The long-running planning saga over proposals for six new industrial units in Kenilworth has taken a small step forward.

A planning application for six industrial units was put forward by Barwood Development Securities Ltd's for the land at Thickthorn in 2024.

The scheme was then updated last year after concerns the designs did not follow the Land East of Kenilworth Development Brief or the Kenilworth Neighbourhood Plan - both of which were designed to control how the town is developed.

While the application is still yet to be signed off by planners at Warwick District Council, highways officers at the county council have given their approval for the road and access arrangements for getting to the employment site off Leamington Road.

This came after back-and-forth between the developer and the council, and then redesigns of the plans over several months.

"Various amended plans have been submitted following the highway authority's previous

Comments," an update from the Warwickshire County Council team said.

"The changes include crossing points, footway/cycleway provision and clarifications around access to each unit and parking locations etc.

"Whilst cycle parking is shown the detail has not been shown.

"This, however, is covered under condition 33 of the outline permission for details to be provided."

The highways team mainly dealt with the site access, and said the district council will have to make sure the internal roads are safe as they will remain private.

The application submitted to WDC would see six 'employment units' totalling an area of 22,000 square metres built on site.

Plans also include some 496 parking spaces, with traffic coming onto the site from the already busy Leamington Road.

Town councillors previously raised concerns about access to the site, cycling infrastructure and the fact that part of town is not designed to accommodate HGV movements.

When planning permission for the neighbouring Kenilworth Gate housing estate - including 550 homes and a primary school - was approved in 2021, the scheme also included a major piece of 'employment land'.

The area has since been marketed with the local authority working to find investors to bring the industrial site forward.

See the full application here.