Trilogy defends plan to build shop on Ford site

Trilogy Developments last week announced that due to there being no interest in a large office building it had been given planning permission to build on the former Ford Foundry site last year it now wanted Warwick District Council - the planning authority - to reconsider other employment uses such as a “home-related retail store which would not compete with the town centre.”

But the council’s deputy chief executive Bill Hunt said the authority is concerned about the detrimental impact on the town centre of further retail in this location and said the proposal did not conform with its approved development brief which sought to use the site for offices which would bring jobs and other opportunities to the area near the railway station.

In response, Trilogy’s managing director Patrick Stones said: “On the question of last year’s planning commitment to pursue offices on the Gateway site, I have met Bill and his team and they are well aware of the Government’s new national policy planning framework which advises that local planning policies should avoid the long-term protection of a site where there is no reasonable prospect of it being used for its original designation.

“These local policies were adopted by Warwickshire in 2008, following the departure of Ford from the site the previous year. The site has been vacant ever since and there has been no serious interest over the past six years, despite efforts initially by Ford before they vacated and then Trilogy to market the location and attract an office occupier.

“This is an opportunity for the Council to now consider a viable and sustainable alternative use for this three-acre site, which might include another retail employer that will further support the local community and generate new jobs.”

Triogy also plans to develop a trade park on the five-acre site behind Homebase and a coffee shop and petrol station behind the Spa Garage in Old Warwick Road.

The plans will be displayed at the Pump Room tomorrow (Saturday) from 10am to 3.30pm.