A decision on whether to allow a controversial 34-home development in Barford has been put back by a month to check whether it complies with local environmental rules.

Warwick District Council’s planning committee had been due to settle a year-long battle between developers Kendrick Homes and more than 100 objectors, including Barford, Sherbourne and Wasperton Joint Parish Council, over whether to allow the homes to be built on land south of Westham Lane on Tuesday, (January 14). 

Despite fears related to traffic, parking, the loss of Barford’s identity, overpopulation and wildlife harms, none of the statutory consultees maintained objections and the district’s planning officers – the employed professionals – deemed that “the layout demonstrates a high quality scheme which is acceptable in overall terms” with highway safety and capacity concerns “satisfactorily addressed” and required infrastructure set to be secured through legal agreement.

However, one outstanding element is the proposal’s compliance with the council’s Net Zero Carbon Development Plan Document (DPD), which was brought in from May 2024, setting out how “all future development should achieve the net zero carbon standard”. 

According to the council’s report, the developers had yet to satisfy two elements – the energy efficiency of the buildings and the amount of “embodied” carbon of the homes, which relates to adequate use of zero or low carbon technologies.

The report acknowledged the energy statement submitted by Kendrick was “not considered to fully comply” but added that officers were “satisfied that the statement as submitted is sufficient to demonstrate the applicant’s commitment to achieving a net zero carbon development” and that the “outstanding factors are minor and can be addressed to fully comply”.

Updates were due to be submitted ahead of this week’s meeting so councillors could make a fully informed decision but the call has now been delayed to the next gathering of the committee on Tuesday, February 11.