House building has boomed around Stratford in the past few years (Image: Rowan Griffiths )
Worried residents say a pretty English tourist town is not providing the infrastructure to support a record boom in house building over the past three years.
Stratford-upon-Avon, in Warwickshire, has a desirable centre with historic buildings that attracts visitors from all over the world coming to see the birthplace of William Shakespeare.
With the River Avon flowing through the town and charming Tudor buildings, as well as the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, it’s easy to see why many people may choose to turn a visit into a longer stay.
But according to a report this year from in and around Stratford-upon-Avon a total of 3,860 houses were built in the district between 2020 and 2023, the most homes built anywhere in the country in relation to the local population.
Some residents have told Express.co.uk they fear the explosion in house building for a town of just over 30,000 people is not being supported with an expansion in capactity for roads, schools and medical services.
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Stratford locals Isabelle Humphreys, 91, and Josephine Fairey, 87. (Image: Rowan Griffiths )
Former guesthouse owner Isabelle Humphreys, 91, has lived in the town for nearly four decades and said services were not what they once were.
She told Express.co.uk: “There’s not the infrastructure (for new housing), it’s GP services, schools, it’s everything really, the local population must have doubled because things are so different.
“You can’t go backwards though, you’ve got to go forwards but it does irritate me when they say we have an aging population, for God’s sake it’s common sense, people aren’t going to get younger are they.
“I might not have a degree, but the Government don’t have a penneth of common sense.”
Ms Humphreys’ friend Josephine Fairey, 87, added that a local bus service had been stopped which “a lot of people on my little estate with elderly people had found a big problem”.
But Ms Fairey continued: “The council have to cut something, they can’t pay for everything can they.”
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Pizza resturant owner Christian Porzio said Stratford had become an attractive place to live (Image: Rown Griffiths )
Mum Sheryl Stevens said: “Our GP can be a bit of a mission to get at the moment, I think with the houses that are coming along we could have more infrastructure, especially with hospitals and doctors, and schools.
“My daughter goes to the high school, and we were just saying they’ve gone from 300 students to almost double in one year group. They are having extensions put on the school to help cope with the numbers.
“But there are only a handful of primary schools and a handful of secondary schools and the high school is the main one you don’t need the 11 plus exam to get in.
“I do feel like we do need some more services in the area, certain treatments you have to go to Coventry or Warwick for.”
But Christian Porzio, 31, who runs the Corte Campana pizza restuarant in the town, said he believed Stratford was a very attractive place to live especially for young families.
Stratford is still a popular tourist destination because of its links to Shakespeare (Image: Rown Griffiths )
Mr Porzio said as father with two young children, he and his wife were planning to move to Stratford from their current home outside the town.
He said: “I think Stratford has definitely become more and more of place where you would understand why it is so attractive to younger families.
“I lived in London before but since 2016 I’ve pretty much lived constantly in the area and I have seen all the estates cropping up like mushrooms, and I’m sure the demand to live in this area is sky high.
“London is doable from here, train wise not so much, I know so many people that will drive on a daily basis to London, you just jump on the M40 and in an hour and twenty you are in Shepherd’s Bush.”
A spokesperson for Stratford upon Avon School said it was not correct any year group had doubled in intake.
They said: “Over the last seven years, and with agreement with Warwickshire County Council, we have operated a planned phased growth, incrementally increasing admissions places from 290 to 320, 330, 340 and now, 350.
“We have been working with the local authority for several years on a three-phase development of the site so that we will be able to accommodate just over 2,000 students in due course.
“We are now in the final phase of construction, with four new wings being added to the school during this academic year, ready for opening in September 2025. This, along with the planned expansion capacity at other local secondary schools is to mitigate planned housing growth.”