Talisman Square - £10 million investment planned

10.57.00am GMT Fri 12th Mar 2004

Kenilworth Town Council Planning Committee heard more details last night of the plans for the re-development of Talisman Square, Kenilworth.

The developers, Cobalt Estates and Discovery Properties, plan a £10 million investment in the proposed new food store plus major refurbishment of the existing shopping precinct, commencing in 2005 and target completion in 2007, with a total build time of 12-18 months.

The revised plans address a number of key concerns raised over the original proposals. It was reported that Warwickshire County Council had now withdrawn their objections to the scheme, and the Highways Authority were satisfied on traffic capacity issues, subject to completion of a highways plan for the town centre area.

The developers stated that all the major supermarket groups had expressed interest in the proposed new food store. Their choice of eventual tenants would be driven by their assessment of town needs and the overall success of the scheme, but they believed that "the town was more up-market than its current shopping provision". Apart from the food store, the larger retail units to be created in Talisman Square itself would attract the national multiple chains (Marks & Spencer Food, and W H Smith were mentioned in this connection), while the smaller units would cater for existing independent retailers.

Liberal Democrats on Kenilworth Town Council welcomed the clear presentation made by the developers, and asked for confirmation of the situation regarding the existing Bertie Road Community Centre. It was confirmed that the Centre would have to be moved, to a new central site that was fully acceptable to the Centre's management, before any work on the food store could commence.

Following the presentation to the Town Council, it is unclear how quickly the proposed development will come before District Council's Planning Committee for formal approval, but it seems that things are moving forward again after several months of limited news. We'll keep you posted ........