Bath Place has freight-ful idea

Bath Place Community Venture (BPCV) may be one step closer to finding new premises, as the idea of using shipping containers as a new site is in the pipeline. The site would be located somewhere off Clemens Street.

Clayton Denwood, Site Supervisor at BCPV, told the Boar: “As far as locations go, nothing will replace the Old Library but we have obviously had to consider a few options including a project which may include up to 14 shipping containers arranged in an interesting, creative and functional way.

“We feel it could be a real boost to the character of Old Town and be an opportunity for lots of people to get involved with as a community project especially considering the Mary Portas pilot scheme.”

He added that help from students with a background in engineering and architecture would be appreciated in designing a shipping-container site.

Chairman of trustees at Bath Place, David Williams, told the Leamington Courier that he hoped to have services running again in a fortnight.

Mr Williams stated it is “the first intention of the board to get the café back and running” and that the move had been “very traumatic” for the members of the community who used Bath Place’s services.

The community project had to leave its former premises at the Old Library site on York Road on 14 September.

Warwickshire College, who own the site, are in negotiations to sell the site to pay for repairs to its main campus.

A planning proposal to convert the Edwardian building into 28 luxury flats, submitted by ‘Tag Exclusive properties’, received over 250 formal complaints.

A Town Council planning committee meeting, which only has the power to comment on the future of the Old Library site, will be held on Thursday October 18. Mr Denwood stated that Bath Place: “will be presenting a case to the Town Council that they should reconsider their original comments and take into account the loss of Community Facilities”.

English Heritage objects to plans to alter the interior of the building and is now working with the developers.

A planning meeting for the site is yet to be announced.