All Things Wild: your feedback to this application is crucial, and is only open until 22 July

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All Things Wild – planning proposal:-

  • ATW are planning to re-locate from their current Honeybourne location to the Willicote Equestrian Centre. 
  • Their stated aim is to at least double the 100,000 visitors they currently attract at Honeybourne, where there is rail station to London, Oxford, Reading, Worcester& Hereford.
  • Their vision – to be in the ‘top 5’ largest wildlife parks by 2028. This vision would be more visitors than their 200,000 stated aim – in 2019 the 5th largest wildlife attraction welcomed 732,672 visitors.
  • Their plans for the Willicote Equestrian Centre include:-
  • 1000+ car parking spaces with parking for several coaches 
  • 9 large zoned areas, all lit as it is predominantly outdoors
  • Site perimeter ‘prison style’ fencing and service road 
  • Up to 45 guests lodges for overnight accommodation + 2 staff dwellings
  • 2 x tobogganing slopes / amphitheatre / seasonal artificial ice rink / 4 retail huts / Café Covered picnic area / Play areas. 

Our concerns

  • Significantly more traffic on the Campden Road; across Stratford’s bridges and junctions; across bridges at Welford and Bidford; increased traffic to radial roads to Stratford (Shipston Road, Banbury Road, Warwick Road, Birmingham Road, Alcester Road), and through villages inc. Binton and Welford. This on top of the ever-increasing volumes generated by other developments at Meon Vale, Long Marston, and across Stratford
  • Increased light, noise and air pollution across several Parishes
  • Developing c.80 acres of the existing Willicote Equestrian centre site 
  • Decimation of the indigenous wildlife natural habit to create cages for wild animals…from the Artic, Australasia…Africa.
  • An all-year-round theme park. Late opening until 20.00 during school holidays and seasonal events (Christmas, Easter, Halloween), increasing activity & noise, air & light pollution. It will pull retail, tourism and Christmas trade from Stratford’s efforts.
  • The proposal is NOT in either of Stratford’s Adopted Core Strategy 2031, nor Clifford Chambers and Milcote’s Neighbourhood Plan 2031, and is contrary to both.
  • There were c. 143 injury accidents (1999-2021) on the B4632 from and including the Waitrose roundabout to the north (with the A3400), to the Long Marston development roundabout to the south. That includes 5 Fatalities. Our community, and others served by the B road, know of the inherent hazards to this road (source Crash-map website, freely available online, being reported injury collisions informed by Department of Transport data)

ACT NOW: your feedback to this application is crucial, and is only open until 22 July

  • Please log on to the Stratford District Council e-planning website:-
  • Type into your web-browser Stratford e-planning and then click – Stratford e-planning.
  • Under Search by Application, enter 22/00114/OUT into the application number box; click ‘Search’.
  • Click on the Associated Documents tab; this will gain access to all documents submitted as part of this application
  • Clicking on the Comment tab will enable you to free type and submit your feedback
  • Alternatively email or write to give your feedback to Louise Koelman, Case Officer  – 

Quoting application 22/00114/OUT

The latest news on feedback

  • 450+ individual objections have been submitted, our aim is for this to exceed 1000+ 
  • 10 local Parish councils have submitted their objection to this application, plus Meon Vale Residents Association, CPRE, CALA Homes, and Wild About Clifford (Wildlife Charity)
  • The Born Free Foundation & Freedom For Animals have both objected