Eric Pickles’ threat to Rugby’s green fields
Eric Pickles MP (Con, Brentwood & Ongar) the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government is trying to "persuade" local authorities to release land for housing.
Called the National Planning Policy Framework his policies can override a council's plans for its own area. Penalising local authorities who have not developed proper plans may be appropriate in some cases but many local councils are finding themselves caught out by Eric Pickles' scheme. On 30 November 2014 the Sunday Times reported that a single property developer had put in plans for more than 16,000 houses on 108 greenfield sites across the county. The property developer was clearly "gaming" Eric Pickles' scheme.
In Rugby both developers who have submitted plans for housing off the Ashlawn Road are using Eric Pickles' scheme as justification for their proposals. This is despite Rugby Borough Council having granted planning permission to meet its own needs for many years to come - see http://rugbylibdems.org.uk/en/article/2014/975523/how-many-new-houses-does-rugby-need .
A danger of Eric Pickles' scheme is that property developers use his rules to force Councils to give them planning permission to develop greenfield sites. Brownfield sites should normally be developed first and have enough land to meet Britain's needs for at least the next five years - see http://rugbylibdems.org.uk/en/article/2014/945726/brownfields-first-rugby-liberal-democrats-welcome-housing-study .
The two developers using Eric Pickles' rules as part of the justification for their Ashlawn Road schemes are:
Richborough Estates - see http://rugbylibdems.org.uk/en/article/2014/859159/another-proposed-development-off-ashlawn-road .
David Wilson Homes - see http://rugbylibdems.org.uk/en/article/2014/892532/outline-planning-application-for-ashlawn-rd-west .
An issue with Eric Pickles scheme is that whilst it may penalise slack local authorities in the long run it is the residents who may have to live with the loss of their green spaces.