Not really - the station is, believe it or not, listed. However, developers have been buying land around the station for a project that'll see a multi storey car park built OVER the railway line, 1000 apartments, plus offices & employment developments for 5,000 jobs.

Now if anyone's been around Coventry Station, there's NOT an awful lot of land around there. I can only assume the current tatty looking offices in the area will be demolished - although I'm not sure what they'll do with "Station House" (A very Mies Van Der Roh style tower that seems to double as a telecoms tower judging by the huge number of aeriels and satellite dishes on it.) The area is an area that has been marked as being for high-rise development in the local Development Plan. So that means we'll see more Mid-Rises there, no doubt:-)

No timetable as yet, just rough plans. Part of the "selling" point is the 69 minute train ride to London from the station.

Probably include new access roads to the station. Which is probably good, as it's currently a bloody nightmare.

Martin,

This is an area on the periphery of Coventry's CBD which has needed an injection of life for some time. I can only hope it's not over-developed, as the area is relatively small. Let's hope that Station Tower (180 ft, 18 storeys) is redeveloped/reclad as part of the plan, although I actually think it's a pretty decent tower as it is. Some kind of relflective glass recladding would look pretty good next to modern, well-designed mid-rises, especially so close to the glass mid-rise on the opposite side of the ringroad.

If they're really building 1000 apartments (1000 ????) on the edge of the ringroad, then this, methinks, could cause a few traffic problems....

Martin,

This is an area on the periphery of Coventry's CBD which has needed an injection of life for some time. I can only hope it's not over-developed, as the area is relatively small. Let's hope that Station Tower (180 ft, 18 storeys) is redeveloped/reclad as part of the plan, although I actually think it's a pretty decent tower as it is. Some kind of relflective glass recladding would look pretty good next to modern, well-designed mid-rises, especially so close to the glass mid-rise on the opposite side of the ringroad.

If they're really building 1000 apartments (1000 ????) on the edge of the ringroad, then this, methinks, could cause a few traffic problems....

Overdeveloped? Park Court (Hotels, Offices, Apartments & Retail & Leisure) is being built the other side of Warwick Road [No news on WHAT is being built, or what it'll look like]. Warwick Road is already jammed up usually down onto the ringroad...

Yeah, it's a pretty grotty area. Oddly placed as well, with all those large old hpouses surrounding it.

Coventry is so under-rated.

Aerial view of Coventry station (http://www.webbaviation.co.uk/coventry/5576.htm)

Over the road from the station there was a large ugly building. It's now been demolished (see link - empty space to the left of the picture).
Does anybody know if anything is planned for that space?

I think the first thing they should do is to turn the underpass at the island (near the white building) into a tunnel and place a square on top so there is a good pedestrian link with the rest of the city centre. Coventry suffers the problem that Brum had - the ring road forms a barrier to the city core.

Aerial view of Coventry station (http://www.webbaviation.co.uk/coventry/5576.htm)

Over the road from the station there was a large ugly building. It's now been demolished (see link - empty space to the left of the picture).
Does anybody know if anything is planned for that space?

If you mean the old tax office, then it's being turned into (Apparently) a mixed development of apartments, hotels, offices, retail, etc.

I have seen a company advertising a "seminar" for investors for apartments on this site (370 in total), and when I went onto the website it said only 40 were left. Hmmm. As far as I know, no planning application has been put in for this site, and as they're building 2 hotels behind the Belgrade Theatre, and converting Telecom Tower into a Ramada, I wonder if there's any need for two more!

I also notice that the old "Eclipse" nightclub is being demolished next to the ringroad. It's slap bang next to a former industrial site that had a proposal for 3 blocks of Student apartments (I think they were supposed to two 14 storeys and 1 20 storeys.)

I think the first thing they should do is to turn the underpass at the island (near the white building) into a tunnel and place a square on top so there is a good pedestrian link with the rest of the city centre. Coventry suffers the problem that Brum had - the ring road forms a barrier to the city core.

White building? Ah, that funny office block. I see what you mean.

There was a plan to turn most of it into surface level roads, but the new Tory council have ruined that. They _want_ the ringroad, despite it being constantly repaired, ugly and bloody horrible to drive on!

The old council had some very ambitious plans that would virtually double the size of the city centre, but the new idiots are just ruining everything.

If you mean the old tax office, then it's being turned into (Apparently) a mixed development of apartments, hotels, offices, retail, etc.

Yep, that's the one. Cheers!

The old council had some very ambitious plans that would virtually double the size of the city centre, but the new idiots are just ruining everything.

