Lucy Frazer MP joined local MP Mark Pawsey at Houlton to see how Rugby’s newest community is growing
Rugby’s new and growing community at Houlton was visited by the Minister for Housing and Plan, the Rt Hon Lucy Frazer KC MP, to see how master developer Urban&Civic have delivered an amenity-led, sustainable development.
The Minister was joined by Rugby’s MP, Mark Pawsey, who has been a firm supporter of Houlton. In Parliament he has praised the way in which many of the key elements of infrastructure have been delivered early. This includes the link road between Houlton and Rugby’s town centre, the primary and secondary schools of St Gabriel’s C of E Academy and Houlton School, and a new nursery and Co-Op.
Ahead of the Minister’s visit to Houlton, Mark had raised in Westminster the need for primary health care facilities to be delivered at Houlton, and his concerns over the slow pace of discussions with the NHS. During the visit, the Minister spoke to Mark, the Chief Executive of Urban&Civic Nigel Hugill, and the Chair of Homes England Peter Freeman, about how the Government’s proposed reforms to the planning system will help local authorities to accelerate the delivery of infrastructure, and particularly about the need to bring forward healthcare alongside housing developments.
Lucy Frazer was also shown around the wider Houlton development and Houlton School, which has won awards for the way in which the historic listed buildings which formed the transmission station at the Rugby Mast Site have been regenerated into a modern secondary school.
Speaking after the Minister’s visit, Mark commented:
“Houlton is an excellent example of how you can deliver the new homes we need at scale, whilst also bringing forward at an early stage the infrastructure necessary to support a community. It’s been possible thanks to the determination of Urban&Civic and the support of agencies such as Homes England in accelerating community facilities such as roads and schools, but sadly similar support from the NHS has not been forthcoming.”
Mark continued:
“I wanted to show the Minister how necessary it is to bring forward primary care provision at Houlton, to help support the growing population there. I also welcome what the Minister has said both at Houlton and in Westminster about the increased focus on infrastructure funding will ensure that the good practice we have seen at Houlton can be replicated elsewhere.”
Urban&Civic Chief Executive, Nigel Hugill added:
“Building new health facilities, future proofed as far as possible, is a preoccupation of Urban&Civic. Houlton is a perfect location, alongside all the other existing award-winning amenities, to help meet both resident needs and those of the wider borough. Plans for integrated medical centres are further advanced on some of our other projects and we applaud Mark's determination to accelerate progress at Rugby."