This is an important policy to retain the distinctiveness of Royal Leamington Spa’s retail areas.

The Leamington Society is very happy to write in support of the Royal Leamington Spa Neighbourhood Plan, which we regard as crucial to the future of Royal Leamington Spa as a place in which to live, work and enjoy. The majority of our comments, perhaps not surprisingly, refer to the housing and development theme.


1. Housing and Development Theme

Policy RLS1– Housing Development Within the Royal Leamington Spa Urban Area

We fully support promoting of high quality, sustainable housing, particularly where it does not lead to the loss of residential gardens, except in the specific circumstances listed.

The Society has been concerned about the provision of so much purpose-built student accommodation within the town, and notes that the Neighbourhood Plan only supports this when positively assessed against Local Plan and any relevant supplementary planning document. We are concerned that any block of student housing should also be of an architecture particularly sympathetic to the surrounding buildings to enhance the area they are situated in.


Policy RLS2 – Housing Design

Government Policy and Building regulations are a changing landscape which makes Local Authority requirements a nightmare to impose but the Society fully supports the aims which should ensure that we encourage/impose as high a standard as possible for new buildings to combat climate change, fuel poverty, resource consumption and recycling. In view of the Government's announcement that no new petrol, diesel or hybrid cars are to be sold after 2035 we think a requirement for access to electric charging points should be added to any car parking requirements. The Society supports sympathetic design that retains local distinctiveness; which does not preclude innovative designs.

Policy RLS3 – Conservation Areas
The Leamington Society is fully supportive of all 15 of the criteria listed, requiring those applying to develop within these areas to consider, prepare and describe how their proposed development meets each relevant one.

Policy RLS4 – Housing Character Outside the Conservation Areas
We fully support this policy and particularly welcome the requirement that development should seek to maintain views of higher slopes, skylines and the wider landscape.

Policy RLS5 – Royal Leamington Spa Housing Mix and Tenure
The Leamington Society fully supports your desire that in any housing development the proposed housing mix has taken in to account the following:
“(a) The relatively high levels of social and private renting in South Leamington and the need to support affordable owner occupation in this area; and
(b) The relatively high-level of flats and apartments in the neighbourhood area and the potential, in appropriate locations, to provide detached and semi-detached family homes.”



2. Community and Culture Theme

Policy RLS7 – Public Art.
As commented in our previous consultation response, the Society would like to see the artists chosen having local connections.



3. Green Spaces and Parks Theme

The Society notes that there is no mention of a tree-planting policy.

Policy RLS11 – Allotments
The Society fully supports the protection of the allotments listed, and the hope of creating new ones, and the innovation of support being offered to residents who wish to use their lawns for shared allotment gardens.

Policy RLS12 – Leisure, Sport and Recreation Facilities
The Society supports the protection of all the facilities listed especially the Tennis courts, Christchurch Gardens, Beauchamp Avenue which provided a very valuable recreational facility for those living in nearby flats.

4. Roads and Transport Theme

Policy RLS13 – Air Quality
The Leamington Society regards air pollution as a significant problem in parts of Leamington, and welcomes all proposals to help improve the situation.

Policy RLS14 – Traffic and Transport
The Leamington Society support these measures which will, we hope, help improve the air quality of Royal Leamington Spa, particularly the measures to prioritise the movement of pedestrians, cyclists and public transport within the Town Centre whilst still allowing for through traffic. Improved footpath and cycle links with good signposting, alone might significantly reduce car use.

Policy RLS15 – Cycling
The Society supports these proposals, as the provision of safe cycleways within Leamington might greatly contribute to a reduction in car use. In our opinion there is an immediate need for more cycle racks in the town centre.

Policy RLS16 – Canal and Riverside Development
We support these proposals particularly the requirement that development respects the heritage and setting of the canal, Canal Conservation Area, or riverside area, as these are important elements of Leamington’s history and setting. We also particularly support the aim of providing facilities to support the growth and development of recreation and tourism; and supports the wider regeneration aspirations of the Creative Quarter.

Town Council Supporting Action – Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)
We support the listed proposals particularly cycling infrastructure, especially the provision of safe cycleways to schools.

5. Business Support/Town Centre Theme

Policy RLS17 – Royal Leamington Spa Town Centre
The Leamington Society supports improving the appearance of gateway entrances to the town, especially the entrance to the Town Centre from the railway.

Policy RLS18 – Royal Leamington Spa Creative Quarter
We support the particular policies relating to the development within the Royal Leamington Spa Creative Quarter, identified on the Policies Map, expressing our concern for the appropriate future use of both the Town Hall and the old Post Office in Priory Terrace.

Policy RLS19 – Old Town Retail Area
Old Town has special qualities, particularly the independent, artisanal quality of the area which if possible should be developed further to link with the creative quarter.


Policy RLS20 – Royal Leamington Spa Town Centre Shopfronts
This is an important policy to retain the distinctiveness of Royal Leamington Spa’s retail areas.

Policy RLS21 – Protected Car Parks
Adequate car parking in Leamington is vital for workers, residents and visitors from further afield. With possible changing transport solutions it is possible that demand will change, and the proposal wisely allows for this.

Policy RLS22 – Local Shopping Centres
Local shopping centres provide a useful community resource, particularly for the elderly, and save on journeys, which is why the Society supports the addition of the 3 more at Brunswick Street, Binswood Street and Lansdowne Street. Recycling provision is useful, but is currently causing flytipping problems at some local shopping centre locations.

We make the following comments on the draft policies contained within the Royal Leamington Spa Neighbourhood Development Plan (2019-2029) on behalf of the Conservation and Design team.

Policy RLS20 – Royal Leamington Spa Town Centre Shopfronts

The draft policy explains: ‘one area that has benefitted from a less controlled approach, an approach which should be fostered further is the High Street/Clemens Street area of Old Town. This area has a more varied selection of shopfronts and colours that go to help create this area’s own distinctive environment. This variety will continue to be supported’. The policy adds that ‘The RLSNDP supports the use of more creative, colourful and active frontages and signage on these shopfronts to develop a more distinct vibrant feel and image for Old Town.’

We would comment that this may encourage advertisements that are harmful character and appearance of the Conservation Area and we are concerned that this policy contrasts with our SPG: Shopfronts and Advertisements for Leamington Spa. This guidance explains specifically for the High St, Clements St and Bath St area that the Council wishes to retain the local character and identity of this area and ‘expects new or replacement shopfronts to be designed to reinforce those particular features and characteristics… they should be of scale appropriate to the building’. Importantly, this guidance is clear in that it states provisions for advertisements here should be similar to the approach applied in Warwick St/Regent St, with illumination and signage at fascia level not permitted.

The wording of this policy may also give rise to inappropriate signage that has a detrimental effect on the scale, proportions and character of historic buildings in these locations, whilst inadvertently giving the impression that premises with existing, unauthorised signage is acceptable.

Policy RLS3 – Conservation Areas

With reference to Paragraph 5.1.18, we note that there are in fact only two Conservation Areas in Leamington Spa - Leamington Spa CA and the Canal CA; Lillington Road North and Lillington Village are in fact character areas 34 and 35 respectively of the Leamington Spa Conservation Area. Although these areas are physically separated from the main designated area and different in character, we understand the areas were approved via an amendment and expansion to the existing Leamington CA boundary. We also note that the Canal Conservation Area is incorrectly referred to as the ‘Canalside’ Conservation Area.