Flats opposite Jephson Gardens would ‘ruin’ Leamington

Lapwoth Architects Ltd have submitted an application to Warwick District Council to demolish 13 Newbold Terrace - a 1930s house on the corner of Newbold Terrace and Newbold Street - and build in its place a modern style five-storey block of nine flats.

Arguing that its design “offers a high quality contemporary solution to the redevelopment of the existing site”, the firm says the building will “add a positive visual weight strengthening to the street corner and the building will add to the street pattern of taller buildings with large domestic structures set between them”.

But neighbours have already written to the council to voice their objections, which as well as complaining about issues such as loss of light to their homes and increased traffic on Newbold Terrace and Newbold Street, have stated that the aesthetics of the site opposite the entrance to Jephson Gardens would be “completely destroyed”.

Among them is Albert Connell, who lives next door to the proposed site and has launched a petition against the plan to present to the council. He told the Courier: “At the moment when you come out of Jephson Gardens, you have greenery around you and you see Victorian buildings. You don’t really notice the Spa Centre or the 1930s house.

“To build a large modern building here would totally ruin the look of Leamington. It will open up a can of worms for any developer to turn a plot with a detached house on it to anything they want to.”

He added: “If this and the council’s headquarters building next to the Spa Centre both go ahead, it’s going to be a concrete jungle. You will sit at the clock tower in Jephson Gardens and look out onto two massive buildings. That’s awful for Leamington.”

To sign the petition, email [email protected]