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Introduction
The pages below/right publish the evidence base for the proposed Submission Local Plan.
- View the proposed Submission Local Plan Document, plus information on the public consultation, and how to make a representation
- View information on previous rounds of consultation on the Local Plan
South West Rugby Landscape Evidence
In 2025, it came to the attention of the Council’s Development Strategy officers that an unpublished South-West Rugby Landscape Sensitivity Study 2017 had been prepared by Warwickshire County Council Landscape Architects on the instruction of Rugby Borough Council between January 2017 and April 2017.
The South-West Rugby study was contemporaneous with the Rainsbrook Valley Landscape Sensitivity Study (commissioned December 2016 and published March 2017) and followed the publication of the Landscape Sensitivity Study for Binley Woods, Brinklow, Long Lawford, Stretton-on-Dunsmore, Wolston and Wolvey in August 2016, both by the same authors. Unlike the latter two studies, the South-West Rugby Landscape Sensitivity Study 2017 was not identified as part of the evidence base when the Local Plan 2011-2031 was submitted for examination on 14 July 2017.
The decision and reasons not to publish or submit this evidence for examination are not currently known, as none of the officers involved in the last local plan are currently employed by Rugby Borough Council. This is now subject to an independent investigation by the council.
The Local Plan 2011-2031 was, however, subject to independent examination in public and was lawfully adopted by the council in June 2019. As set out in s113 Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 it is no longer open to any person aggrieved by the adoption of the Local Plan 2011-2031 to challenge the validity of that plan.
For transparency it is considered prudent to publish the previous landscape study. Accordingly, it is added to the evidence base library for the New Local Plan 2025-2042.
In relation to the new local plan it is necessary to have up-to-date evidence. This is also needed for the determination of planning applications. The South-West Rugby Landscape Sensitivity Study 2017, being almost ten years old, is not considered to be up to date evidence. The context at South West Rugby has also changed considerably since the preparation of the 2017 study by reason of construction of the Symmetry Park employment development together with housing south of Coventry Road. For these reasons, it is necessary to produce up-to-date landscape sensitivity evidence.
Accordingly, The Area of South West Rugby Landscape Sensitivity Assessment (January 2026) produced by consultants Node is now also published as part of the evidence base. That study provides up to date evidence applying current Landscape Institute and Natural England guidance and will comprise the principal landscape sensitivity evidence for South West Rugby that the council will refer to in the local plan examination and the determination of planning applications.