CAWSTON Woods is safe from bulldozers, Rugby Borough Council’s planning boss has reassured residents after around 1,500 signed a petition against building housing on the ancient nature reserve.
Rugby resident Alan Bayliss started the petition, claiming the privately-owned wood and the surrounding farmland is under threat from housing under the Council’s new Local Plan.
He said: “Cawston wood is a beautiful Bluebell wood and is home to a plethora of flora and fauna.
“It’s ancient woodland – you’re never going to replace it. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”
But Council development spokeswoman Coun Heather Timms said she was aware of concerns about the Plan’s proposal to allocate land to the south west of the town for 5,400 homes and 14-and-a-half hectares of commercial development.
She said: “I welcome the opportunity to reassure residents Cawston Wood faces no threat from this proposal.
“The National Planning Policy Framework protects sites of high conservation and amenity value, and should we decide to move forward with the proposal, Cawston Wood shall be afforded the protection its historic status deserves.”
She added the Council had just completed a ten-week consultation on the Local Plan.
“We welcome all the feedback we’ve received during the consultation and intend to take all views on board before publishing the draft Local Plan in the summer,” she added.
