Battle for Hatton: locals say village cannot cope with thousands of extra houses
By James Smith 9th Apr 2026
Local roads cannot cope, productive farmland will be lost, the village will become a rat-run, Warwick Hospital will not be able to take on more patients and the local ecosystem would become "fragmented".
Those are all views from Hatton residents on plans to build thousands of new houses around the village - according to a major new document published by Warwick and Stratford-on-Avon District Councils.
The local authorities have published the feedback from the most recent public consultation into the South Warwickshire Local Plan (SWLP) which will ultimately decide where tens of thousands of new homes are built across the two areas.
Having already identified 12 potential locations for 'new settlements' - including Hatton - the councils asked locals for their views on each as well as other areas for more homes.
Hundreds of residents voiced concerns about the village's suitability.
"Respondents raised concerns that policy B1 [developing Hatton] would undermine green belt integrity and the ancient Arden landscape and erode the buffer between Warwick/Leamington and the West Midlands," the report said.
"They warned of irreversible loss of productive farmland, ancient hedgerows, woodland, species-rich habitats and public footpaths. Local roads on the A4177, B4439, A46 and M40 are already congested at peak times, and narrow rural lanes lack pavements, lighting and safe passing points.
"This could lead to gridlock, rat-running through villages, higher accident risk and a decline in air quality.
"The education provision will exacerbate existing issues due to 'incommuting', and it is unclear if it can accommodate all students."
Some 673 people responded to the question about whether Hatton was suitable for being turned into a new settlement.
Of those, 573 objected, 73 supported and the rest were neutral.
Land promoters are pushing for some 666.66 acres of land in Hatton to be allocated for housing in the plan, which could see up to 8,000 homes earmarked there.
Residents group Keep Hatton Station Rural has been vocally opposing its inclusion in the SWLP.
"Hatton Station will potentially be living directly next to a building site from 2030 to 2053," the group said earlier this year.
It added: "Building housing in such a beautiful and historic landscape would obliterate it forever.
"It is utterly pointless to maintain that trees and hedgerows would be retained or restored: the openness, the tranquillity, the lovely views from the canal and PRoWs, enjoyed by locals and visitors alike, would be destroyed.
"Where is the 'evidenced local need'?
"How can our tiny, rural settlements "need" 5,250 houses?"
The results of the survey were published last month as part of a 595-page report feeding back the results of the public survey.
An abridged 76-page summary report has also been shared.
Both highlighted there were public concerns about the "lack of infrastructure to support the proposed quantum of growth" across the whole of South Warwickshire..
"It was considered that the proposed amount of growth will have a detrimental impact on the plan area," the report said.
It added: "Commentary from respondents revealed a significant divide between the councils' aspirations and the public's perception of the plan's feasibility, with a wide range of responses received."
The much-delayed document is yet to be finalised, but will ultimately govern where some 35,000 houses are built in the region.
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