Riverside House and Elizabeth Park

Riverside House & Elizabeth Park Public Consultation Homes England’s public consultation running from 19th January 2024 to 9th February 2024

Riverside House

Objectives

Have Your Say!

• To deliver up to 150 homes; • Of which 40% will be affordable housing in line with policy; • All homes to be net carbon zero homes in operation; and • Improve connections to: • The Riverside Walk; • Park areas; • Town Centre; and • Make provision for a bridge to Victoria Park.

We are consulting online and at in-person events below.

Come and find out more; discuss your thoughts; and help shape the proposals.

VICTORIA PARK

Objectives

Elizabeth Park

• To deliver a destination park for Leamington and Warwick; • Complement the existing facilities at Victoria Park; • Maximise the riverside location for wildlife and enjoyment; • Retain and renovate the existing playing pitch; and • Connect to existing and potential future public green space.

Dale Street Methodist Church

Dale Street, Leamington Spa, CV32 5HL

Leamington Cycling & Athletics Club River Close, Leamington Spa, CV32 6AD

Royal Leamington Spa Bowling Club 23 Archery Rd, Leamington Spa, CV31 3PT

Royal Pump Rooms (Conservatory) Parade, Leamington Spa, CV32 4AA

Friday 19th January 2024 2pm – 7pm

Saturday 27th January 2024 10am – 3pm

This way to the consultation Share your feedback

To find out more about the scheme please visit https://riversidehouse.squarespace.com/ To ask any questions directly, contact us via email riversidehouse@homesengland.gov.uk Complete the survey by scanning the QR code (survey opens 19th January)

Scan the QR code below to complete our online survey

The Sites and Development Objectives

Welcome to the public consultation for the redevelopment of Riverside House & creation of Elizabeth Park, Leamington Spa

Riverside House Riverside House is Warwick District Council’s (WDC) main office, located on the edge of Leamington Town Centre.

The building is a large four storey office in which 350 staff operated with 194 staff car parking spaces.

WDC has reviewed their building requirements and are in the process of vacating the building to move their customer facing functions to a Town Centre location.

Objectives • To deliver up to 150 homes; • Of which 40% will be affordable housing in line with policy; • All homes to be net carbon zero homes in operation; and • Improve connections to: • The Riverside Walk; • Park areas; • Town Centre; and • Make provision for a bridge to Victoria Park.

This site will become vacant and has been allocated for residential redevelopment through the Riverside House development brief and Warwick District Local Plan.

The site was previously subject to planning permission for 170 dwellings but has since lapsed.

Homes England will be submitting an outline planning application for the redevelopment of Riverside House in February/March 2024 and, subject to planning permission being granted, intends to demolish the building later this year.

Elizabeth Park Elizabeth Park will be a new destination park comprising of land occupied by Edmondscote Track and the adjoining field. It is being created to commemorate the late Queen Elizabeth II. It is accessed from Riverside Walk through an underpass to Princes Drive and from the surrounding residential estate roads.

Warwick District Council are looking to deliver a new facility along with pavilion building on land off Fusiliers Way.

Objectives • To deliver a destination park for Leamington and Warwick; • Complement the existing facilities at Victoria Park; • Maximise the riverside location for wildlife and enjoyment; • Retain and renovate the existing playing pitch; and • Connect to existing and potential future public green space.

Homes England will be submitting a detailed planning application in February/March 2024 and, subject to planning permission being granted, Elizabeth Park will be delivered by Homes England or Warwick District Council upon the new facility being opened for use. Homes England will not be undertaking works to the buildings as part of this project.

What do we know about Riverside House?

Here is the information we’ve gathered about the site and the opportunities for future development

Constraints Plan

Opportunities Plan

The constraints plan below identifies the main issues to consider when locating new development on the site.

ROYAL LEAMINGTON SPA CONSERVATION AREA The site is surrounded by the conservation area meaning that new development needs to be sensitive to the impact upon it.

TREE PRESERVATION ORDERS A number of trees are protected by Tree Preservation Order, meaning they are of value in terms of their amenity or quality.

LISTED BUILDINGS The site is neighboured by and is in the presence of listed buildings, new development needs to be sensitive to their setting.

FLOOD ZONE 3 A large proportion of the site is located within Flood Zone 3, a classification by the Environment Agency for land that is highest risk to flooding.

TOPOGRAPHY The land slopes considerably from North to South, building heights needs to respond to this to not appear overbearing.

STRATEGIC SEWERS The site accommodates two strategic Severn Trent Water sewers. No building structures can be within a 15m easement of them.

The opportunities plan below sets out key features and positive elements to incorporate into the layout of development.

