Council planners have recommended a major application to turn a former Warwick car showroom into two new shops is refused.

Warwick District Council's (WDC) planning committee will next week discuss the application to repurpose the former Kia Showroom on Stratford Road, which has been vacant since April 2023.

A report to be considered by councillors has recommended Warwickshire Partnership's planning application is refused, saying there would not be enough parking on site.

"The proposal would provide insufficient parking which fails to comply with the council's adopted parking standards," the report said.

"Therefore, it is recommended that planning permission is refused."

If approved, the scheme would see the showroom turned into two retail spaces. The smaller unit would be used for a business such as a hairdressers, funeral director or salon.

Meanwhile the larger of the two would become a 'top-up' food shop.

Multiple residents and Warwick Town Council have objected to the application.

The building has recently been on the market with local property agent Bromwich Hardy.

But the application says there is no need to keep the unit as a car showroom as a new Kia dealership opened on Heathcote Lane in May 2023.

See the full council report here.