Milestone looming for super £20m library, office and business quarter in Nuneaton

A major milestone is looming for the new £27m library, office and business quarter in Nuneaton town centre.

The new facilities are due to be housed by where the former Post Office and Powell House buildings stand in Vicarage Street and Church Street.

It will also mean the demolition of the library, which has served the town for more than half a century and was designed by the famed Sir Frederick Gibberd, who was also behind Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.

Read more: Why huge hoarding has appeared around main Nuneaton town centre car park

Warwickshire County Council is championing the plan, which is part of the wide-reaching Transforming Nuneaton programme for the whole town centre.

In a statement, councillor Kam Kaur, cabinet member for economy and place at Warwickshire County Council explained that they hoped to submit an initial planning application in for the new library, office and business quarter this Autumn.

There are a number of well-known issues to resolve before this – finding a new home for the Royal Mail delivery office and also Wilkos.

As we reported in our newsletter, the county council previously said that it hoped to have secured a home for the delivery office ”within the next few months”.

Discussions to move the Wilkos store into the town centre, reportedly into the former Woolworths store in Queens Road, are also ‘progressing,’ according to the high street name.

Milestone

Cllr Kaur said that once the two relocations are complete, they hope to move towards the milestone planning application stage.

“The development work on the new library and business centre in Nuneaton is part of an exciting programme to transform the centre of the town,” the Shire Hall cabinet member said.

With the site survey now completed, the results will be used as the project moves into pre-application planning consultations and detailed design stages.

“The current programme is dependent upon achieving vacant possession of the Royal Mail facility which is to be re-sited, and progression will be subject to discussion with key stakeholders.

“The aim is to submit a detailed planning application in Autumn 2022.

“This will mark a major milestone in moving this project forward and will allow a construction partner to be appointed following completion of a procurement exercise carried out with a framework partner.”

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