South West Rugby

The draft supplementary planning document has been produced to guide comprehensive and joined up approach to the design of development across the South West Rugby urban extension as it is in multiple landownerships and will be brought forward by multiple developers over a long period of time.  The design code also seeks to achieve a higher consistent quality of design.  

The document can be accessed on this website and hard copies are available to view at the following locations:

1. Rugby Borough Council’s offices, Town Hall, Evreux Way, Rugby, CV12 2RR, 
2. Rugby Library and Information Centre, Little Elborow Street, Rugby,CV21 3BZ. 
3. Dunchurch Community Library, The Green, Dunchurch, Rugby, CV22 6PA 
    

Consultation responses can be sent via:

1. email to localplan@rugby.gov.uk with ‘South West Rugby Design Code SPD Consultation’ in the subject line or
2. by post to: South West Rugby Design Code SPD Consultation, Development Strategy Team, Town Hall, Evreux Way, Rugby CV21 2RR. 

Responses should be received by 5pm on 10 March 2025.

Preparation of the design code

The Council has prepared this design code, using the process and structure outlined in the National Model Design Code.  

Local engagement

As part of the development of the South West Rugby Design Code, there has been as series of events and workshops, with:

• local residents, 
• pupils at Bilton School, 
• parish councillors and 
• ward councillors.    

A separate report has been prepared outlining the engagement events that have been undertaken, and how the feedback has been understood and incorporated into the emerging document. 

Specialist technical inputs

The design code has been principally produced in-house.  However, specialist input was commissioned to support particular sections and elements of the design code:

• Movement
• Landscape
• Public space (in terms of streets and landscaping).

As part of this, we have worked with officers at Warwickshire County Council in respect of highways, ecology and flood risk.
 

The Rugby Borough Local Plan was adopted in June 2019.  It allocates the South West Rugby site for 5,000 dwellings and 35 hectares of employment.

The SPD will sit beneath the Local Plan.  Its purpose is to provide additional detail and information to help guide and support comprehensive development in line with the Local Plan.

An SPD is a material consideration in the determination of planning applications, but it cannot add new policy to a Local Plan.

The SPD was required by the Local Plan Inspector and is specifically referred in Policies DS8 and DS9 of the Local Plan.

• More on the South West Rugby Supplementary Planning Document

The SPD ensures the creation of a green and blue infrastructure network that includes the landscaped buffer between Dunchurch and Rugby to prevent coalescence between the two settlements and creates a continuous green infrastructure corridor between Cock Robin Wood and Cawston Spinney. This network will also link a range of other spaces and assets such as open space, gardens, trees, hedgerows, streams and ponds.

The SPD provides for over 65 hectares of open space in accordance with the Local Plan open space standards.

The SPD requires that site features, including hedgerows and trees, are retained wherever possible, including areas already protected by group Tree Preservation Orders. Any proposed loss of biodiversity features will need to be justified through the planning application process and mitigation measures identified.

The SPD advises developers on how to plan their developments in a way that prevents harm to the on-site woodland and more specifically to prevent loss or deterioration of the ancient woodland within the allocation. 

The SPD includes a Woodland Management Plan which will enable long term stewardship and management of the woodland.

Key pieces of highway infrastructure are to be delivered as part of the South West Rugby development including the Homestead Link and the Potsford Dam Link.  These mitigation measures were identified in the transport modelling work prepared for the Local Plan and are requirements of Policies DS8 and DS9 in the Local Plan.  Detailed work is ongoing with the County Council on the design and implementation of this infrastructure.

The Homestead Link will minimise impacts on the existing highway network and relieve pressure on other areas, in particular the Dunchurch Crossroads.

The Homestead Link investment has been secured and work is underway on preparing the planning application for submission later this year.

High quality public transport services to the town centre and a comprehensive walking and cycling network to link residential areas with key facilities on site will also be provided. Work is underway with the County Council to identify the bus services required as well as the new cycling and walking routes and infrastructure.  Appendix K of the SPD includes costs for the bus services and the cycling network improvements. The primary cycling routes are also listed in Appendix K.

The Council is taking a partnership approach to the delivery of South West Rugby - working closely with Homes England, the Midlands Design Review Panel, Warwickshire County Council, infrastructure and service providers, and the private sector to bring much needed homes, including affordable housing, and jobs as well as schools and other local services to the area.