Kenilworth planning roundup: school needed, 224 homes and airport's future

By James Smith 13th Jun 2026

Local News by James Smith 13th Jun 2026

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

Secondary School Essential

A new secondary school must be built near Kenilworth before a new 4,000-house estate is built.

That was the message from town councillors who gave their feedback on the masterplan for the Kings Hill development in Stoneleigh.

Warwick District Council will next week decide on the next steps for the major planning document following a public consultation this year.

The masterplan will govern how the land at Kings Hill is developed, but members of Kenilworth Town Council (KTC) voiced a number of concerns about its scope.

Leyes Lane's Future

A decision on controversial plans to turn the former Kenilworth School site on Leyes Lane into houses is expected next week.

Council planners have said the scheme for 224 houses and a 75-bed care home should be approved, despite the objections of 69 locals.

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Homes England has submitted the application, having bought the site from Warwick District Council this year and already secured permission to flatten the old buildings.

Concerns from residents include the impact on traffic, massing and also claims local infrastructure cannot cope with more homes.

Airport's Future

The closure of Coventry Airport after 90 years has left many questions about what exactly will happen to the land, who'll move in there and when.

The airport officially ended all flight operations on May 9, before formally shutting down on June 11, according to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Take That were the last ever passengers on the final commercial flight prior to closing, when they flew in for their Circus Live Tour date at Coventry's CBS Arena.

The airport opened in 1936 and was then called Baginton Aerodrome. Passenger flights to European destinations ran from there between 2004 and 2008 but a permanent terminal was denied after a lengthy battle fought at two public inquiries, a planning appeal and in the High Court.