Former industrial site near Wolvey to be built on - with fewer affordable homes than usual

Natural play areas, a central green corridor and a public square will be among the features of a new development earmarked for a former industrial site in Wolvey.

Outline planning for up to 90 houses on the Leicester Road site was approved by members of Rugby Borough Council’s planning committee when they met this week, August 18.

The land is currently occupied by national building contractors Galliford Try Construction who are due to move out this year.

The council's development strategy manager Maxine Simmons told councillors that the developer had been working closely with officers and there had also been significant involvement with Wolvey Parish Council from an early stage.

And although the land is situated within the green belt, she explained that it could be used for housing because it was previously developed and that it catered for a recognised housing need in the area.

She added: “The key concept is a central green corridor which will act as open space together with green buffers around the perimeter. There are proposed to be a great number of trees reinstated to compensate for those trees in the centre of the site that need to be removed.

“Overall the harm on openness [of the green belt] is not substantial and the change from industrial to residential is beneficial.”

Councillors were told that the buildings currently on the site were typical of the 1950s and although the housing would cover a greater area, they would not be as tall as the existing three-storey structures which were clustered in groups. Due to the site being previously developed, 20 per cent of the new properties would be for affordable housing rather than the usual 30 per cent.

Cllr Peter Eccleson (Con, Dunsmore) proposed that outline planning permission be granted. He said: “It’s disappointing that it is classified as a brownfield site because that reduces the number of social houses. However it seems that the biodiversity issues have been addressed pretty well and it meets the requirements of the neighbourhood plan so from that point of view I think it’s a good development.”

Cllr Bill Lewis (Lib Dem, Rokeby and Overslade) added: “It is good to see previously developed land used for new housing - it may save some of the green fields.”

There were no objections from neighbours to the proposed development which was also supported by Wolvey Parish Council.