Castle Pavilion plans refused yet again

Despite the conversion being recommended by planning officers, Warwick District Council’s planning committee refused permission at a meeting on Tuesday May 24.

The pavilion, a former stable owned by county councillor Alan Cockburn, would have been converted into a three-bedroom house if the plans had been accepted.

This plan significantly reduced the amount of outside space compared to previous conversion plans, and planning officers thought this was good enough to allow the plans to go ahead.

But planning committee members thought the space immediately around the house would be ‘too tight’ and there would not be enough room for things liked parked cars and storage bin space if the project went ahead.

In a statement, they added: “There is insufficient external amenity space for a three bedroom property and this would fail to provide adequate levels of amenity for future occupiers.”

Nine separate plans associated with the building had been refused since 1990, and this plan also generated controversy before the council debated it.

18 objections had been received from the public, with many suggesting the potential damage to the Brays, part of the defensive outerworks of Kenilworth Castle, would be too great.

Other issues raised included the development of green belt land and

Kenilworth Town Council thought the plan was ‘not radically different’ from the previous one, and also thought the Brays could be damaged if the plans went ahead.

However, Historic England felt the plans would not damage Kenilworth Castle’s structure.

It said: “The unlisted building lies beside the outer defensive works of Kenilworth Castle. The proposals are to convert the building to residential use.

“Although they will affect the setting of the scheduled monument and the registered park the level of harm has been reduced considerably and we are content to see this scheme proceed.”