Kenilworth
Cobalt Estates (Kenilworth) Ltd, in joint venture with Discovery Properties, acquired Talisman Square shopping centre Kenilworth, Warwickshire in 2003. The shopping centre is at the heart of the town centre of Kenilworth and has seen little change since it was originally constructed nearly 40 years ago. It is anchored by Waitrose, Boots, WH Smith, Dolland & Aitchison, Clarks and Costa Coffee stores.
Since 2003 Discovery Properties have been working to improve the scheme and planning consent was given for a major redevelopment and refurbishment of Talisman together with the development of a major new foodstore for Waitrose and 300 space decked car park on the site of the existing car park and adjoining youth centre in April 2006.
Work started on the construction of a new Youth Centre in the Abbey End Car Park in 2006, which completed in spring 2007, enabling the development of the new Waitrose to start in the autumn of 2007 and refurbishment of the shopping centre to commence in that October. The Waitrose was completed and opened in July 2008 and the shopping centre refurbishment was finished in spring 2009. At that time the centre changed its name to just ‘Talisman’. Since then a series of minor works have been carried out including the division and extension of the former Woolworths to create two new units, one of which has been let to WH Smith.
The next phase of the scheme will involve the demolition of the north side of the centre which will be replaced by a temporary car park pending its redevelopment for a number of larger units. The current programme anticipates most of the construction work being undertaken in 2011.