"Come to Coventry, Unlike Birmingham we kept our artifically tiny and circular Town Centre" - That'll get the crowds in!

I had to drop my brother off in Coventry the other week, and i know the city abit but i normally go in by train and hadn't experience the joys of its ring rd system, i couldn't believe it when i saw it, biggest bag of shit i've ever seen really locking in the town centre, and so confusing to navigate!!

But i really like the development by the transport museum looks beautiful at night.
Anyone got any photos?

those ticket barriers at the station are annoying, for such a busy station to have only four is a joke

I use Cov station every day and all it needs is a re-clad and internal clean up because the long slabs that intersect each other and overlap are ok. The Station Tower is having it's lobby fitted out now and the rest could again do with a clean-up / re-clad.

Looks like things are happening in Coventry.



Westbury chosen to build for Coventry Sep 29 2005
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::






Housebuilder Westbury Homes has beaten off stiff competition to be named as the preferred developer on a £300 million plan to transform the North-east quarter of Coventry.

Over the next ten years, with partners Bovis Homes and Keepmoat, Westbury will provide more than 3,000 new and refurbished homes, including 1,000 for social rent and 200 to 250 for affordable home ownership, as well as roads, open spaces and play areas.

Their appointment followed months of rigorous assessment by the Masterplanning Partnership, made up of Coventry New Deal for Communities, a Government funded, community- led initiative aimed at improving neglected and disadvantaged areas,Whitefriars Housing Group and Coventry City Council.



Story continues




Nigel Fee, Westbury's deputy chief executive, said yesterday: " We're naturally delighted to be chosen to deliver this exciting regeneration scheme.


"The selection panel commented that our proposed plans best reflected their community's vision for the future and we very much look forward to putting these plans into practice."


He added: Our success in achieving preferred developer status is a vote of confidence in Westbury's ability to work in partnership with the public sector.


"Schemes such as this will complement our growth strategy for our core private housebuilding business."


Westbury currently employs around 1,500 staff, 100 at the company's headquarters in Cheltenham.

wow! /\

i agree cov station needs a desperate revamp, highrise developmest has been hinted for the sight with a plan similar to that f belgrade plaza, park coart and the phoenix innitiative, i cant wait to see the final desighs when released:):)

Any news on when that might be?

I use Cov station every day and all it needs is a re-clad and internal clean up because the long slabs that intersect each other and overlap are ok. The Station Tower is having it's lobby fitted out now and the rest could again do with a clean-up / re-clad.

Coventry station is listed. Believe it or not!

"Come to Coventry, Unlike Birmingham we kept our artifically tiny and circular Town Centre" - That'll get the crowds in!

Alas, it doesn't seem to keep the Chavscum ouit. I'm all for rebuilding the medieval city wall in a 21st century style.:)

Hi Martin (et al), its-a-been a-long-a-time (over a year) since I last contributed, so its good to be back to see what's going on in the Sky Blue City of my youth.... which I have'nt had the chance to revisit for some time now.

Some questions to fill my void of ignorance......

1) Has the city really secured £800m for the Swanswell Initiative ? If so, when is work due to start and will this involve dismantling part of the ringroad system ? Is Swanswell Pool being substantially deepened to allow for an urban marina, to be linked to the nearby canal basin ?

2) Has a date been set for the airport's new terminal now that Warks CC appeal has failed ?

3) What's the story on the Albert & Victoria buildings/City Arcade, which were already 20 years past their sell-by date when I left the city in the late-80s ?

4) When is Cathedral Lanes going to get the A-bomb treatment it deserves ?

5) What's the story with a potential new tower going up near the fomer BT tower (now Ramada) ?

Sorry folks, loads of questions, I really must keep up-to-date on these things........ lazy sod I am.

Martin, I know you're not originally from the city, but you're doing a sterling job keeping us all up to date on developments on the city which I think we all have a love-hate relationshi:wink2: p with......

In answer to some of your questions i can suggest the following;

1) The Ring Road will most likely not be lowered. You have to consider the land underneath it is unstable and apparently 'swamp like' so this is why it was built elevated in the first place. Secondly if you remove the elevated section from junction 4 - junction 1 the entire city will jam up - dont ask me to tell you why cos its secret info!!

2) No idea about this one!

3) City Arcade will stay roughly as it is, but there are plans for some urban design works to take place around the IKEA development leading people more naturally into and out of the main ahopping area. There is a new planning application in for i think the Victoria buildings, ask at Civic Centre 4 in town to see it.

