PLANS for a long-awaited country park in Warwick district have had to be scaled down due to rising costs.

Tachbrook Country Park, which was granted planning permission n November 2022, is set to be the largest public space in the district, stretching across 49 hectares (121 acres) between Leamington, Whitnash, Warwick and Bishop's Tachbrook.

Once complete, the new public open space - which is located within easy access to the new housing developments and schools in Warwick, Whitnash and Bishop's Tachbrook - will be operated by Warwick District Council under an 'in perpetuity' land use agreement to be granted by Bishop's Tachbrook Parish Council.

The original plans included a refreshment centre, allotments, community growing area and community orchards, children's play areas, car parking, foot and cycle paths and a timber pedestrian bridge crossings over the Tach Brook.

But at a meeting of WDC's Cabinet on Wednesday September 3, councillors were informed of a significant rise in costs against the original project estimate from 2022 and were presented with a "revised baseline approach" for its delivery. This revised approach, which reduces the project costs considerably and offers a more biodiversity friendly option was approved.

While some features of the original country park plans have not been retained the essential core of the agreed planning permission remains in place.

WDC was unable to confirm the cost of the project or which features of the country park had been removed.

The project was previously subject to a number of complex legal agreements and required co-ordination with adjacent developers, landowners and utility providers, as well as needing to tie in with the separate applications for the new schools and homes at Oakley Grove in Bishop's Tachbrook.

This was resolved in April last year when the transfer of land from developers AC Lloyd to WDC was completed.

*At the same meeting, the Cabinet also agreed to take the next steps to bring forward two elements of an ambitious scheme for the Fusilier Way area to the south of Warwick.

This decision will see proposals to construct both the Myton Path - a pedestrian and cycleway between the Myton Road and Fusiliers Way - and a new athletics track, to replace the existing facility at Edmondscote, brought to the point of a planning application and RIBA Stage 4 (the final pre-construction stage).

The combined scheme would also see the creation of a new vehicle entrance to the rear of Myton and Warwick Schools.

A sum of £950,000 was approved by councillors to enable the commencement of a pre-planning application and development works.