A final decision on whether Station Road will be permanently closed at its junction with Warwick Road is expected from the county council next month.

Warwickshire County Council has confirmed to Nub News that it will make the decision on February 17, nearly three years after the road was first shut.

The Kenilworth town centre street was originally blocked off in spring 2020 to ease social distancing during the pandemic.

Following a request from Kenilworth Town Council, Warwickshire County Council announced in November 2021 that it would remain blocked off into 2022 pending a public consultation.

The extension was originally put in place for up to 18 months, and residents were able to respond to a public consultation which closed at the end of May last year. 

Station Road is only fully closed for the first 16 metres from its junction with Warwick Road, with KTC currently building a 'pocket park' in its place.

The town council has continued to put plans together for what the section of road could be used for, should the closure be made permeant.

Four of Kenilworth Art Festival's 'beautiful benches' have been placed in the closed section of Station Road (image by James Smith)

Councillors said at the end of September that it could cost around £50,000 for it to be paved over.

Speaking last April Cllr Michael Coker told KTC members that a firm plan was needed before the county council makes a firm decision.

"Obviously it is out of our hands but if it stays closed what do we do about it? We need to be able to say 'this is the plan'," he said.

"Obviously the county council will make a decision on this, but having sad that if they do make it permanent in the next six or seven months then it would be good to have a plan in place to improve what we have already got there.

"It's all clearly of a temporary nature currently, but obviously if it is closed then we need to come forward with something long term."

The extension of the closure has proved unpopular with many residents, some of whom said it should never have been closed in the first place.

One resident said: "We are so blessed with green space.

"Yes - fun to have a nicely designed and properly thought out space but that road is useful and heading everyone through the car park isn't the answer.

"Spend some money on other spots but not a perfectly good road."