Plans for 400 homes on the edge of Warwick have taken a step forward.

Taylor Wimpey has been told it needs to provide an 'environmental impact assessment' for the proposed development off Old Budbrooke Road.

Plans show the developer wants to develop the 17.5 hectare plot along the A46 and near Warwick Parkway station.

"The site consists of agricultural fields of varying sizes which are utilised for arable farming," a submission to Warwick District Council said. 

"A farmstead called Stanks Farm is located in the north eastern section of the site and comprises of a farmhouse and seven barns.

"Mature trees and hedgerows form boundaries between agricultural fields.

"The site is approximately 500m from the local centre of Hampton Magna, which contains a primary school, nursery, community centre, medical centre, pub, small shops and open space."

The outline of the proposed new estate (image via planning application)

In its response, the district council explained the assessment is needed to "protect the environment" by ensuring planners have all the information on the impact of a development before making a decision.

"At application stage the environmental impacts normally expected to be associated with a development of this scale will be fully considered which include matters in relation to highways safety, impacts on amenity, climate change, heritage, ecology and flood risk," the council's assessment said. 

"Due to the scale and residential use of the development it is considered that these impacts are likely to be local to the site and can be mitigated through the planning process to an acceptable level.

"The proposal by reason of its scale and siting is likely to give rise to significant effects to the landscape, for the reasons discussed above, having regard to the criteria within the regulations to require an environmental statement."

The location of the proposed development (image via WDC)