WORK has started on a multi-million pound project to restore a historic Warwick street back to its former glory.
Developer Ash Mill Developments announced this week began the refurbishment of 18 listed buildings on Northgate Street.
More than £5million will be spent restoring the properties, which include the Georgian houses opposite the former crown court buildings – the former home of Warwickshire County Council’s education offices.
The refurbished homes are set to sell for more than £1million each with the total market value of all of the properties set to be near the £20million mark.
A spokesperson for the developer said a number of the homes will be offered as shells for early sale so owners can refurbish the properties themselves, but the whole project would take around 18 months to complete.
Charlie Smith, of estate agents LREA, who will be selling the properties once they are completed, said: “Northgate Street is the biggest project to have come to Warwick for a long time.
“The Ash Mill Developments specialists are particularly skilled in restoring heritage buildings and it will be fascinating to watch this street be turned from faded offices to the glorious houses they once were.
“Northgate Street provides an excellent opportunity for a few buyers either to choose to run the internal renovation of their home themselves or to have a Georgian gem fully restored and ready to move into.”
Described by historian Alec Clifton-Taylor as ‘the finest eighteenth century street in the Midlands’ Northgate Street is referenced in sources as early as 1280.
Famous previous residents include radical politician Joseph Parkes and his brother Josiah who was an engineer and inventor.
Number 22 Northgate Street was the county police headquarters from 1882 and still has the original police cells in the basement.
* UP TO 1,000 homes could be built as part of a new development on land near Southam.
Developers are considering the feasibility of the site before potentially making a formal planning application to Stratford District Council.
In addition to the homes, they are looking to create a primary school, a community hub, and work units on the Darling estate next to Codemasters.
A public consultation event outlining the proposals was held at the end of last month but it is not yet known whether an application will be submitted.
* PLANS are in the pipeline for an extension to the Warwick services on the M40.
The Welcome Break Group has applied for permission to construct a single storey extension for food and beverage use at the site. The application is likely to be considered in the coming months.
Northgate Street was described by historian Alec Clifton-Taylor as ‘the finest eighteenth century street in the Midlands’. (s)
