Paving the shut off part of Station Road could cost the town council over £50,000, if the temporary closure is made permanent.

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

Following a request from Kenilworth Town Council, Warwickshire County Council announced last November 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. 

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

And while a final decision is yet to be made on its long-term future, the town council has continued to consider how it will be used should Station Road be closed permanently.

A report presented at a full town council meeting last week said: "Unfortunately it would seem likely that the county [council] will not have funding available to pave the area and would therefore rely on the current arrangements.

"At our request however they provided us with round figure estimates of the likely costs.

"To complete the pavement in Warwick Road and pave the stopped area in Station Road similarly would cost approx. £52,000 or alternatively this could all be merely levelled at cost of approx. £42,000."

Any works would have to be commissioned by WCC and so the town council will pursue firmer costings from its county colleagues.

KTC will then consider whether "this is an opportunity to use CIL funding".