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The Big Picture February 2019 Contents Leamington Spa Creative Quarter: The Big Picture February 2019 Contents Leamington spa Creative Quarter: 3 Appendix 1 13 The Big Picture Commentary 13 The Ambition 3 Appendix 2 15 The Vision 3 Key Sites 15 What is the ‘Leamington Creative Quarter Big Picture’? 3 Appendix 3 19 So, what is a Creative Quarter? 5 Building Uses 19 Why do we need a Creative Quarter Appendix 4 21 and who is it for? 5 Ownerships 21 Where is the Creative Quarter? 7 Appendix 5 23 Consultation 7 Routes 23 Key Projects 7 Appendix 6 25 Timeline 9 6A.Victoria Colonnade, Spencer Yard & 27 Key Development Opportunities 9 United Reform Church Visualisation of Leamington’s Creative Quarter 9 6B. The Royal Pump Rooms 29 Illustrative Map 10 6C. Court Street Car Park (Option 1) 31 6D. Bath Street / High Street 33 6E. Bath Place Car Park 35 6F. Althorpe Street Area 37 6G. The Old Post Office 39 2 LSCQ: The Big Picture Leamington Spa Creative Quarter: The Big Picture A vision for regeneration, a motivation for change and a catalyst for new opportunities The Ambition What is the ‘Leamington Creative relevant statutory authorities as detailed • Regenerate and breathe new life into Quarter Big Picture’? plans emerge. the Old Town of Leamington Spa whilst This document sets out how the Creative • Warwick District Council and its partners enhancing the economic development Quarter could become a dynamic and are supporting the delivery of a range of of the new town and joining up the two distinct destination and attraction for the infrastructure measures which will support distinct areas. district. As an illustrative plan, it: the Creative Quarter, including through • Build upon and reinforce the importance the Community Infrastructure Levy and of the Creative and Digital Industries in • Is aspirational. It aims to show how a County Council-funded transportation Leamington Spa. vibrant environment can be created to improvements. It will be important that • Create a vibrant, unique and desirable support the creative sector, in its broadest as proposals are developed these are destination for residents, employers and terms, to thrive. designed to reflect and respect this vision visitors alike. • Targets specific requirements that have for the Creative Quarter. • Position the stakeholders to take been identified as part of a significant, advantage of the opportunities as they ongoing consultation process. Whilst Collaboratively, we have begun, and will present themselves in delivering the vision targeting specific requirements, this continue to: • Create a framework that fosters inward document is designed to be high-level, • Identify the elements and features that investment in the cultural and creative leaving scope and flexibility for projects to make the creative economy in Leamington sector and the built environment develop and evolve as opportunities arise. Spa vibrant and distinctive. • Is a catalyst for change to support • Identify the key development needs The Vision development partners and stakeholders for the creative sector. What key places, Leamington Spa Creative Quarter will be to work collectively to deliver an ambitious spaces and infrastructure would best an authentic, dynamic and diverse place; a range of projects. support the further development of series of spaces that will inspire all who live, • Seeks to inform and support investment Leamington Spa’s Creative Quarter? work or pass through them. The Creative and decision making within the area, • Identify key buildings and areas that Quarter will be a first-choice location for leading to a unified approach to economic could be regenerated and developed to creative individuals to collaborate and and physical regeneration. support these aims and key development will provide an environment that allows • Does not determine at this stage the projects that could be brought forward to the creative economy to thrive. Four key agreed, determined or defined use of do this. priorities for Leamington’s Creative Quarter: any of the key buildings within the area. • Explore how the publicly owned assets • Celebrate the meeting of Leamington However, it does offer some potential can best support the regeneration of the Spa’s history and heritage with its current ideas for consideration, showing what the Creative Quarter, and, where possible, cutting edge creative technologies; collaborative direction of travel should be act as a catalyst for future regeneration; respect the area’s heritage whilst giving it (see Appendix 6). Each individual project (examples of such projects are detailed a new lease of life. will be the subject of further analysis, in Appendix 6). A business case and • Provide the right opportunities for planning applications, feasibility studies risk analysis for all developments will grow-on space for gaming and digital and consultation as appropriate be brought forward for future approval, businesses; nurture creative talent and • Will be a collaboration between detailing funding arrangements and any support new and existing pathways into Warwick District Council (WDC), Complex changes