4) Cathedral Lanes is terrible i agree, but the private investment company who own it are unlikely to let go of it for a small affordable amount of money to allow for its demolition!

5) The new tower at the BT tower site is still with Planning i believe, the application is also at Civic Centre 4.

On the subject of the Ring Road - i personally love it and think its the savour of the city centre, without it the whole area would be constantly congested as we all know how much the Coventry locals love their cars.
Just removing one section, as said previously, would bring most of the city for around 2-3 miles outwards to a standstil!!

Hello, Scazmattaz! :hi:

Hi Martin (et al), its-a-been a-long-a-time (over a year) since I last contributed, so its good to be back to see what's going on in the Sky Blue City of my youth.... which I have'nt had the chance to revisit for some time now.

Some questions to fill my void of ignorance......

1) Has the city really secured £800m for the Swanswell Initiative ? If so, when is work due to start and will this involve dismantling part of the ringroad system ? Is Swanswell Pool being substantially deepened to allow for an urban marina, to be linked to the nearby canal basin ?

2) Has a date been set for the airport's new terminal now that Warks CC appeal has failed ?

3) What's the story on the Albert & Victoria buildings/City Arcade, which were already 20 years past their sell-by date when I left the city in the late-80s ?

4) When is Cathedral Lanes going to get the A-bomb treatment it deserves ?

5) What's the story with a potential new tower going up near the fomer BT tower (now Ramada) ?

Sorry folks, loads of questions, I really must keep up-to-date on these things........ lazy sod I am.

Martin, I know you're not originally from the city, but you're doing a sterling job keeping us all up to date on developments on the city which I think we all have a love-hate relationshi:wink2: p with......


Don't really know what's going on with Swanswell, although I doubt anything interesting will happen there - they've built some atrocious apartment blocks where the old Eclipse used to be. Ghastly looking things. Last I heard was they were not going to lower the ringroad... So we're stuck that monstrosity. (I have to drive on it every day to get to work, and hate it.) That whole area of the city is very depressing, especially around the elevated ringroad. I'd be amazed if it ends up being anything other than a horrible bunch of cheap buildings with a flyover through it - the area's filled with cheap warehouses already... So it won't spoil a dump!

One of those ugly buildings near the City Arcade has been demolished, but sadly the city arcade is still there. Not that I go into Coventry much - I've pretty much come to the conclusion that the local folk like ugliness and rubbish, and boy, they've got a lot of it. We (Like most folk in the southern suburbs) tend to avoid the centre like the plague - we go elsewhere these days for shopping/socialising, usually Leamington. The shopping precinct is so depressing and dire these days. It's not a nice place. It sort of makes you feel a bit grubby.

Airport has won permission for the its temporary terminal, but there's just been a public enquiry for a new permanent one... No result yet.

Not sure what's happening with "Butt's Apartments" - the council's planning portal changed to a new system and I can't get it to load anything up anymore... So I gave up looking! I think the recommendation for the apartments was to grant permission... at least that's what it said on the committee report I read a few months back. A new application appeared for Victoria buildings on the site. I'm sure I saw a plan for this area, but it was a dismal building.

The council had all these grand plans, but a lot of them seem to have died. The Phoenix initiative now has empty buses rumbling through it, and there's a ghastly new bingo hall down the road from it... Not to mention the useless bus station. The new Square is looking shabby already and seems to be filled with kids and litter. Pretty dismal and deserted. I've sort of reached the conclusion that Cov folk just don't want anything of quality. They want discount stores, warehouses, supermarkets & dual carriageways... They're welcome to it! The council made a complete mess of the high street as well - it looks like it's been redone by a bunch of schoolkids. It'd be funny if they hadn't spent so much money on it.

This may explain why Coventry's "retail footprint" is so pathetic it's no surprise they can't get anything better than Primark to open up in the City. Our local "newspaper" had a plea from someone in CV1 (The folk who "run" the city centre - where? Into the ground?) asking people in the wealthy suburbs to start using the city centre... Pathetic, really. The 11th largest city in the UK being ranked below small towns for retail. Ikea isn't going to help.

Hey El Paulo!

the station redevelopment by Cannon Kirk will be called FriarGate, and will be 3 million sq/f. The masterplan by Terry Farrel will be complete by February 2007. Just thought i would update the thread.

