New Warwick community centre plans have been given green light by councillors

The proposed design for the new community centre. Photo supplied

Councillors have given the go ahead for a new community centre in Warwick.

The plans for the new Priory Pools Community Centre went before Warwick District Council’s planning committee on December 11.

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The community centre, which is set to provide a dedicated community space for residents of the Packmores Estate and nearby areas west of Warwick town centre, will be located on the edge of Priory Park and will feature a large multi-purpose hall, meeting rooms, interview spaces, and a community café.

The architect’s design of what the new community centre will look like. Graphic supplied

It will replace the existing small Packmores Centre community room at Sussex Court in Lyttelton Road, which the charity The Gap has been running alongside residents and local partners since 2015, after being awarded the contract by Warwick District Council.

Gaining planning permission marks the culmination of campaigning by the members of the community, including the Packmores Residents Association and The Gap with the support of the councils.

Amanda Burford, chair of the Priory Pools Community Centre charity, hailed the planning approval as a turning point having spoken about the project at the planning committee.

She said: “It hasn’t been easy – years of hard graft went into this before residents like us got involved.

"But I genuinely believe that every estate, including ours, deserves a place to come together.

"A space for all ages to hang out, to connect socially, and to access vital services – whether it’s NHS support, advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau, mental health resources, or so much more.

"I won’t rest until we get what every other community has – a place to thrive together. Getting planning is a massive step along the way.”

Campaigners said Warwick District Council and Warwickshire County Council have long recognised the benefits of improving community facilities in the area with £250,000 of funding earmarked from the district council to support the scheme along with a long-term lease on the land.

Councillor Jim Sinnott, portfolio holder for communities and leisure at Warwick District Council, said: “We’re delighted to see this project move forward after years of dedicated campaigning by residents.

"The new Priory Pools Community Centre will provide a sustainable base for local organisations to deliver vital services.

"This facility will greatly enhance community wellbeing and bring people together.”

The Priory Pools Community Centre charity, established to lead the project, has already received backing from councils and funding organisations, and is supported by local councillors.

However, the charity says additional support will be needed to bring the vision to life.

Janette Eslick, lead fundraiser for the project, said: “Securing planning permission is a huge step forward, and we are now busy planning a big launch event in Warwick in March 2025 to start raising the final funds we need to hopefully start building in 2026.

"We will reveal more in January about how you can get involved and hope everyone in Warwick will play their part in making this a reality.”

For more information on how to support the Priory Pools Community Centre or how to get involved in the fundraising campaign, go to: https://www.priorypoolscc.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/PrioryPoolsCommunityCentre