HISTORIC SETTING Listed Buildings and the wider Conservation Area enhances the site setting, the quality of design is key in this location.

FLOOD ZONE AREAS As new development is restricted within the flood zone, the land could be converted to landscaped areas.

TREES There are a number of category A and other mature trees that provide a unique setting for the site.

NEW PEDESTRIAN/CYCLE CONNECTION There is an opportunity to create a new, accessible route between Milverton Hill and Riverside Walk over the sewer easement.

ACCESS POINTS The existing vehicular and pedestrian access points can be explored for use to ensure tree loss on Milverton Hill is minimised.

TOPOGRAPHY The land slope gives the opportunity for taller development at low points that could improve the variety of homes offered by the site.

How could future development be delivered?

From a review of the constraints and opportunity, a concept plan has been developed

Riverside House – Concept Plan Informed by the constraints the project team have developed a concept plan, This plan would deliver:

Movement

• New pedestrian/cycle routes from Milverton Hill to Riverside Walk; • Access points to the site where cycles take priority; and • Walking routes through new public open space.

Landscaping

• New public open space in the southern half fronting onto Riverside Walk and the River Leam; • Retention of all trees to the southern area of the site; and • New tree planting to open space to compensate for tree loss.

Building

• Strong and continuous frontage onto Milverton Hill; • No built development within the floodplain; and • Opportunity for three distinct character areas to improve diversity of homes offered.

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Elizabeth Park – Nature: bringing wildlife into the town

Maximising the creation of species rich habitats and safe, public interaction with nature whilst retaining the openness of park areas.

Nature: Bringing wildlife into the town The concept plan shows one way in which nature could be prioritised within the proposals.

Some of the key features could include: • New woodland areas • Wetland habitat areas • Boardwalks • Dog walking paths • Seasonal parkland trees • Waterfront planting

Wildlife area and potential future nature reserve.

A new woodland that would deliver a significant Biodiversity Net Gain.

New paths would be laid out with a variety of surface materials. A single new opening would be made in the hedgerow between the athletics track and the existing park.

Parkland trees bringing several benefits and changing with the seasons.

Design Questions Would you like to see the creation of new habitat areas in Elizabeth Park?

Would you be supportive of wetlands and areas of standing water in the proposals?

The proposed wetland is to be a species-rich environment of native species, managed to create a new habitat.

Paths would be laid-out to allow public enjoyment of the wetland over boardwalks and low-bank planted causeways.

Waterfront planting to interact with the River Leam and tree planting to replace many of the Lombardy Poplars.

Elizabeth Park – A new space: a bigger public park

Joining space to form a single, open, and larger public park with a wide range of facilities for the community and visitors.

A new space: a bigger public park

The concept plan shows one way in which the creation of a single, larger park could be prioritised within the proposals.

The aim is to achieve significant Biodiversity Net Gain through new planting that supplements existing areas and changes the management and species in the grassland.

Native Wildflower meadows would be established and cut just once or twice per year.

An area for the community to grow seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Some of the key features could include: • Growing spaces • Junior bike trail • 1km active loop • Native wildflower meadows • Revived football pitch • Contained dog park for off-lead exercise

The existing running track and field event facilities could be covered over but used inpart, to form a new 1km Active exercise trail.

Design Questions What facilities would you be most likely to use within a new park?

Would you prefer one large playing pitch or two smaller ones?

Do you have any ideas for uses which haven’t been shown?

A children’s bike-trail could be formed encouraging skills and fun – away from traffic.

Pre-school age play space.

An improved playing pitch area for ball games.

A fenced and gates area could be created for dogs to run off-lead: a secure Dog Zone.

Elizabeth Park – The riverside park

A park that focuses on linkages to surrounding green through a new riverside walk, retaining the memory of the athletics track as a feature.

The riverside park

The concept plan shows one way in which a riverside walk could be prioritised within the proposals.

Some of the key features could include: • Riverside Arboretum; • Planting and seating with existing athletics track; • Rain gardens; • Waterfront gathering spaces; and • Riverside path to neighbouring parklands

Riverside arboretum – a linear park of river-side trees.

Strategic links along the riverside might be delivered through a wider proposal connecting with green spaces between Warwick and Leamington Spa.

Pop-up picnic area so you can enjoy the natural setting over lunch.

Design Questions How important is it to you that the new park provides a walking route next to the River Leam?

How important is it to you that the new park provides a cycling route through the park?

What features would you like to see alongside the River Leam?

The running track might be partially retained but as a more informal jogging route – not athletics.

Rain Gardens and occasional rest-spots could be formed in the former relay, baton-change boxes.

New points of access or frontage onto the River Leam could be created.