Kenilworth set for growth
Land adjacent to the A46 in Kenilworth which has been earmarked for development. MHLC-16-05-12 preferred options MAY72
HUNDREDS of new houses, offices and a new primary school could all be built in Kenilworth over the next 14 years if suggested new plans go ahead.
This has been revealed in Warwick District Council’s ‘preferred options’ for housebuilding leading up to 2026, which has been published in the agenda for Warwick District Council’s executive committee meeting due to take place on Monday.
No houses are planned between Kenilworth and Coventry, but 770 are proposed to be built between Thickthorn and the A46.
This could see houses, offices, open space and community facilities, such as shops and schools, built on land from the Thickthorn island through Kenilworth Rugby Club and Kenilworth Wardens Cricket Club sites, as far as the Woodside Hotel.
These developments would mean improvements to the Kenilworth Dalehouse Lane roundabout, the B4115 junction, Kenilworth St John’s Gyratory, Thickthorn island, the A452 between Kenilworth and Leamington, and Chesford bridge.
The K2L cycle scheme and Kenilworth railway station projects could also go-ahead.
Cllr Michael Coker (Con, Abbey) said: “If the plans go ahead I suspect something like an office park may be built as well as housing. We would need another primary school and Kenilworth School, as the only secondary school in the town, would need to be expanded to cater for more pupils. There would also be a very strong need for Kenilworth train station to be built, as we are already a big town that needs a station - so if we grow more it would be ridiculous if we didn’t have a train station.
“We must accept that we need some development in the town for it to remain viable, but we need to make sure it does benefit us and that whatever development takes place fits in with the character of the town. For us to say ‘no we don’t want anything thank you very much’ just wouldn’t happen.”
These preferred options will go out for consultation in June and July and then any feedback will be taken into account and the plans will be updated and reproduced in the autumn.
Peter Blakeman, chairman of Kenilworth Rugby Club, said: “If the current proposals were to go ahead it would be very good news for the club as we have outgrown our current facilities. The land we have here would provide a fantastic opportunity for Kenilworth and allow our rugby club to expand elsewhere in the town.”
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Weather for Kenilworth
Monday 20 May 2013
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Temperature: 10 C to 19 C
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