Thanks for the info Jags - that's a huge scheme by any standards! :)

yea its huge, the good thing is is that its going to be mixed use so should become a good transport and office hub for the city, theyre also showcasing at MIPIM along with the belgrade plaza development, Park Court, which Cannon Kirk have bought to link with the station area (i presume). There was some new a few months ago that they were going to create a giant skyway over the ring road to link the station better to the city centre and that it would be lined with shops and apartments, not sure if this will happen though. Terry Farrel are the architects so im hoping it will be an iconic development.

yea its huge, the good thing is is that its going to be mixed use so should become a good transport and office hub for the city, theyre also showcasing at MIPIM along with the belgrade plaza development, Park Court, which Cannon Kirk have bought to link with the station area (i presume). There was some new a few months ago that they were going to create a giant skyway over the ring road to link the station better to the city centre and that it would be lined with shops and apartments, not sure if this will happen though. Terry Farrel are the architects so im hoping it will be an iconic development.

What do you reckon to that comment on iccoventry forums about a 30+ storey building on "park side"? I notice there's no response to my query as to whether or not they're confused with "Park Court", which isn't 30+.

I think the Skyway idea across the ringroad is a good idea. I hope it happens. There's certainly scope for it round there. I always thought that one way of reducing the ringroad's effect would be to build around it so it becomes a road through built up areas, rather than an isolated road through dead ends.

There has been some talk of building over the ring road junction to improve the pedestrian links and remove the pedestrian subways, and the mention of a remodelled junction to form a 'priority junction'.
It was spoke about as if these only exist in London at current and are a new concept - thus I have no idea what a 'priority junction' is - any ideas?

Also not strictly station related but the lease for Waterstones in Cathedral Lanes is up for grabs; this is after the HMV / Waterstones group specifically stated they would not close either store since the Ottakers has been rebranded, however it is to be expected i guess.

There has been some talk of building over the ring road junction to improve the pedestrian links and remove the pedestrian subways, and the mention of a remodelled junction to form a 'priority junction'.
It was spoke about as if these only exist in London at current and are a new concept - thus I have no idea what a 'priority junction' is - any ideas?

A priority junction is one that gives priority to one traffic flow, I think... Like those things where one side of the road has to stop and give way to the other side. Although how you'd apply it to the ringroad is beyond me! Removing that ghastly mess of subways around there would be good. Building over the ringroad strikes me as a good idea.

Also not strictly station related but the lease for Waterstones in Cathedral Lanes is up for grabs; this is after the HMV / Waterstones group specifically stated they would not close either store since the Ottakers has been rebranded, however it is to be expected i guess.

I wonder how long that'll stay empty. Or if there's any other type of bargain store that could move in?

Not that I actually use either of those stores. It's either Amazon or Borders for me. Waterstones ceased to be a decent bookshop about 10 years ago.

I notice they've started cleared the land around Telecom Tower (Ramada) and fenced off the area nearest the dual carriageway where Butts Apartments are going to be. (The 8 storey bit facing the dual carriageway.)

I notice they've started cleared the land around Telecom Tower (Ramada) and fenced off the area nearest the dual carriageway where Butts Apartments are going to be. (The 8 storey bit facing the dual carriageway.)

/\/\ really? didnt notice lol
do you have a link or renders of the butts appartments?

Its a shame that Park Court has been bought up and is being redesigned, i quite liked the look of it and the tower would have created another focal point for the City Centre. I imagine the new design will be much less imposing.

Its a shame that Park Court has been bought up and is being redesigned, i quite liked the look of it and the tower would have created another focal point for the City Centre. I imagine the new design will be much less imposing.

I thought it was OK. Nothing special. Over on iccoventry forums, someon reckons the new design is going to be 30+ storeys. I'll believe it when I see it. Given that the person in questions thought it was "Park Side", I don't trust what they say!

I hope the redesign is a little more striking.

PS: I'm currently on the tiny island of Malta, and round the corner from where we're staying is a big blue Skyscraper! I believe it's part of the Malta Hilton.

Wow, i haven't been to Malta since i was 10 and that was about 13 years ago! Can you get a picture of it MartinN?

I thought it was OK. Nothing special. Over on iccoventry forums, someon reckons the new design is going to be 30+ storeys. I'll believe it when I see it. Given that the person in questions thought it was "Park Side", I don't trust what they say!

I hope the redesign is a little more striking.

PS: I'm currently on the tiny island of Malta, and round the corner from where we're staying is a big blue Skyscraper! I believe it's part of the Malta Hilton.

If that were true, that would be amazing news for Coventry. Coventry really needs that.

Enjoy Malta :happy:.

Wow, i haven't been to Malta since i was 10 and that was about 13 years ago! Can you get a picture of it MartinN?

I got one - Malta's pretty good. Visited all the neolithic temples and various citadels. Incredible history for such a small island.

