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Homes England, a government agency, has bought the Riverside House site from Warwick District Council and wants to build a housing development and create a new public park in its placed called Riverside Park.

Leamington residents are being asked to have their say on plans to build a housing estate including a new public park in place of Warwick District Council’s (WDC) former Riverside House headquarters in the town.

The council has announced that contracts have now been exchanged for the sale of the Milverton Hill site to Homes England, “a government agency which specialises in the sustainable redevelopment of complex sites”.

Homes England now wants to build the Riverside Park development in place of Riverside House and a public consultation into the plans will run from now until Friday December 8.

An aerial view of the Riverside House site in Milverton Hill. Picture supplied.

WDC has said that, in accordance with the site development brief it set in 2021, any housing created by Homes England will need to meet the the authority’s current policy criteria on affordability and the soon to be adopted regulation for all new developments in the district to be net zero carbon.

Councillor Ian Davison, WDC’s leader, said: “The legacy of this site is of great importance to local people, and our aim has been to gain their views at every stage of the process. We are therefore pleased that Homes England are providing an opportunity for residents to input into the development plans at Riverside House.

"Please give your views on the retention of trees and wildlife, provision of affordable homes, and our vision to create a new public park along the riverbank”.

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Ragu Sittambalam a senior planning and enabling manager for Homes England added: “Homes England is excited to have acquired Riverside House.

As the Government’s housing and regeneration agency we’re able to take forward Warwick district’s aspirations for the site - to deliver a scheme that respects the sensitivities of the area and delivers affordable housing in an area of need.

Furthermore, our involvement will indirectly enable town centre regeneration and the creation of a new park as a positive legacy for the district.”

More information and a link to the online consultation is available on the Warwick District Council website here https://www.warwickdc.gov.uk/RSHconsultation

Have your say on development plans for council's former headquarters in Leamington