Latest Wantage plan concerns Kenilworth Town Council

The interior of the Grade II-listed building in Castle Hill will be converted into three separate dwellings if the plans go ahead.

While the council have no issue with the planned external appearance of the house, which will remain unchanged, it is worried that the front wall could be altered to meet Warwickshire County Council’s requirements.

The county council is in favour of widening the front wall and setting the gate back by just over three metres, which the town council thinks is pointless and would change the look of the street too much.

In a statement, the town council said: “Whilst regretting the failure to retain the property as a single domestic dwelling house, we have no objection to the proposed separation into three units and in particular understands that the present proposal would not prevent conversion back to one house should that possibility arise.

“We are concerned that the requirements of the Highways Authority would result in drastic changes to the front wall and gateway which should be retained unaltered as a setting for this fine Grade II house.

“The town council would object if any such alteration to the wall were to be required.”

The Wantage has remained unconverted for some time after several plans were refused by Warwick District Council’s planning committee.

But this plan claims to ‘sympathetically’ divide the building into two one-bedroom apartments and another two-bedroom apartment.

Kenilworth residents Alan and Terrie Chambers agreed. He said: “This is a detailed and well thought out design which answers all of the previous objections.

“The proposal includes only minimal structural changes thereby maintaining the architectural integrity of the property, whilst at the same time addressing the concerns regarding the current condition of the house.

“We wholeheartedly support this application and would find it difficult to believe that all required boxes have not now been ticked.”