Town councillors expressed horror after seeing this picture of proposed plans for Northgate Street at the authority's meeting on Wednesday.

It shows a projection of designs by Warwick-based developer the Sandpiper Group, which hopes to convert the grade II and II* listed Georgian townhouses into 33 houses and flats.

Warwick mayor Coun Anne Mellor (Con, Warwick South) urged residents to protest. She said: "It has to remain 'historic Warwick'.

"If we lose Northgate Street, the next thing will be the courts."

Council leader Coun Gerry Guest (Con, Warwick South) said the proposals were "the next worst thing" to happen in Warwick since Barrack Street car park was built."

In the development, the front of the houses would be unchanged but a 1950s extension would be replaced by taller, modern designs.

Coun Gordon Coleman (Con, Warwick South) felt the proposals were "intense overdevelopment" and town clerk Derek Maudlin told councillors that the plans appeared to contravene "an entire schedule" of planning policies.

Councillors also criticised the county council, which still owns the buildings, for not ensuring the town's heritage was preserved in their sale.

Sandpiper Group managing director Martin Fitzpatrick defended the plans as being the best possible given the price the county council had asked. He said: "It's a wonderful piece of the history of Warwick and it deserves the best and most sensitive possible treatment."

But Mr Fitzpatrick admitted the plans were of a higher density than he would have wished, explaining the collapse in the housing market meant the developer had been forced to incorporate more homes to achieve the price asked by the county council.

He added the designs could be revised if the scheme did not receive planning permission.

County council spokesman Jack Linstead explained the authority was selling the buildings as they were no longer viable as offices.

He said: "The county council has spent quite a lot of money on the three Saltisford buildings because Northgate Street would have cost a lot more money to get back to offices."

He added the authority had exchanged contracts with the Sandpiper Group, and planning permission was necessary to complete the sale. The plans are available for public consultation, which will end on July 18.


*The Butts resident Neil Bates created the images using a photograph of the back of Northgate Street and architectural plans.

Mr Bates, a design consultant, said: "We are shocked by the scale of the development.

"We can't see how it is right for the town. It will not only affect us but the whole of Warwick."

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