to ownership (e.g. leasehold creative careers within the broadest Development Projects (CDP), creatives, arrangements, peppercorn rent definition. local communities, developers and land agreements, freehold disposal, market • Create and manage new spaces for owners. This collaboration of stakeholders rent, sale at market value, joint venture, an exciting arts, cultural and community will be essential in the realisation of the etc.). events programme. project. • Identify what else needs to be done in • Improve the public realm, introducing • Concentrates on the uses of buildings a broader sense to support our creative better wayfinding around the town and and spaces and how these could work economy. injecting colour and life. together for the creative community. • Establish the viability and deliverability It purposely does not focus on the of regeneration projects to be brought infrastructure required to support these forward in a coherent manner. ideas; these would be determined by the Existing Workspace in Leamington Spa (Left) Large format office space in the Town Centre for Playground Games. (Middle) Pure Office, out of town serviced office space, home to a handful of creative industries. (Right) Arch Creatives, office space for Lockwood Leamington. LSCQ The Big Picture 3 4 LSCQ: The Big Picture Leamington Spa Creative Quarter: The Big Picture A vision for regeneration, a motivation for change and a catalyst for new opportunities So, what is a Creative Quarter? the UK economy and the town has a range triple A studios such as Sega HARDlight, A Creative Quarter offers an environment of studios from the AAA to the indie start- Playground Games and Ubisoft Leamington that allows creative industries the up, earning its name of Silicon Spa. This are just to the north of the River Leam opportunity to start up, grow and thrive. games cluster employs over 2500 highly and smaller companies occupy premises A Creative Quarter should be supported skilled people, equating to over 10% of the in Old Town. 100’s of artists are based by a mix of sustainable, independent UK total in games development. There are here supported by such organisations as businesses, artisan food and drink over 50 studios operating from the Silicon Leamington Studio Artists and Art in the producers, unique shopping and an exciting Spa area and over 80 across the Coventry Park, and the music scene is thriving with and varied cultural programme, making it a & Warwickshire area. a higher than average number of choirs and great place to work, to live and to enjoy! orchestras all feeding in to create a really Starting to change this area of Leamington However, this is not currently well-known. mixed and eclectic creative community. to create a successful Creative Quarter should lead to increased businesses Leamington Spa’s current reputation is Much of this activity is not very apparent investment, to commercial growth, and currently one of a beautiful, predominantly in the town. The place simply does not feel to new opportunities for physical and middle-class Spa Town. Its outstanding very creative. Furthermore, the creative economic regeneration. parks and gardens, regency parades and sector would benefit from greater diversity. proximity to the Warwickshire countryside It is heavily reliant on the gaming industry. We have taken much inspiration from are just a few of the reasons why The advantage of a diverse creative cluster looking at other creative places in the UK; Leamington was voted the happiest place in a dynamic environment is that different a few examples are listed below. in England in 2017. parts of the spectrum have the ability and • Nottingham Creative Quarter: freedom to inspire each other and generate https://creativequarter.com/ Its cultural calendar boasts some fantastic new ideas and approaches for the future. • Deptford Market Yard (a collection of events, such as Leamington’s Art in the Greater diversity would not only bring in independent shops, artist studios and Park which attracted 40,000 visitors new types of creative industry, but would event space): and has an economic impact of £600k, support the existing ones already thriving http://www.deptfordmarketyard.com/ generating around £1.78m of economic in the town. • Altrincham Market (food market that activity in the area, a successful music some say has independently saved scene ranging from gigs at The Assembly But you don’t have to be a “creative” to Altrincham’s failing high street!): to classical concerts in The Town Hall, a benefit from this; plans will enhance the http://www.altrinchammarket.co.uk/ full programme of independent theatre town’s cultural offer for everyone, with productions at The Loft and, more recently, potential for more events and exhibition ‘Interactive Futures’, a national expo space, live performance venues and Why do we need a Creative Quarter, attended by 1720 people, showcasing the wider cultural activity for all ages. New and who is it for? latest developments and opportunities in and exciting public spaces could host a First and foremost, the Creative Quarter is the gaming industry.
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