FAQs
What did Cabinet consider on 16 October?
Cabinet was asked to consider which delivery routes the Council’s Project Delivery Team should prioritise for developing housing at the Leyes Lane and Rouncil Lane sites.
Options included:
- Developing the sites through a joint venture,
- Selling the sites to a developer to bring forward proposals,
- Developing the sites directly by the Council,
- Splitting the sites into smaller parcels for development by smaller builders.
A decision was needed to help focus the Project Delivery Team’s efforts and accelerate the delivery of the sites.
What was the decision?
Cabinet agreed to explore the option of selling the sites, but with a development agreement attached.
A development agreement allows the Council to require a developer to build homes to a specification as a condition of planning permission. These agreements are particularly useful when aiming to exceed statutory standards, such as delivering homes with higher environmental performance.
Selling the sites with a development agreement was considered a lower-risk option for the Council and a route which was likely to result in quicker delivery.
Cabinet approved modelling two options:
- A baseline specification with 40% affordable housing, that meets our net zero carbon development plan requirements, and
- An enhanced offer, which includes increased levels of affordable housing and improved environmental standards.
What does “affordable” mean?
The Governments National Planning Policy Framework defines affordable housing, but in general this means:
- Homes that are let at least 20% below local market rents.
- Homes developers commit to sell for at least 20% below local market value.
Market rent and market value refer to the cost of similar housing available locally in the private market.
In addition to being sold at a discount, affordable homes for sale may also include properties sold under Shared Ownership or other discount schemes such as Rent to Buy or First Homes.
Affordable rental homes can also include social rents.
What’s a social rent?
Social rents are set through the National Rent Regime in England and are generally between 40% to 50% below local market value.
Social rents are only available to people on low incomes.
Will all the affordable homes be the same place?
No.
There is a policy requirement for affordable homes to be distributed throughout a site and not all concentrated in one area.
Will the Council buy all the affordable homes?
The Council may consider buying affordable homes, but this will be informed by a number of factors such as cost and housing need. A decision to buy any of the affordable homes will be subject to a business case being agreed by Cabinet and this would be a consideration for a later date.
If the Council does buy some of the affordable homes, will they be social rent?
Yes. If the Council were to decide to purchase affordable units this would include social rents.
The Council has a policy requirement to ensure that it presents a mix of tenure types across it’s housing stock.
How many houses will be affordable or social rent?
At this stage it is not possible to provide a figure as development plans for the site have not been created.
Is the land being sold right now?
No.
Cabinet has not made a decision to sell the sites or to approve a specific development type at this stage. The decision was solely to focus the Project Delivery Team’s resources on developing a smaller number of detailed options.
Any future sale or development would require further Cabinet approval.
How many houses will there be?
At Leyes Lane, there will be at least 287 homes, and at Rouncil Lane, at least 130.
Has the impact on local infrastructure been considered?
At this stage, the impact on infrastructure—such as education, healthcare, and highways—has been considered in principle, but not in detail.
These impacts will be fully assessed during the planning process, to acquire planning permission. Developers will be required to submit detailed plans outlining how they will mitigate any negative effects, including those related to critical infrastructure.
How much affordable housing was considered?
Cabinet agreed to model two options:
- Baseline option – 40% affordable housing, which is the minimum the Council would accept.
- Enhanced option – 50% affordable housing, which could result in up to 209 affordable homes across both sites. These would be available to residents through a range of tenure options.
What environmental standards were considered?
Warwick District Council has a robust Net Zero Carbon Development Plan Document, which sets a high minimum standard for all new developments. This forms the baseline option.
The enhanced option includes:
- At least 50% of homes meeting the Net Zero Carbon standard,
- The remainder being a mix of Passivhaus Premium and Octopus Zero Bills units.
Passivhaus Premium is an internationally recognised standard that ensures homes have zero operational carbon emissions. It’s gaining popularity in the UK due to its environmental benefits and lower running costs for residents.
Octopus Zero Bills is a standard developed by Octopus Energy. It combines design and energy generation features across a site to provide residents with zero energy bills for at least five years. Though this is an emerging standard, it offers significant environmental and financial benefits.
