Work to build retirement village on Rugby's former Herbert Gray College site accelerated by £2m grant

Rugby MP Mark Pawsey has welcomed the announcement from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government of a £2 million investment to deliver a new 52-bed care home and 78 specifically designed apartments in the centre of Rugby.

To be developed on the site of the old Herbert Gray College, Caldecott Square will see the dilapidated building renovated to become part of a retirement village.

The development will incorporate a spa, restaurant and is expected to create around 100 new jobs in the town centre.

The developer's projection of what the finished site will look like.

The £2m investment by the Government is coming through the Getting Building Fund, which is unlocking £900 million of funding for shovel ready projects across England.

The Caldecott Square application was approved by Rugby Borough Council’s planning committee in February 2020 and it is hoped that this additional funding will enable the project to begin shortly.

The funding has been distributed by Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, who have been allocated £8.1 million from the Government to get projects underway as the country emerges from the impact of Covid-19.

Mr Pawsey said: “I am delighted that the Government is bringing forward funding to enable the Caldecott Square project to get underway.

"Many Rugby residents will remember the Grade-II listed Herbert Gray College building.

"However, the site is currently extremely run down and frankly an eyesore within the town centre.

"Redeveloping the site will not only provide much needed retirement housing within Rugby, but will also provide economic regeneration in our town centre.

“This is a good scheme for Rugby and as we emerge from the coronavirus lockdown it will be vital for our economy to get projects ready for delivery underway.

"Doing so is at the heart of the Getting Building Fund and the Government’s commitment to Build Back Better. Schemes such as Caldecott Square will not only deliver the housing and infrastructure which we need but will also create new jobs in our local area and get our economy going again so that we can continue to invest in public services.”