Councilors have objected to plans to build six new industrial buildings in Kenilworth.
Following a lengthy discussion last week, Kenilworth Town Council has objected to Barwood Development Securities Ltd's planning application for the land at Thickthorn.
Councilors said the plan – which is on land already approved for employment use – does not follow the Land East of Kenilworth Development Brief or the Kenilworth Neighborhood Plan, both of which were designed to guide the town's development.
The application submitted to WDC calls for the construction of six “working units” totaling 22,000 square meters on site.
Around 496 parking spaces are also planned, with traffic accessing the site via the already busy Leamington Road. Objections to the next stages at Kenilworth Gate have regularly included concerns about increasing traffic and congestion in this part of the city.
Councilors also raised concerns about access to the site, cycling infrastructure and the fact that part of the city is not designed to accommodate trucks.
“The buildings on site do not fit well with existing properties, they are not visually interesting and the plans do not show dense, mature planting to act as a landscape buffer,” the objection states.
“These are key elements of the development mandate.
“The entrance to Kenilworth should have a parkland feel.
“The location is at the main entrance to the city and does not meet these strict criteria.”
Councilors also said a detailed travel study was needed and that no buildings should be occupied until the spine road was completed on site.
They also complained that only a small amount of space was allocated for office purposes.
The industrial buildings would be built on the site between the A46 and Leamington Road (image from the planning application).
When planning permission for the neighboring Kenilworth Gate housing development – including 550 homes and a primary school – was approved in 2021, the plan also included the largest piece of “working land”.
Since then, the area has been marketed together with the local authority to find investors to further develop the industrial site.
“The design combines functionality, efficiency and aesthetic considerations,” Barwood’s application states.
“Through the use of material contrasts, careful massing and the integration of sustainable technologies, the proposals will achieve a clean, clean and modern look while providing practical solutions for industrial operations.”
“The balance between industrial functionality and modern office environments ensures a harmonious and visually appealing development.”
Designs show there would be a tree-lined footpath to the site from Leamington Road.
There would also be a walkway around the perimeter of the project, “providing opportunities for outdoor activities and relaxation and integrating green space into the industrial environment.”
Northamptonshire-based Barwood works to promote properties through the planning process and then secure sales “to maximize sales proceeds”.
It has already worked on The Asps in Warwick and is involved in the Hob Lane site in Balsall Common.
You can find the complete application here.