When are they going to start work on the station? Does anyone have a link to the plans/design of the Redevelopment.

Many thanks

No its all still confidential at the moment, theres a lot of stuff to sort out with the plans and some obvious short-comings but i would imagine by Easter there will be some official public plans released.

No its all still confidential at the moment, theres a lot of stuff to sort out with the plans and some obvious short-comings but i would imagine by Easter there will be some official public plans released.

they should be finished by the end of February, but apparantly they are show casing as MIPIM along with belgrade plaza.

As they replan the rail station area a new bus station should be incorporated into the design It would allow seamless intergration between rail and bus services and with the covering of the adjacent ring road it shouldn't be much of a walk from the city centre.

I read in last weeks Times freesheet that one of the city councilors was worried about the look off the bus station compared to how smart the rest of Millennium Place. His idea was to remove the Graco/Roman style enterence facade. I was tempted to write in stating that turds can't be polished. I would be happy to spend a weekend "improving" the bus station using a sledge hammer. Would anyone care to join me?

I think you should do it. Short and succinct! :yes:

As they replan the rail station area a new bus station should be incorporated into the design It would allow seamless intergration between rail and bus services and with the covering of the adjacent ring road it shouldn't be much of a walk from the city centre.

I read in last weeks Times freesheet that one of the city councilors was worried about the look off the bus station compared to how smart the rest of Millennium Place. His idea was to remove the Graco/Roman style enterence facade. I was tempted to write in stating that turds can't be polished. I would be happy to spend a weekend "improving" the bus station using a sledge hammer. Would anyone care to join me?

I think the replan for the station area is going to include a "transport interchange" for buses and taxis (And the new Bus Rapid Transit thingy).

I hate the bus station. It looks terrible. They should demolish that, the gala bingo, the Sainsbury's and then Priory Hall and the old DeVere hotel.

Hello there, I was wondering if anyone could be of help to me. I'm an Art Student at the University and we are looking to find some alternative spaces in the city (eg. empty shops, warehouses etc.) which we can use as exhibition spaces to display our work to the public.

The reason I'm posting here is that everytime I walk past the Station Tower foyer I think to myself 'That would be a great place to put some work up in!'. Currently it really isn't an attractive welcome to the city and I think that potentially it could be used to advertise Coventry in a much more positive way.

I have contacted the council with regards to finding alternative spaces but I was wondering if anyone here had any advice or contacts that may be of use -any suggestions are welcome. Thanks :)


P.S. I lived in Priory Halls and they are as distgusting on the inside as they are on the out!

Hello there, I was wondering if anyone could be of help to me. I'm an Art Student at the University and we are looking to find some alternative spaces in the city (eg. empty shops, warehouses etc.) which we can use as exhibition spaces to display our work to the public.

The reason I'm posting here is that everytime I walk past the Station Tower foyer I think to myself 'That would be a great place to put some work up in!'. Currently it really isn't an attractive welcome to the city and I think that potentially it could be used to advertise Coventry in a much more positive way.

I have contacted the council with regards to finding alternative spaces but I was wondering if anyone here had any advice or contacts that may be of use -any suggestions are welcome. Thanks :)


P.S. I lived in Priory Halls and they are as distgusting on the inside as they are on the out!

I lived in Priory Hall in 1989, and it was disgusting then.

The station area is about to be redeveloped, including that tower block, so it may not be open for long.

You seem to get art exhibitions in that glass building on Gosford Street - the one opposite Browns. Browns also have student artwork up, as do pubs like the Beer Engine.

Have you tried contacting the Herbert Art gallery? Or Warwick Uni arts centre? Doesn't the art building have its own gallery?

The thing is, the council don't own the shops, so you'd have to deal with CV ONE or whoever owns them - they'd certainly want paying.

Good luck!

I lived in Priory Hall in 1989, and it was disgusting then.

The station area is about to be redeveloped, including that tower block, so it may not be open for long.

You seem to get art exhibitions in that glass building on Gosford Street - the one opposite Browns. Browns also have student artwork up, as do pubs like the Beer Engine.

Have you tried contacting the Herbert Art gallery? Or Warwick Uni arts centre? Doesn't the art building have its own gallery?

The thing is, the council don't own the shops, so you'd have to deal with CV ONE or whoever owns them - they'd certainly want paying.

Good luck!

Thanks for the reply, we have approached the Herbert (who own the glass box gallery) but its booked up for almost a year so theres no chance of using that. We have approached the council to see if they can put us in contact with any other organisations who could supply a venue as the council is involved ina strategic arts policy so hopefully they may come up trumps for us.

