Leamington Spy

Freedom Day  For beleaguered residents of Leamington living in studentified streets isn't 1st August the real Freedom Day, for a short while at least?  Yes, it's that glorious time when HMO contracts finish and we have a month until the next lot move in.  Freedom to sit in our gardens without a background of culturally appropriated music, yelling into phones and general braying by the entitled youths who represent the country's future.  Freedom to not have our sleep disturbed by shiftless transients who don't get up the next day til their pizza delivery arrives.  Freedom to watch landlords listlessly poke around doing and spending the absolute bare minimum to get their dilapidated hovels/licenses to print money ready for the next lot.  Freedom to write therapeutic emails like this!  Paul

Dear Councillor, Planning Application to create another student block (PBSA), at 3 Wise Terrace   This is written from the head and the heart of a long time resident of South Leamington. I’ve lived through the decimation of a lovely mixed and balanced community and its replacement by the ‘South Leamington campus’ of Warwick University.   I’m shocked by the standard, the failed ‘logic’ and the fatalism of the officer report recommending this application. It's absolutely clear that the application is against the Local Plan. It's way over the 10% HMO rule. It's not on a main thoroughfare. It's not in a mixed-use area.   Literally the only reason given for approval is that the outcome of two previous appeals allegedly point this way. The officer report claims that the circumstances are the same. Apparently you’re just meant to take the officer’s word for it, because nothing from those appeals is quoted or referenced. You’re not even given a link to give you a chance...