Home store plan for Leamington’s Foundry Park

A computer generated image of what the new home store at Foundry Park would look like.

Trilogy Developments Ltd, which designed and constructed the supermarket at the Foundry Park site, is proposing to build a new store that would sell kitchenware, electrical appliances and furniture - which the firm says would create 180 full and part-time jobs - on land that was originally meant for offices.

Executive director Nick Bohane said he was unable to disclose the name of the store at this stage, but he said: “The retailer who we hope to encourage here has been looking at Leamington for a long while, but has not been able to identify a suitable location within the town centre.

“The recent decision of Debenhams to move into Leamington Shopping Park also illustrates how difficult it is for these larger shops to move into the centre.”

Trilogy had obtained permission four years ago to use the space for offices, but the firm had been unsuccessful in finding office occupiers for the site.

Mr Bohane pointed out that 59 per cent of respondents in a survey held in Leamington in December said that they supported the idea of a home store, while 28 per cent did not have a preference and 13 per cent were opposed.

He added: “If planning permission is refused, we will continue to market the site for an office occupier and may have to look at other alternative uses.”

Trilogy is hoping to be able to open the store by autumn 2014.