We just wanted a venue which we could transform from drab and dull into something more inspirational for the public to engage with for a small period of time. Hence my posting here, I thought that it would be interesting to see if we could get some support from the regeneration initiatives so for a change us scrounging, drunken student layabouts could give something back to the city :)

We just wanted a venue which we could transform from drab and dull into something more inspirational for the public to engage with for a small period of time. Hence my posting here, I thought that it would be interesting to see if we could get some support from the regeneration initiatives so for a change us scrounging, drunken student layabouts could give something back to the city :)

The whole of Coventry is pretty Drab and dull.:) It can be your canvas!:)

/\/\ lol very true, coventry needs a complete facelift...did i just say that?...what was i thinking, sorry guys, i shall try to say more practical sugestions next time;)

iv heard that a few companies have moved into the station towers refurbished offices, im not sure who but there are a few which suggests its going to stay as it is. i hope it gets reclad though, its a mess outside.

Yeah they could well be keeping it, and i totally agree that and the other 60/70s block near Friars house will need a complete re-clad to fit in with the rest of the development.

This snow sucks!

iv heard that a few companies have moved into the station towers refurbished offices, im not sure who but there are a few which suggests its going to stay as it is. i hope it gets reclad though, its a mess outside.

It's going to be very odd round there, with this big commercial development and slap bang next to it a couple of streets of residential houses!

yea i kind of agree, but they are all predominantly used as offices for small business, so it could be a benefit to them, the development would offer a new sense of prestige to the area and could also offer high quality office space to them, it could also be a catalyst to improve their businesses by increasing the number of people that are based at the station.

yea i kind of agree, but they are all predominantly used as offices for small business, so it could be a benefit to them, the development would offer a new sense of prestige to the area and could also offer high quality office space to them, it could also be a catalyst to improve their businesses by increasing the number of people that are based at the station.

yeah seems like good news, then again, any news of tearing down or even revamping that s**thole (excuse the french) is great news for me!:) :) :banana: :cheers:

thats true but as martin said we cant just have anything anymore we need worldclass planning to compete for business and the economy.

It's going to be very odd round there, with this big commercial development and slap bang next to it a couple of streets of residential houses!

well not really, the gherkin is right next to a huge residential area in the city, in fact on one side is the new development on bishopsgate residential in the middle and the gherkin on the other side and it works really well i think. but in cov those houses are predominantly used for business.

well not really, the gherkin is right next to a huge residential area in the city, in fact on one side is the new development on bishopsgate residential in the middle and the gherkin on the other side and it works really well i think. but in cov those houses are predominantly used for business.

yeah but whatever design they come up with for the station i think they should try to make it fit in with the surroundings-something coventrys buildings do not do and have never done...

yeah but whatever design they come up with for the station i think they should try to make it fit in with the surroundings-something coventrys buildings do not do and have never done...

Coventry poses certain problems with making stuff fit in due to its medieval heritage, and this is somethng that posed a problem after war and influenced the decision to get rid of a lot of the surviving streets of old cottages. The city had grown and the scale of new buildings was far beyond the scale of the older stuff. The Cathedral was originally going to rebuilt in Gothic style, but they decided against this as it wouldn't look right amongst the modern buildings that made up the city centre.

They need something that usable by people. Somewhere people can live, work engage in recreational activities. This is more important that the size and scale of the buildings. The most important aspect is what happens after 5:30 when Coventry currently becomes a ghost town. It needs some focal point that draws people in for the evenings - not just Coventry people, but people from the surrounding towns. Cov's already got areas of chain bars and restaurants, and doesn't need anymore. They need to do something very different here!

Coventry poses certain problems with making stuff fit in due to its medieval heritage, and this is somethng that posed a problem after war and influenced the decision to get rid of a lot of the surviving streets of old cottages. The city had grown and the scale of new buildings was far beyond the scale of the older stuff. The Cathedral was originally going to rebuilt in Gothic style, but they decided against this as it wouldn't look right amongst the modern buildings that made up the city centre.

They need something that usable by people. Somewhere people can live, work engage in recreational activities. This is more important that the size and scale of the buildings. The most important aspect is what happens after 5:30 when Coventry currently becomes a ghost town. It needs some focal point that draws people in for the evenings - not just Coventry people, but people from the surrounding towns. Cov's already got areas of chain bars and restaurants, and doesn't need anymore. They need to do something very different here!

so what are you suggesting? any ideas anybody? how about an snowdome lol or a 3D cinema, or, if the government allows it, i think the best way coventry could drawn thousands into the city, would be a super-casino...

so what are you suggesting? any ideas anybody? how about an snowdome lol or a 3D cinema, or, if the government allows it, i think the best way coventry could drawn thousands into the city, would be a super-casino...

