Leam shopping centre plans given go ahead

Plans for a £90 million shopping centre in Leamington town centre have re-emerged after previously being rejected in November 2011.

In a talk given about the Portas Pilot project to regenerate the Old Town part of Leamington, the manager of Leamington town centre, David Butler, revealed the scheme would be revived at a talk for Rotary Club members.

He added proposals for the shopping centre would re-emerge “for political reasons”.

The Clarendon Arcade, which would be located on what is currently a car park on Chandos Street, was refused by Warwick District Council’s planning committee last year.

Chairman of the conservation group, the Leamington Society, Richard Ashworth told the Leamington Courier, he had heard hints that new plans were being drawn up.

He said: “We knew it was there in the shadows” suggesting the ‘political reasons’ hinted at may be the policy of the council’s leadership group.

Ashworth added the economic case for a large shopping centre was now “years out of date” however accepted a smaller shopping centre would be more palatable.

Deputy chief executive of Warwick District Council, Bill Hunt said of the plans: “The council’s view that there continued to be a strong rationale for bringing this type of development to the town centre, despite the refusal of planning permission for the previous Clarendon Arcade proposals, has not changed at all since then.

“The council remains committed to the development of a new scheme that will enhance the economic vitality of the town centre, protect existing jobs and create new ones, provide residents with new shopping opportunities and attract more visitors into the town.”

Proposals for the new 21,000sq ft shopping centre have been in progress between Warwick District Council and developer Wilson Bowden since 2007.

The plans for a new shopping centre have sparked fears regarding the Old Town area of Leamington which has received £100,000 funding from government as part of the Portas Pilot initiative to reinvigorate dilapidated High Streets.