BUILDING work has begun on the project to create a new multi-million pound bus depot.
Stagecoach Midlands is currently based at Station Approach behind Leamington train station but with the majority of the site set to make way for affordable homes, the company is now on the move.
The Station Approach scheme will include the building of 212 new homes – 75 per cent of which will be affordable and managed by Waterloo Housing Group. There will also be a new 100 space car park owned and managed by Warwick District Council.
The project will see further improvements carried out to the cycleway and footpath link to the railway underpass from Avenue Road while a new footpath will be built from Station Approach to Lower Avenue and to Park Drive.
Warwick-based developer AC Lloyd and project managers Minns Network have been chosen to create the new depot and engineering hub for Stagecoach at Trident Park on the edge of Warwick Gates.
The £5.5million project will include the construction of six mechanical maintenance pits, two areas to allow buses to be elevated for repair and inspection, an engineering office, a bus wash and parking for more than 75 vehicles.
Des Wynne, of AC Lloyd, said: “Station Approach will see the creation of much-needed affordable homes in a really convenient location close to the railway station.
“In turn, it has given Stagecoach the opportunity to create a state-of-the-art depot in Trident Park from where they will run their operations.
“This will mark the completion of Trident Park following the recent development of a new teaching facility for Warwickshire College, and the Trident Business Centre.”
The site has already been cleared and building work will be carried out by Deeley Construction.
Stagecoach is set to have 165 people working out of the new depot with buses and coaches operating across the whole of the south Warwickshire area.
Steve Burd, managing director for Stagecoach Midlands, added: “Our initial fleet will consist of 27 double deckers, 26 single deckers and 14 gold standard minibuses.
“Bus services will run as far as Coventry in the north, Stratford in the south, Evesham in the west and Southam in the east.
“All in all, the move will allow us to significantly improve our engineering capability on site and provide our staff with the best modern facilities in which to work.”
Work is expected to be completed by April 2017.