Do these enhanced requirements cost more?
Yes.
Raising standards for environmental performance and increasing affordable housing provision does increase costs for developers. This, in turn, affects how much developers may be willing to pay for a site, which is an important consideration for the Council.
To support informed decision making, the Project Delivery Team will model both baseline and enhanced options, ensuring Cabinet has a full understanding of the financial implications.
Will considering the enhanced requirements take longer?
No.
The Project Delivery Team is working on both baseline and enhanced options in parallel. This approach ensures that timelines remain on track, with proposals still expected to be presented to Cabinet in February.
What happens next?
The Council’s Project Delivery Team will collaborate with developers and technical experts to produce an options paper for Cabinet’s consideration. This is expected to be in February 2026.
This second report is intended to outline the full implications of each proposal, enabling Cabinet to make a balanced decision that weighs the Council’s ambition to deliver high-quality, affordable homes against the associated economic impacts.
Will I see anything on site?
Yes, but only minimal activity.
As proposals are developed, some on-site surveys may take place. These will be low-impact and should not involve heavy works such as drilling or earthmoving.
If any activity is expected to cause noise or short-term disruption, advance notice will be published on the Council’s website.
Will Council Houses be built?
The sites will include an allocation of Section 106 homes, which developers are legally required to offer to registered social housing providers.
Warwick District Council is a registered provider and may consider purchasing some of these homes at Leyes Lane and Rouncil Lane. However, this was not part of the October Cabinet report and any decisions regarding Council house purchases will be made at a later stage.
Could the site be used for anything other than housing?
No.
The sites are allocated for housing in the Council’s Local Plan. Additionally, the Council entered into a contract with Homes England to deliver housing on these sites as part of the relocation of Kenilworth School.
Breaking this contract would require repayment of a grant received in 2019, which would have significant financial consequences for taxpayers. Therefore, the Council must proceed with housing development.
Why weren’t residents consulted?
At this stage, there is nothing substantive to consult on.
The Cabinet decision was focused on identifying a preferred delivery route for the Project Delivery Team. As the project progresses, there will be opportunities for community engagement on the emerging proposals.
Will communication with residents be improved?
Yes.
The Project Delivery Team will provide regular updates via the Council’s website FAQ page and a site blog authored by the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Jessica Melrose.
Any engagement events will be announced through the website and social media. A dedicated mailbox (schoolsites@warwickdc.gov.uk) has also been set up for residents to submit queries or raise concerns.
Why was the report confidential?
The Cabinet report contained sensitive information, including financial details about third parties, which the Council is not permitted to disclose.
Publishing this information could also compromise the Council’s negotiating position with potential developers. To protect public value, it was deemed inappropriate to release these details.
Will Cabinet’s next decision report be publicly available?
Yes, in part.
The February Cabinet report will aim to make as much information publicly accessible as possible. While some financial details may remain confidential, the Project Delivery Team will try to minimise restricted content to ensure transparency in the decision-making process.
Will Octobers Cabinet report be made available now it has been considered?
No.
The October report contained information that legally must be kept confidential and cannot be made public. However, these FAQs have been prepared to share as much relevant information as possible and help residents understand the decisions made.
Why wasn’t the information being shared in these FAQ’s made public earlier?
The FAQ answers have been extracted from the report to provide as much information as possible for residents and do not provide the full content of the report.
The importance of transparency has been stressed to the Project Delivery Team by both Cabinet and the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee. For future reports, the Project Delivery Team will endeavour to put more information into the public domain upfront, where this is practical to do and does not create potential for key considerations may be missed or misunderstood.
Development and progress
What is the current status of the proposals for Leyes Lane and Rouncil Lane?
October 2025 – Council Officers have been working with specialist advisors to bring forward proposals for the sites. These cover the types of housing that could be built, the environmental standards required, and the most effective delivery approach.
These proposals will be discussed as part of a report to Cabinet later this month. The report is currently confidential due to commercial sensitivities, but as soon as information can be shared, it will be published here to keep residents fully informed.
Have any planning applications been submitted for the sites?
