Plans to transform Parade in Leamington have taken a step forward after councillors voted to transfer money ring-fenced for improvement schemes towards the project.

The Leamington Transformation Board, made up of representatives from Warwickshire County Council, Warwick District Council, and Royal Leamington Spa Town Council, opened up an engagement exercise on its emerging Parade Masterplan at the start of June.

Part of the masterplan includes exploring options to remove vehicular traffic from Parade, with 24/7 exceptions for emergency vehicles, and for delivery vehicles at certain times.

At a recent Warwick District Council Cabinet meeting, councillors voted to transfer £2.5m of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding – money paid into the council by property developers specifically to pay for infrastructure improvements – to fund the next stage of design work, as well as the next stage of the existing improvement scheme at Bath Street.

The details of the Parade designs are yet to be finalised due to the engagement exercise not being completed until Monday 28 July.

The Board will take the public's feedback into account before creating final versions of the designs.

Cllr Chris King, Portfolio Holder for Place at Warwick District Council, said: "Whatever the first steps of the project look like, it's great that funds have been set aside to pay for the design work involved.

"It is a positive step which shows that Warwick District Council is committed to playing its part in improving Parade for years to come.

"And using CIL funding means the council is not using money from other areas to pay for the improvements, as the money comes directly from developers and is set aside for projects such as this."

The Leamington Transformation Board is continuing to encourage more people to share their views through its the engagement exercise, which has already seen hundreds of responses.

The Leamington Transformation Board is continuing to encourage more people to share their views through its the engagement exercise

"Although we're almost at the end of the engagement exercise, we'd still like as many people and organisations as possible to share their views," Cllr King added.

"The more responses we receive, the more informed the final plans will be."

The aim of the project is to increase the number of people using Parade and the time they spend there, boosting the local economy.

As part of the plans, buses that currently stop at the top of Parade could be re-routed to convenient alternative stops nearby. Modelling work is underway to find the best alternatives.

New trees, planting, seating and cycle infrastructure are set to be included in the design, which will also prioritise accessibility for those with disabilities.

A new town square next to the Town Hall is also included in the plans, and could be used for community events, entertainment, and markets.

Anyone wishing to respond to the survey should visit here.