New plan for former Ford site causes council concern

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New proposals for the use of land on the Former Ford Foundry site in Leamington are likely to meet opposition from Warwick district’s planning authority.



As the Morrison’s supermarket nears completion, with its opening expected in Easter, the site’s owner Trilogy Developments will now present new plans for the ‘Gateway’ part of the area together with a planned trade park on the employment land to the west of Princes Drive and a coffee shop and petrol station behind the Spa Garage in Old Warwick Road.

The original plans, approved by Warwick District Council’s planning committee last year, showed a large office building at the front of the site onto the roundabout and were in line with the council’s station area development brief in 2008.

But Trilogy says no serious interest has been shown in the office space in recent years and it now wants the council to reconsider other employment uses such as a “home-related retail store which would not compete with the town centre”.

Patrick Stones, managing director for Trilogy said: “Unfortunately, despite our efforts to convince potential occupiers of the merit of the location and design, we have not yet had any interest in this site as a signature office development.

“However, we have serious interest from another large high quality national retailer, who has been looking at the town for years, but which cannot be accommodated within the historic Parade or any of the new or proposed alternatives in the town.”

The proposed building would be positioned further back on the site - closer to the railway line - with an emphasis on opening up the area and retaining views of the trees and the town between Morrisons and the new structure.

The proposals will be displayed at a public exhibition at the Pump Room on Saturday December 1 from 10am to 3.30pm.

Bill Hunt, deputy chief executive for Warwick District Council, said: “We are very disappointed that this consultation is taking place.

“The proposal does not conform with our approved development brief for the area which seeks to use this site for offices, which will bring jobs and other opportunities that will benefit from the excellent links with the railway station.

“We are also very concerned about the potential impact on Leamington town centre of further retail in this location.

“We granted permission for offices on this site only 13 months ago. At that time the applicant signed a legal undertaking to market the site for offices for at least three years and not to promote the site for any other use during this time unless they had otherwise agreed this in writing with the Council.

“We’ve given no such agreement.”

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Home store plan for Leamington’s Foundry Park


A computer generated image of what the new home store at Foundry Park would look like.

While Leamington welcomed a new Morrisons supermarket on Monday, plans for a two-storey home store to site alongside are being put forward.

Trilogy Developments Ltd, which designed and constructed the supermarket at the Foundry Park site, is proposing to build a new store that would sell kitchenware, electrical appliances and furniture - which the firm says would create 180 full and part-time jobs - on land that was originally meant for offices.

Executive director Nick Bohane said he was unable to disclose the name of the store at this stage, but he said: “The retailer who we hope to encourage here has been looking at Leamington for a long while, but has not been able to identify a suitable location within the town centre.

“The recent decision of Debenhams to move into Leamington Shopping Park also illustrates how difficult it is for these larger shops to move into the centre.”

Trilogy had obtained permission four years ago to use the space for offices, but the firm had been unsuccessful in finding office occupiers for the site.

Mr Bohane pointed out that 59 per cent of respondents in a survey held in Leamington in December said that they supported the idea of a home store, while 28 per cent did not have a preference and 13 per cent were opposed.

He added: “If planning permission is refused, we will continue to market the site for an office occupier and may have to look at other alternative uses.”

Trilogy is hoping to be able to open the store by autumn 2014.