God im glad no-where around here has the super-casino; thankgod Manchester have it and it can worsen their deprivation problems. All the locals they interviewed said they would have a 'tipple' in the casino. Its gonna be a disaster for that housing estate.

so what are you suggesting? any ideas anybody? how about an snowdome lol or a 3D cinema, or, if the government allows it, i think the best way coventry could drawn thousands into the city, would be a super-casino...

Something like a decent music venue would be good, but there's no point as Cov has Warwick Arts centre and the Ricoh Arena has a venue. Cinema is already elsewhere...

Snowdome... Yeah. Sealife Centre?

Casino would recycle local cash.

^^Or launder it... ;)

See the official thread in the main Projects and Construction Area - looks like this is starting this year.

Coventry Telegraph Today:

"THE mammoth regeneration of the area near Coventry railway station could lure more than 500 Civil Service jobs to the city.

A huge office complex will be at the heart of the Friargate project, which takes in land on both sides of Warwick Road, between the station and the ring road.

Developer Cannon Kirk is submitting plans for a major office building at the eight hectare (19 acre) site to mark the initial phase of the scheme.

The 130,000sq ft building, which would be on the site of the old tax offices off Warwick Road, is aimed at attracting government organisations such as the Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA), which is due to move from London to Coventry in autumn 2008.

The move by the QCA - which maintains and develops the national curriculum, tests and examinations - would bring about 550 jobs to Coventry.

The scheme aims to regenerate the rundown area around the station as well as derelict land near Central Six retail park.

The revamp will create apartments, shops, a hotel, bars, and offices.

Cannon Kirk aims to start the first phase of the scheme this summer and finish by summer next year.

Michael Broughton, chief executive of Cannon Kirk UK, said the submission of the planning application for the first phase "demonstrates our commitment to attracting large-scale government occupiers who, following the recent Lyons review... have already begun the process of relocation".

He added: "It is crucial that we get the development process under way so that we are able to accommodate their employees when they move."

Plans for part of the scheme, on the site of the former tax office and Quicks Rover dealership, have already been approved.

The full site master-plan will provide transport links between the railway station, buses and taxis, with 600 car parking spaces for rail commuters.

Improvements to the subways and a new footbridge across the ring road are also mooted."

Only thing to be concerned about (as a colleague advised me earlier) is the AXA development has office space to QCAs requirements in their new building. This also requires a pre-let before its built.

Additionally the planning application for Belgrade Plaza also includes office space of the same quality and roughly size!!! So we are gonna have a problem by the looks of it unless they drum up some more companies interested in city centre office space (the out-of-town stuff is nearly full and very popular).

Coventry Telegraph Today:

"THE mammoth regeneration of the area near Coventry railway station could lure more than 500 Civil Service jobs to the city.

A huge office complex will be at the heart of the Friargate project, which takes in land on both sides of Warwick Road, between the station and the ring road.

Developer Cannon Kirk is submitting plans for a major office building at the eight hectare (19 acre) site to mark the initial phase of the scheme.

The 130,000sq ft building, which would be on the site of the old tax offices off Warwick Road, is aimed at attracting government organisations such as the Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA), which is due to move from London to Coventry in autumn 2008.

The move by the QCA - which maintains and develops the national curriculum, tests and examinations - would bring about 550 jobs to Coventry.

The scheme aims to regenerate the rundown area around the station as well as derelict land near Central Six retail park.

The revamp will create apartments, shops, a hotel, bars, and offices.

Cannon Kirk aims to start the first phase of the scheme this summer and finish by summer next year.

Michael Broughton, chief executive of Cannon Kirk UK, said the submission of the planning application for the first phase "demonstrates our commitment to attracting large-scale government occupiers who, following the recent Lyons review... have already begun the process of relocation".

He added: "It is crucial that we get the development process under way so that we are able to accommodate their employees when they move."

Plans for part of the scheme, on the site of the former tax office and Quicks Rover dealership, have already been approved.

The full site master-plan will provide transport links between the railway station, buses and taxis, with 600 car parking spaces for rail commuters.

Improvements to the subways and a new footbridge across the ring road are also mooted."

Only thing to be concerned about (as a colleague advised me earlier) is the AXA development has office space to QCAs requirements in their new building. This also requires a pre-let before its built.