At present, no planning applications have been submitted for either site.
What are the anticipated timelines for development, including start and completion dates?
We don’t yet have confirmed start or completion dates, as this will depend on how the sites are progressed. The next key milestone is the October Cabinet Report, followed by firm proposals in Spring 2026.
Where can I find more information about the timelines?
Updates will be placed on these pages regularly as the timeline develops, to ensure residents are kept informed of progress.
What’s happening right now?
Work is underway to prepare initial site plans and to engage with organisations who may be able to assist. This includes government bodies such as Homes England, who will shortly be running a community survey about the Leyes Lane site.
Are there any interim plans to use the sites before development?
There are no plans to use the sites for any other activities prior to development.
Communications and transparency
How will residents be kept up to date on what’s happening?
The Council is committed to transparency. Steps are being taken to ensure that residents are kept up to date with the latest information. In the coming weeks, the webpage will be expanded to include more details, and regular updates will be shared.
Will residents be consulted and have opportunities to influence the proposals?
Yes there will be multiple opportunities for residents to provide feedback on important issues such as housing types, property style, and wider community considerations.
The next opportunity will be in early October, when Homes England publish a survey inviting resident feedback on potential development options for Leyes Lane. A community engagement event will also take place later in the month.
Further events will follow, and details will be published on these pages.
Housing types and affordability
What proportion of homes will be designated as affordable housing?
At least 40% of homes will be designated as affordable housing. The Council is committed to prioritising affordability and will, wherever possible, seek to exceed this minimum requirement.
Will the housing mix reflect the needs of the local community, including provisions for families, older people, and first-time buyers?
Yes. The Council and its partners will engage directly with residents to better understand local needs and ensure the housing mix reflects those requirements wherever possible.
Will there be any social housing on either site?
Yes. While specific numbers have not yet been agreed, developers will be required to include a proportion of homes intended for registered providers of social housing. This may include the Council’s own housing service or other providers.
Will the houses on site be carbon neutral?
Warwick District Council has its Net-Zero-Carbon Development Plan, which requires developers to meet a higher standard than current Building Regulations, including:
- Enhanced building fabric
- Installation of solar panels
- Use of heat pumps wherever possible
Whilst not entirely carbon neutral, these homes will perform to significantly higher environmental standards. The Council is also evaluating even stricter standards such as Passivhaus Premium and Octopus Energy Zero Bills, though these may increase build costs.
Site maintenance and safety
What are the dates for grass cutting at each site?
Grass cutting last took place at both sites at the end of August 2025, with materials removed in September. A maintenance plan is being prepared to ensure grass cutting continues at appropriate intervals.
What is being done to manage vegetation at the site boundaries and to stop it spreading onto neighbouring properties?
Contractors have already removed brambles and ivy that spread onto neighbouring properties. Further hedge-cutting will take place this autumn, outside of nesting season, followed by ongoing monitoring and maintenance.
What is being done to manage the trees on site and ensure they are safe?
The trees are currently being assessed (October 2025). Any safety concerns identified will be dealt with immediately and as a top priority.
Is there any fire risk for the vegetation?
During the summer, there was a limited fire risk due to prolonged dry spells. To reduce risks, all cuttings were removed promptly. Risk is much lower during autumn and winter, but contractors and officers continue regular inspections to ensure safety.
How is Japanese knotweed being dealt with now and in the longer term?
Specialist contractors are engaged to treat the knotweed. Treatment will begin during the next growing season (April–August 2026) and continue for two years. In the meantime, further measures are being considered to prevent spread.
What are the security measures in place at each site?
Both sites have robust security arrangements:
- Leyes Lane – permanent on-site security guard with a trained dog
- Rouncil Lane – two daily security patrols, plus weekly Council inspections
Security arrangements are kept under constant review and strengthened if required.
How do you stop people trespassing?
Both sites have secure perimeter fencing and locked gates to prevent unauthorised access.
How do I report security breaches?
Report online or call 01926 456129 immediately.
Get in touch
How can I reach the Council regarding the sites?
Email: schoolsites@warwickdc.gov.uk