Town Centre Residential Uses

4.3.16 The South Warwickshire Employment Land Study Update (March 2026) updates the office need requirement for South Warwickshire set out in the HEDNA (2022). The Employment Study Update sets out that there is a residual need for 7.1ha of office land (equivalent to 57,900 sqm of office floorspace) across South Warwickshire up to 2050. 4.3.17 However, the Employment Study Update considers that significant stand-alone allocations for office developments are unlikely to be developed, as rents are considered insufficient to support substantive speculative development. Specific site allocations for office development are therefore not proposed within this policy, with the focus instead being on retaining existing office space and supporting the conversion and repurposing of existing buildings. The provision of a proportion of ancillary office space alongside other employment space is also considered to be appropriate. 4.3.18 The Employment Land Study Update recommends that the SWLP should support the development of office floorspace within town centre sites and the conversion of existing buildings where suitable. Some smaller scale provision may also be delivered through the conversion of agricultural buildings in order to support the rural economy. Such rural development is covered separately by Policy… Rural Economy and Diversification. 4.3.19 Permitted development rights currently allow for a certain amount of flexibility for Class E(g)(i)uses, with the change of use from E(g) uses to some other use classes permitted without the need for planning permission. While this Policy cannot control for such permitted uses, this Policy does seek to safeguard against the loss of existing office uses within town centres where possible. Any proposed loss of such uses will need to accord with the requirements set out in Policy … Existing Employment Sites. 4.3.20 Although not a single site, Leamington Spa is a nationally important economic cluster for the gaming and electronic arts industries. Akin to its approach to Major Employment Sites, the SWLP seeks to support proposals for employment and research use and investment in this sector and related digital and creative industries, particularly within Leamington Spa itself but also in surrounding locations. Policy EC.6 Town Centre Residential Uses Changes of use from residential to non-residential uses within the predominantly residential areas in the town centres of Leamington Spa, Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick, as defined on the Policies Map, will only be permitted if the proposed use maintains the residential character of the area.