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This section describes the nature of the town centre today and should be read in conjunction with the following plans which illustrate:
• the extent of the town centre area (plan 1);
• the extent of public land ownership within the centre (plan 2);
• the existing planning designations which control new development (plan 3); and,
• the historic importance of the town centre area (plan 4).
A Distinctive Town Centre
Warwick town centre has a unique identity and is very different from the surrounding towns in the region. Its historic character, thriving market and high proportion of specialist and independent shops and businesses make the town centre very different from nearby centres, such as Leamington and Solihull. In addition, the variety of visitor attractions and independent cafes and restaurants has resulted in a growing reputation as a high quality destination for spending leisure time.
A Historically Important Town Centre
Warwick town centre is defined by its historic buildings and places. There are few town centres in the country that contain such a rich diversity of character and form, ranging in scale from modest dwellings to the most architecturally prestigious of buildings. Its historic street pattern is punctuated by a number of churches, museums, and public buildings, many of which are of architectural interest and have considerable prominence.
These include the Collegiate Church of St Mary, one of England’s largest churches, and the Warwickshire Museum, housed within the town’s 17th Century market hall. The streets merge with narrow lanes and alleyways, which are a reminder of the earlier town.
The town centre area contains over 300 listed buildings, including a number of Grade I listed buildings and scheduled monuments, and most of it is designated as a Conservation Area. There is a variety of land uses within the town centre, with business and commercial areas integrated with housing and public spaces and parks. There are around 250 different shops and service premises in Warwick town centre, with almost 40,000 square metres of ground-floor floorspace.
About 50% of this floorspace is devoted to retailing and shops, with the balance divided between leisure and financial/business services. The town centre also contains a large amount of offices, with Warwickshire County Council occupying a number of buildings as its administrative headquarters, and educational uses. There is also a broad mix of residential properties, ranging from traditional housing to more modern apartments.
Comparing Warwick with other town centres nationally, the centre has a far higher proportion of leisure uses, such as restaurants, hotels/guest houses, and bars/cafés. This is reflected in the town centre having a growing reputation for its variety and choice of eating and drinking establishments in a safe and pleasant environment.
A Strong and Independent Town Centre
The town centre is dominated by a strong independent and specialist presence with a much lower proportion of national multiple retailers than other nearby towns.
The town also has a thriving weekly market, with over 60 stalls selling fresh produce, household goods and clothing. These factors help provide the town centre with its unique character and differentiate the town from other larger centres. Furthermore, the proportion of empty units has historically been declining and is typically lower than the national average. However, more peripheral areas of the centre do have a number of vacant units and the recent economic downturn has affected businesses.
An Accessible Town Centre
There is a variety of means of getting to and from the town centre, although the ease at which this can be achieved varies depending on the mode of transport and the time of day.
The town centre is accessible by foot or cycle from most surrounding areas, although a number of factors can reduce the attractiveness and safety of this as an option, such as high volumes of traffic.
The town centre also benefits from rail and bus stations, which provide services connecting the town to the surrounding towns and residential areas by public transport. However, most journeys to the town centre are likely to be by car and, coupled with the significant amount of through traffic, this presents problems in the peak hours.
There are also a number of car parks located around the centre containing over 1,300 car parking spaces, although there are concerns around the convenience, quality and quantity of spaces.
A Quality Town Centre
As well as its historic features, the town centre is an attractive environment with well maintained public spaces, good street furniture, trees and landscaping, with little sign of graffiti or dereliction. The town centre area is almost encircled by a number of large green open spaces, such as Priory Park and Warwick Racecourse, which add to the attractiveness of the town and provide areas for the residents and visitors to enjoy.
However, the environmental quality of the town centre is affected by the high volumes of road vehicles passing through it. As a consequence, an Air Quality Management Area has been designated along the main routes through the centre in which action is required to reduce pollutants to acceptable levels. As well as air quality, the general attractiveness of public streets and places for businesses and visitors can be diminished by traffic noise and disruption. Vibration from traffic, particularly heavy goods vehicles, can also threaten some of the older buildings.
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