New Years Message on Planning issues facing Rugby - from Jerry Roodhouse, Rugby Libdems Group Leader

3.46.00pm GMT Mon 31st Dec 2007

2008 will be an interesting and challenging year. Rugby is changing the Cattle Market site, a new hotel, Asda and Chapel St development the Western relief road are but a few.

The production of the Local Development framework (LDF) has also started this will replace the Borough local plan which has seen Cawston & Coton developments grow from its adoption. The LDF will be the compass that the Borough will set its course on for developing Rugby's future, such issues as the mast site along with many other elements, employment, leisure, culture, roads & transport it will be about what is now called "Place Shaping". The core parts of the LDF are already being discussed and as 2008 opens up further work on this document will progress. It is vital that we all engage in this process, local communities and individuals need to get involved and have a say one such example as to why we need to be involved is to just look at the recent planning debate about the pet food factory, the land at Coton was allocated some years ago in the local plan. The future of the Borough is in our hands and it will be up to us to shape it for the next generation.

Rugby's planning system needs to change to take more account of the new agenda. Liberal Democrats have long called on the Council to open its doors and allow local people to have there say especially at planning committee, we are reaffirming that call as we head into 2008 and would urge any one that supports our call to open up Rugby's planning system to join us.

Yours

Jerry Roodhouse Group Leader Liberal Democrats Rugby Borough

e-mail info@rugbylibdems.org.uk