Here are the biggest local planning stories from the past week.

Antiques to Community

Plans to turn a closed antique shop in Warwick's town centre into a community hub have been submitted to Warwick District Council.

St Mary's Church wants to repurpose the Vintage Antiques unit at Market Place into what it describes as a "vibrant centre" which will support multiple groups.

"The Market Place Hub will provide a welcoming environment for community groups (Men's breakfasts, youth groups, knitting groups etc) to meet, whilst providing support for individuals facing hardship, loneliness and social isolation," the application said.

Read the full story here.

Appeal Quashed

A bid to force through plans for a number of unsold Warwick offices to be turned into flats has been thrown out.

Faxton Ltd submitted an appeal to the planning inspectorate after Warwick District Council last year refused planning permission for the works at Emscote Old Wharf.

Council planners said at the time the "adverse impacts of the proposal would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits".

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Read the full story here.

Special Measures

District councillors representing Warwick, Leamington and Kenilworth were warned of "significant" major planning applications on the horizon – and the added pressure to make the right calls.

Warwick District Council's development manager Gary Fisher told members of the planning committee – the councillors charged with the council's final say on big developments – that the authority had recently seen off the threat of being placed into special measures by the national government.

Performance is measured by looking at how many major applications are rejected by councils but later granted by the Planning Inspectorate against the number of big applications those councils get in.

Read more here.

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