'Green belt homes will destroy our village'

Plans to build hundreds of new homes to help meet housing targets in a historic village would "destroy" the area, residents say.

The development is part of Rugby Borough Council's local plan with proposals to build 415 new homes on green belt land in Brinklow, near Rugby.

Linda Johnson from the village, said the plans were not sustainable and bringing 1,500 people to the area where there was a lack of public transport, "wasn't the answer".

The authority launched an eight-week consultation at the end of March and hosted a public meeting on Tuesday to encourage the community to tell the council what they thought of the development.

Residents had dubbed the consultation as the "Battle of Brinklow" and said they were not prepared to let their village be "overrun by developers".

"It's absolutely ludicrous that we'd lose a village like Brinklow, if they can build here they can build anywhere," resident Amanda Hayhurst said.

"Why not declassify Westminster Abbey, that's how insensitive these people [the council] are," she added.

About 150 campaigners gathered outside Rugby Town Hall in March when the authority's local plan was considered by the full council.

The authority said it wanted to hear the community's opinion on "individual site allocations" and their views on its strategy to "allocate housing to some of the larger villages", instead of building a new countryside settlement.

A spokesperson for the village's parish council said Brinklow, which was home to 24 listed buildings, a 13th-century church and ancient woodland, was a "nationally important heritage asset".

Ms Johnson added that once the green built land had been built on it would be "gone forever".

"We can't reverse these decisions," she said.

Meanwhile, Debbie Aston, who owns land in the village, supported the authority's plans and said change did not have to be a "bad thing".

Ian Currington from Brinklow Parish Council said the area was not against more people in the village, but thought a plan for a "sustainable amount" of new houses was more appropriate.

"We just want to have a voice and make sure our voice is heard," he said.

The borough council said housing targets were set by central government and all community feedback would be considered as part of the plan making process.

The public consultation is open until 19 May.

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