Leamington could get a new retail park

What the new retail prk in Leamington could look like. Graphic by Diageo Pension Trust Limited.

Plans have been drawn up for a four unit retail park on land near Princes Drive and Myton Road.

The application, which has been submitted by developer Diageo Pension Trust Limited, would see ‘Stoves Retail Park’ built on land behind Homebase, Pets at Home and Bensons for Beds.

The site is a former a car park for the old Ford foundry and has been identified in the Warwick District Local Plan, which was adopted in September 2017, as a site for employment uses.

What the new retail park in Leamington could look like. Graphic by Diageo Pension Trust Limited.

There would two access point to the new sites; one on Princes Drive and one on Myton Road.

If given the go ahead there would be four new stores and a cafe/coffee shop stand-alone unit.

According to the employment viability report, since Diageo Pension Trust Limited bought the site, it has had interest from retails such as Oak Furniture Land, Sofology and Furniture Village.

But no retailers have yet been confirmed for the potential development but the developer said they would be retailers selling ‘bulky goods’.

The site where the new retail park in Leamington would go.

According to the developer there would be more than 300 parking spaces and 80 cycle spaces on the site and a new T- junction would be created from Princes Drive into the site.

The planning documents also say that the development would provide more than 70 jobs.

The proposed opening hours for the retail units is Monday to Friday 8am to 11pm, Saturday 8am to 11pm and Sunday 11am to 4pm.

The developer held a public exhibition in December 2017 at the Dale Street Methodist Church in Leamington to show the plans or the retail park.

Responses received from residents in the area of the development and comments from the public exhibition event covered several issues.

One comment highlighted concerns with an increase in traffic in the area, which is already heavy, another person noted they would like to see additional tree planting and another comment said that there was no requirement for additional retail units and that there are many empty retail units in the town centre. One person also commented that it seemed like ‘a worthwhile development’.

To view the plans go to Warwick District Council’s planning portal and search W/18/0092. It is not currently known when the plans will go before the council’s planning committee.