"Stoneleigh plans could bring great benefits to Kenilworth"

Plans to develop Stoneleigh Park will have a positive impact on Kenilworth with regards to tourism and employment.

This is according to Kenilworth town councillors who said that “overall they welcomed the proposals”.

An outline planning application has been submitted to Warwick District Council for the development, redevelopment and use of buildings at Stoneleigh Park to provide a science, business, technology and innovation park, equine facilities, livestock and agricultural facilities, education and learning, hotel and conference facilities, and much more developments to improve the site.

LaSalle Investment Management, which took on a 150-year lease of the site last year, plans to invest £50 million over the next ten years to make the 1,000-acre agricultural business park a centre of excellence, with a roundabout at the park’s main entrance in Stoneleigh Road and a second entrance to handle traffic.

Andrew Bull, European director of LaSalle Investment Management, said this investment will be used to create “a leading science park and attract agricultural and equine businesses from around the world”.

Kenilworth Town Council members discussed the plans at a planning meeting last week and although they were positive about them they observed that they would “monitor the main application most carefully, particularly in regard to its ancillary retail, highway, hotel accommodation and other potential impacts on the surrounding areas including Kenilworth”.

Cllr Michael Coker (Con, Abbey) said: “The showground has always been a benefit to the town, and now these new people want to invest in it I believe this will create more employment which is good for the area.

“Their plans are in keeping with countryside pursuits and at times like these we need people to invest and they’re willing to do so.

“The sort of things they do there already brings people to the area, which benefits town’s like Kenilworth because we are so close, and so I believe any future improvements will have a knock on effect in this town.

“These plans I know will be progressive and we are not expecting them to happen overnight, but if and when they do come to fruition they will be positive.”

Cllr John Whitehouse (Lib Dem, Abbey) added: “I too am very positive about these plans so long as we’re careful the infrastructure is sufficient. The main benefit I believe is employment which is attractive.”