We are excited to announce that we have submitted a planning application for our Spencer Yard project. Full details and results of public consultation available here.
Masterplan to Regenerate the Old Town
Complex Development Projects Ltd has been appointed by Warwick District Council to deliver an ambitious masterplan to regenerate the Old Town of Leamington Spa as a new Creative Quarter.
The Ambition:
The key aims of The Creative Quarter are to:
- Regenerate and breathe new life into the Old Town of Leamington Spa whilst enhancing the economic development of the new town and joining up the two distinct areas;
- Build upon and reinforce the importance of the Creative and Digital Industries in Leamington Spa;
- Create a vibrant, unique and desirable destination for residents, employers and visitors alike;
- Position the stakeholders to take advantage of the opportunities as they present themselves in delivering the vision;
- Create a framework that fosters inward investment in the cultural and creative sector and the built environment.
Following public consultation and forums with various stakeholders, “The Big Picture” Plan was signed off by Warwick District Council’s Executive Board in March 2019. This plan considered how a number of sites in WDC’s ownership could be used to achieve the ambitions set out above.
Spencer Yard has been identified as having the most potential to kick start the regeneration of the area in the first phase of development. Spencer Yard is already home to a number of creative businesses on a key route from the station to the town centre, has the ability for short term and long term impact, and is home to the United Reform Church which is Grade II Listed and at risk of further deterioration if intervention doesn’t occur in the near future. More detail on this can be found on the Spencer Yard page.
Other WDC owned sites that have been identified to support the Creative Quarter regeneration principles include Bath Place, Court Street and the Town Hall. We will continue to support WDC with the other sites as they come forward.
Camouflage Directorate
Leamington has long been recognised as a creative town. Back in 1939 the Camouflage Directorate was located there during the 2nd World War and over 250 artists, designers and technicians to work on secret military and civilian camouflage.
Creative Leamington
A recent report by Nesta and Creative England named Leamington as one of 47 “creative clusters” in the UK and the only one in the West Midlands.
There are already over 1500 creative businesses employing over 7000 people and the games development industry is worth £188m to the local economy and 1.7billion to the UK economy. The town has a range of games developers from internationally acclaimed to innovative start-ups. Much of the creative activity is already based in and around the proposed Creative Quarter
