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Station Area Masterplan given £100,000 boost
Warwick District Council is pleased to announce that the Regional Development Agency, Advantage West Midlands (AWM) has approved £100,000 of funding to prepare a planning brief for the area around Leamington Spa Railway Station. This includes the land formerly occupied by the Ford Foundry.
Following the closure of the Ford Foundry in July of last year, the council has made a commitment to work in partnership to ensure a comprehensive planning framework is prepared for the station area. This includes not only land owned by Ford, but also the wider area around Leamington Spa Station, including the former Quicks garage site and land to the north and south of the railway, totalling approximately 20 hectares.
The council has engaged the Birmingham office of planning and property consultants GVA Grimley to carry out extensive planning work on our behalf and to prepare the planning brief.
Full consultation
In welcoming the funding approval, Councillor John Hammon, Development Portfolio Holder said: "There is major potential for positive regeneration of this area as a gateway to Leamington Spa and the heart of the district. The council is committed to involving all landowners and key stakeholders at an early stage in preparing this brief. Local people will have the opportunity to comment on the draft plan in June and July."
Darren Cope, Partnerships Manager for AWM, said: "As the Station Area includes a regionally significant employment site, the former Ford Foundry, AWM are pleased to fund this important feasibility work that considers how it may be redeveloped for future uses."
A draft planning brief will published in June for full public consultation. A final version will be published at end of the summer. This will be adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance which will provide a template for future development and planning applications for the station area.
Advantage West Midlands is one of nine Regional Development Agencies in England whose role is to provide leadership and action to create more, better jobs and an improved quality of life, for all in the West Midlands.
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