Rugby Local Plan challenge

We successfully acted for local residents to remove a large rural housing allocation proposed as part of the emerging Rugby Local Plan. The Inspector rejected the allocation due to lack of sustainable location in conflict with the NPPF finding the travel distances to main settlements unsuitable for cycling and with very poor bus connections.

To make the case before the Inspector during the Examination in Public we instructed a professional team including transport consultants and other experts and counsel and attended the examination in public for 3 days providing expert evidence to the Local plan to back up objections.  This followed written objections lodged as part of the local plan examination process through Reg 19 and the submission draft, preparation of hearing statements and submission of expert reports on transport impacts.

The Inspector advised the Council by letter the allocation was unsound and recommended it was removed from the plan.

For these main reasons, I find that the allocation of Lodge Farm as part of the Plan’s development strategy is not positively prepared, justified as an appropriate site, effective in addressing the cross-boundary unmet needs of Coventry or consistent with national policy in enabling the delivery of sustainable development. Therefore, in order to make the Plan sound, the main modifications should include the deletion of the proposed allocation at Lodge Farm, together with consequential modifications to the related policies and supporting text of the Plan.