Plans for 149-home development at Long Lawford thrown out over lack of affordable housing and concern over impact

Planning officers at Rugby Borough Council had recommended that the 149-home scheme be approved, explaining that discussions had led to four different sets of plans being drawn up. But members of the council’s planning committee disagreed when they met this week (December 9) even though the site north of Coventry Road had been allocated to housing in the local plan.

The latest plans included altering a busy junction between the A428 Coventry Road and Back Lane and although Warwickshire County Council’s highways team raised no objection, councillors questioned the decision.

Cllr Ian Picker (Con, Hillmorton) said: “The principle of development on this site under our local plan is acceptable. However, it doesn’t automatically follow that any development is acceptable and I do think there are some issues on this site.

“We know that the road junction is an issue but the thing that I find most alarming is the decision to relocate the Back Lane junction to directly opposite the only residential property on that entire section of road.

“Even if it is acceptable from a highways perspective on traffic modelling, I can’t see that it is acceptable on a residential amenity basis.”

Cllr Jerry Roodhouse (Lib Dem, Paddox) added: I have seen many accidents happen at that junction and I’m still not fully convinced by the safety audits that were done and struggling with the design of the junction and I think there’s probably a better way of doing it.”

And Cllr David Cranham (Con, Hillmorton) went further, although he also offered some words of hope to the developers.

He said: “I use this junction at least twice a month which is probably more times than the highways engineers have visited the place. It is an accident waiting to happen, the most nonsensical traffic arrangement I have seen in 14 years on the planning committee.

“I believe that with a bit of goodwill from the applicant, that junction could be moved and the harm on the heritage asset could be minimised. If that was the case then I would be supporting the application.”

Among the objections from neighbours was the fact that if the new road layout was approved it would mean anyone entering or leaving Lelleford House - a private house opposite the development - would need to cross the proposed turning lane into the new estate.

Others objected to the impact on Avon Lodge, a Listed building built in 1750 and one of the oldest buildings in Rugby, and that just 15 per cent of the properties were for affordable housing - the council target is double that.