Detailed plans for 333 homes in Rugby are approved - but councillors ask why officers were not allowed to deal with them

Outline permission for the homes - part of a larger development of nearly 900 new properties along with land for a potential primary school - had already been granted following a planning appeal.

And although questions were raised over the percentage of smaller houses within the allocation, councillors at the latest [Sep 16] Rugby Borough Council planning committee voted to back the updated plans which related to the access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale.

Cllr Peter Butlin (Con, Admirals and Cawston) said: “I am a little disappointed as to why this is here in the first place.

“This is reserved matters and in all my experience of all the years I’ve been doing this, reserved matters are genuinely left to the officers to deal with because it is mostly technical.

“We seem to have a trend of calling in and the committee trying to micromanage what goes on to these sites. We are not technically competent but the officers are.

“Basically every box is ticked in this application and so we should not be looking at this - it should have been left to the officers.”

The plans had been called in by Cllr Glenda Allanach and Cllr Carie-Anne Dumbleton - the two Lib Dem councillors representing the local Rokeby and Overslade ward.

Many of their objections related to open space and included calls for more play equipment because the area already had a shortfall and worries that there were no teenage facilities in the area. They also said there was no open space proposed except for the grass verges alongside paths.

And Cllr Barbara Brown (Lab, New Bilton) asked why there was an under provision of one and two-bedroomed homes given that this was the area of greatest need.

In her report to councillors, planning officer Karen McCulloch explained: “The development is in accordance with policy HS1 which requires development to contribute to a high quality, safe convenient walking and cycling network, and provide a high quality and attractive public realm.”

She added that although this phase of the development would lead to a loss of biodiversity, this would be mitigated through an off-site contribution.

And she told the meeting: “The housing mix report that was submitted said that although we have larger numbers of single person occupiers and couples and couples with children, people within Rugby are generally in a financial position where they can buy property looking towards their future need.”

The committee was also informed that 40 per cent of the homes will be allocated for affordable housing.