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

2️⃣ The critical danger is vehicles turning 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝, rather than vehicles turning right into Mallory Road.

3️⃣ Vehicles exiting Mallory Road have to cross a continuous flow of traffic from both directions, creating a significant difficulty in finding a safe gap.

4️⃣ The proposed ghost right-turn lane 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰, 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 and therefore does not make this manoeuvre any safer.

5️⃣ It may actually remove a natural opportunity for traffic to slow or stop, potentially making it harder for vehicles waiting in Mallory Road to turn right safely.

6️⃣ 𝐖𝐂𝐂 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝.

7️⃣ Bellway should be required to investigate a solution which genuinely addresses the safety problem, such as 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭, capable of interrupting and controlling the traffic flows.

𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐏𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄

Individual objections are much more effective when people explain their own concerns in their own words. If you regularly use this junction, explain what you have experienced and why you believe the proposed solution is inadequate.

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐖/𝟐𝟓/𝟏𝟏𝟐𝟏

If you believe this junction is already difficult or dangerous, please take a few minutes to make your views known. This is exactly the sort of issue where local residents' first-hand experience matters.

Please share this post with anyone who uses Mallory Road or Banbury Road and may want to have their say.

23/08/2026

Lionheart Avenue and surrounding residents: if you have a few minutes to water the trees outside your houses a couple of times a week it would greatly improve the likelihood of the trees flourishing. All it takes is a watering can or hosepipe in the watering bags. Thank you for being community minded.

21/07/2026

South Warwickshire Local Plan Regulation 19 consultation now live.

It's really important to read the guidance, consultation document and supporting information before responding. The Regulation 19 consultation is not a public consultation in the way most residents would understand it. It is not about whether development should take place on the sites identified, as those decisions were made at an earlier stage (whether we like it or not).

This consultation is about whether the plan is legally compliant, has met the Duty to Cooperate and is sound. To have the greatest impact, I would encourage people to focus their time and effort on these issues.

Like many others, I have significant reservations about a number of the sites identified. However, my response will focus on the aspects of the plan that can still be influenced rather than those that cannot.

************************************************************

Warwick District and Stratford-on-Avon District Councils formally approved the South Warwickshire Local Plan (SWLP) for publication on 15th July 2026. In accordance with Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012, the South Warwickshire Local Plan and its supporting documents have been published for public consultation.

The South Warwickshire Local Plan Publication Version (Regulation 19) consultation is now live and runs for a period of 7 weeks from Tuesday 21 July 2026 until 23:59pm on Tuesday 8 September 2026. During this time, any person or organisation may make representations.

When adopted, the SWLP will become part of the statutory Development Plan for Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick districts and used to inform decisions about the location and appropriateness of proposals for development, including making decisions on planning applications. The South Warwickshire Local Plan will guide where new homes, businesses, employment and infrastructure are located across the combined Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick District Council areas up to 2050. It aims to ensure that development is carefully planned and supported by the necessary infrastructure including schools, health facilities, and green spaces to meet the future needs of local communities.

This consultation is undertaken for the fourth stage of the Plan and is focused on specific issues, namely, whether the SWLP meets legal requirements, has been positively prepared and is justified, effective and consistent with national planning policy. The consultation gives residents, businesses and stakeholders the opportunity to have a final say before the document is submitted to the Government for independent examination.

Please note that it is not possible to extend the deadline for this consultation.

The consultation document and supporting information is available to view on the SWLP Regulation 19 webpage.
https://www.southwarwickshire.org.uk/swlp/publication-regulation-19-consultation.cfm

How to comment

Responses to this consultation must be received by 23:59pm on Tuesday 8 September 2026, and may be submitted in the following ways:

Through the SWLP online consultation portal
https://southwarwickshire.oc2.uk/document/168
Via email to [email protected]
Or by post to Planning Policy Team, Stratford on Avon District Council, Elizabeth House, Church Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6HX.

We encourage you to respond online via the South Warwickshire Local Plan Consultation Portal where possible. https://southwarwickshire.oc2.uk/document/168
This is the most efficient way for your comments to be processed.

Those making a representation should also state whether they would like to speak at the independent examination.

A guidance note has been produced to provide information on how to respond to the Regulation 19 consultation
https://www.southwarwickshire.org.uk/doc/214899/name/Regulation%2019%20Form%20Guidance%20Note.pdf?dm_i=1GAU,99JY5,R90B79,12WU2L,1,0,0,0

Have your say on Local Plan and other consultations.

10/07/2026

Not content with leaving our community strewn with litter, Miller Homes is now leaving sprinklers running day and night for days on end during a heatwave.

At the very time Severn Trent is asking residents to use water carefully, Miller Homes appears to be wasting thousands of litres keeping its gardens green.

We all have a responsibility to do our bit. Residents are being asked to conserve water – developers should be setting the same example.

Come on, Miller Homes Ltd. Do your bit!

Video credit: Community minded resident

07/06/2026

A lovely morning spent litter picking with residents. Making our community prettier, one plastic bag at a time! Thank you to Lisa Brealey for organising it and to the residents who attended to help out.

30/05/2026

🏟️ Leamington FC Stadium – more detailed information now available

For anyone wanting to take a closer look at the latest update on the proposed new Leamington FC stadium, the club has shared further information here:

👉 https://x.com/LeamingtonFC/status/2058483769049227336

It’s a useful source if you want to understand a bit more about the current thinking and what is being proposed at this stage.

As ever, it’s important that residents have access to clear information and feel able to follow developments like this as they progress.

16/05/2026

Thank you to the community members who joined me at today's protest outside the Miller Homes Silver Willows show home today.

It's important they hear how fed up we are with the rubbish which was STILL caught in the grass verge and hedgerow!

I've also heard from residents about the building rubble being mixed in with top soil and being spread all over the Country Park. Very worrying news which I will work with residents to get to the bottom of.

14/05/2026

A win! 🎉

The applicant for the 125 houses off Mallory Road has been asked to correct the error in their planning application report about the number of accidents at the Mallory Road/Banbury Road junction.

Thank you to everyone in the community who shared information and evidence to help challenge it. It shows what can be achieved when local people work together to hold developers to account to protect our community.

11/05/2026

Yesterday I wrote to the Miller Homes CEO again because I am honestly completely frustrated that so little has changed since my last letter, despite all the promises and reassurances we were given.

We were told rubbish would be picked up daily. It hasn’t been.
We were told skips would be covered. They still aren’t.

Yesterday the state of Harbury Lane was absolutely disgraceful yet again. Rubbish everywhere! Blowing across the road, into hedges, ditches and the surrounding Country Park. Residents should not have to keep living with this or spending months repeating the same complaints while nothing meaningful changes.

At this point, promises without action are meaningless.

People in our community really care about where we live and are tired of being ignored. Basic standards should not be too much to ask.

So if anyone would be willing to join me this weekend at 10.30am Saturday 16th May for a peaceful protest outside the Miller Homes show home to call for proper action, please let me know. Even a small group standing together sends a clear message that this is not acceptable and we are not going to stay quiet while our community is treated like this.

Please share this post so more people see what is happening.