A new Kenilworth Railway Station
A key stage in developing a new railway station for the town of Kenilworth will be debated tomorrow by Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet.
Members of the council’s Cabinet are tomorrow being asked to give the go-ahead to the purchase of land currently owned by Buildbase, off Priory Road and Lockhart Close in Kenilworth.
This land is crucial to the development of the new station, which when completed is forecast to handle more than 700 trips a day. The Cabinet members are meeting on Thursday afternoon and are being asked to agree the purchase of the land.
The county council has been working with Buildbase, the current owners and occupiers of the station site, to find another location for the business within Kenilworth.
Stephen Thompstone, Buildbase MD, said: “We are pleased to be working closely with Warwickshire County Council with the aim of releasing the land for the new railway station and to agree a suitable relocation site for our business in Kenilworth which will protect the long term employment of all of our staff and ensure that we can continue to service the requirements of our many customers in Kenilworth locally.”
It was late last year when Warwickshire County Council and John Laing signed a commitment to develop plans for a new railway station for Kenilworth.
This followed a tendering process earlier in the year, which saw John Laing successfully appointed by the county council as Joint Promoter and Funder for a new station for Kenilworth. The wider project team includes Robert Watson Associates and Steer Davis Gleave.
John Laing is assisting the county council in developing, funding and delivering the scheme and securing the long-term operation of the station.
Cllr Alan Cockburn, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “The land is needed to provide the new railway station and car parking. The station will help improve accessibility and encourage train use over car use for journeys.
“Kenilworth now has a population of almost 24,000, 50 per cent more people than when the old station in the town was closed in 1965. This new station would give the town’s residents easy access to the national rail network.”
John Laing has previously worked with the county council to deliver the similar schemes of Coleshill Parkway and Warwick Parkway rail stations. It is hoped that Kenilworth station will be open by the end of 2012.