Transformational planning scheme is greenlit

21 Jan 2018

Asserson’s award-winning planning team has helped a public/private joint venture to deliver plans for a controversial housing and office project valued at over £60 million in Central England.

Warwick District Council’s proposals for a new £8.6 million headquarters on the site of a central car park in Leamington have now been approved by its planning committee. The scheme also includes a new 620-space car park and 44 apartments for private sale. A separate outline planning application for up to 170 new homes on the current site of the council’s headquarters on Milverton Hill was also approved.

The new Council offices will be paid for out of the sale of the current premises at Milverton Hill, and the Council also expects to save over £300,000 a year in running costs. Asserson has played a key role in helping the joint venture team deliver a significant joint venture scheme in Leamington, as well as relocating the Council’s offices to a more accessible town centre location.

The scheme has generated considerable local opposition from the local Member of Parliament amongst others. The council’s own policy states that developments of more than 11 homes must include 40 % of housing that will be made available for rent or shared ownership to people on its housing register. However in this case to do so would make the scheme unviable and therefore the scheme was able to use an established policy alternative to deliver purely private housing.

The Leader of Warwick District Council, Councillor Andrew Mobbs said: “I’m delighted that we are now making significant progress with our pragmatic plans which will see a smaller and more efficient council HQ and at the same time provide a stunning new gateway development in Leamington town centre and much needed new housing.”

David Samson, from PSP Warwick LLP, said: “These planning applications are the result of many years of work to find the best possible solution to meet the future needs of the council and Warwick district residents.” Thanking Asserson’s Planning team for their involvement in the project, he said, “I don’t believe we would have got the result if you guys had not been involved.”

For coverage of the project see:

Leamington Observer coverage
Stratford-Upon-Avon Herald coverage
Planning Resource coverage
Construction Enquirer coverage