Town councillors have unanimously backed a new project which could eventually allow visitors to get a glimpse of Kenilworth's past on their mobile phones.

Kenilworth Town Council has now launched the Abbey Fields Augmented Reality (AFAR) project which could eventually see a new application created allowing users to hold up their devices at various locations in Abbey Fields and see the abbey in its heyday.

The application is hoped to include the story of the abbey, which will be linked to the castle "encouraging the visiting of both".

Potentially costing up to £140,000, the scheme was brought forward by Mayor of Kenilworth Cllr Alan Chalmers whose professional background at the University of Warwick sees him research high-fidelity multisensory virtual experiences.

A new group has now been set up to manage the project and apply for funding.

While councillors unanimously backed the start of the scheme, there were reservations about the costs and the expertise required.

"It states in the report it is going to increase visitor numbers to Kenilworth," Cllr Alex Randall said. 

"When the task & finish group is set up, is that going to be quantified. I want to understand the commercial value this adds. 

"The reason I raise that point is obviously £140,000 is a significant amount of money, and there are a number of other projects going on - swimming pool, the children's playground, cuts to the fire stations - I wonder whether it may be quite a sensitive time for it or maybe seen as a vanity project. 

"Although I am supportive of it, I do think there is a sensitivity that needs to be considered."

In response, Cllr Chalmers explained: "The idea really is to have an experience that is something else that brings people to Kenilworth. 

"We already have the castle but this is another thing. 

"The idea is to make it very engaging, especially for a younger audience. 

"At the moment if you go to Abbey Fields there is some grass and eventually there will be a swimming pool. 

"But this is something else that will be another reason to come to Kenilworth."

He also explained the town council would not directly pay for the project, with funding to be sought from various sources including the National Lottery, BLEF and potentially even English Heritage.

Cllr Adrian Marsh added: "I would like to fully support and endorse this augmented reality project. 

"I think it helps to establish Kenilworth on the cutting edge of technology. I think it could offer the town a really unique selling point. 

"And in combination with the visitor numbers which already attend the castle during the year, I think this would reinforce the position of Kenilworth as a destination for visitors which by association will benefit business."

Read the full council report here.