THE BLUEPRINT for housing in Rugby for the next 12 years has been adopted by Rugby Borough Council (RBC).
The plan – which allocates land for 12,400 homes, 110 hectares of employment land, and over 8,000 square metres of retail space up to 2031 – was approved at a special council meeting last night (Tuesday June 4).
Councillors voted to approve by 22 votes to 13, with one abstaining and six absent.
It includes a 3,800-home urban extension between Bilton Village and the A45 junction, and additional housing at Coton Park East, Binley Woods, Long Lawford, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Stretton-on-Dunsmore, Wolston and Wolvey.
The plan also outlines infrastructure to support the developments, including a bypass to ease traffic in Dunchurch, new primary and secondary schools, and proposals for St Cross Hospital to add extra cubicles to the Walk in Centre, a new operating theatre and 55 new parking spaces.
The plan also protects sporting sites such as the under-threat Coventry Bees speedway stadium in Brandon from development unless they are replaced or deemed surplus to requirements.
An RBC spokesman said the plan would enable the council to refuse unsuitable development, and require developers to provide infrastructure.
Conservative council leader Coun Seb Lowe said: “The Local Plan is vital to help us shape future growth and investment. This planned growth and supporting infrastructure will give the local economy the best possible opportunity to prosper.”
Growth and investment spokeswoman Coun Jill Simpson-Vince added: “The plan will allow us to positively manage development and allow residents to influence major housing and employment sites. It will also make sure roads, schools and other infrastructure are built as they are needed.”
The council’s Labour Group supported the plan despite some reservations.
Deputy Leader Coun Barbara Brown said: “It was crucial the council had a plan in place, otherwise we would have left ourselves open to all kinds of speculative developments, and risked decisions being made by central government.
“Our focus will be on pushing for developers to build more affordable housing, and making the case for more social housing.
“We will be making the case for investment in areas we represent, preservation of open spaces like Oakfield Rec, tackling air pollution and bringing services back to St Cross.”
The leader of the Liberal Democrat Group – which unsuccessfully campaigned for the Rainsbrook Valley and Cawston Spinney to be protected sites – said the plan did not present a positive vision for the borough.
Coun Jerry Roodhouse said: “The chase for extra housing is presenting us with the same old mistakes that previous plans have given us – future gridlock and worsening air quality.
“We will work hard to ensure that we get the resources for the infrastructure needed while safeguarding green open spaces.”
Richard Allanach, convenor of About Turn – an umbrella group comprising campaigns against new housing developments in Rugby – said the Local Plan had set aside twice as much land for development as needed, and would lead to worse air pollution and loss of green space.
He said: “Rugby’s councillors have said that a bad plan is better than no plan.
“Councillors may well have been right when they said the government would force them to accept bad development if they didn’t vote for the Local Plan. But that is no excuse for not developing a better plan in the first place.”
The adoption of the plan follows a consultation involving residents, businesses, developers and other interested parties, an independent examination by a government-appointed planning inspector, and a series of public hearings.
Visit www.rugby.gov.uk/localplan for more information.