Additionally the planning application for Belgrade Plaza also includes office space of the same quality and roughly size!!! So we are gonna have a problem by the looks of it unless they drum up some more companies interested in city centre office space (the out-of-town stuff is nearly full and very popular).

If you look at the development planned for London Road, they originally included offices but removed them due to the lack of demand in Coventry.

It is a bit worrying that 3 developments may all be chasing the same 500 jobs.

Shame Park Court won't be happening. I imagine the office on that land will be a bland two storey office block now.

If you look at the development planned for London Road, they originally included offices but removed them due to the lack of demand in Coventry.

It is a bit worrying that 3 developments may all be chasing the same 500 jobs.

Shame Park Court won't be happening. I imagine the office on that land will be a bland two storey office block now.

Nah it'll be between 5 and 9 i recon.

I learnt today aswell that the people who own Central Six have a covenant on the surrounding land which means you have to be able to see Central Six from the Warwick Road. This explains why the Virgin Carpark next to Central's carpark hasn't been developed!! - what a load of cr*pshite its rediculous!!!

Nah it'll be between 5 and 9 i recon.

I learnt today aswell that the people who own Central Six have a covenant on the surrounding land which means you have to be able to see Central Six from the Warwick Road. This explains why the Virgin Carpark next to Central's carpark hasn't been developed!! - what a load of cr*pshite its rediculous!!!

That's crap. Park court was 19! The tower bit of that looked good, as well. Typical for Cov - something interesting mooted, then it all collapses... I reckon it'll be a cheap a nasty office block, not unlike the one that was demolished two years ago!

Central Six is another rubbish development.

That's crap. Park court was 19! The tower bit of that looked good, as well. Typical for Cov - something interesting mooted, then it all collapses... I reckon it'll be a cheap a nasty office block, not unlike the one that was demolished two years ago!

Central Six is another rubbish development.

Well the word on the street is that if the QCA choose somewhere else to move to then Park Court may go ahead again, and it wasn't designed for a budget hotel but an upmarket one - Jurys Inn / Marriot!! - i think we should get Park Court back after hearing that!!! :bash:

Well the word on the street is that if the QCA choose somewhere else to move to then Park Court may go ahead again, and it wasn't designed for a budget hotel but an upmarket one - Jurys Inn / Marriot!! - i think we should get Park Court back after hearing that!!! :bash:

This all sounds so much like Coventry. Park Court looked OK and the sort of mixed development the city needs, but it's been canned on a whim based on this *possible* office development... End result will no doubt be a cheap office development instead of Park Court... And that might even end up empty.

As I've been saying - been here before. This is just so Coventry.

I'm sure that Martin will perk up when the bundle of joy is born!!

I'm sure that Martin will perk up when the bundle of joy is born!!

If I have the time!:) (Thanks for the congrats earlier on, it got lost amongst the moaning)

I'm sure that Martin will perk up when the bundle of joy is born!!

oohh are you expecting a new family member Martin?
kids are nightmares, but they give you the motivation to get up in the morning lol

Kids epitomise optimism!!! Try saying that after a few pints!! When I get back to the UK I'm going to pop over to Cov and see a mate of mine and have a nosey around.

This all sounds so much like Coventry. Park Court looked OK and the sort of mixed development the city needs, but it's been canned on a whim based on this *possible* office development... End result will no doubt be a cheap office development instead of Park Court... And that might even end up empty.

As I've been saying - been here before. This is just so Coventry.

Park court will go ahead as planned, im sure of it.

Oh and congrats Martin on the baby.

Park court will go ahead as planned, im sure of it.

Oh and congrats Martin on the baby.


I can't see how if they're building a large office complex on the site....

I can't see how if they're building a large office complex on the site....

office space was always part of the complex, its just a small part of it including bars and restaurants, its a 9acre site and 130000sq ft building wouldnt need that much space unless it was only going to be 2 floors which i very much doubt.

office space was always part of the complex, its just a small part of it including bars and restaurants, its a 9acre site and 130000sq ft building wouldnt need that much space unless it was only going to be 2 floors which i very much doubt.

It wouldn't surprise me if it was 2 floors. Scazmattaz seems to think Park Court has bitten the dust as well ^^ And they're submitting a new application for the site.

It wouldn't surprise me if it was 2 floors. Scazmattaz seems to think Park Court has bitten the dust as well ^^ And they're submitting a new application for the site.

im a little confused, because i was looking at buying an apartment on the site, when i went to enquire about it i was told they had all been sold and thats at least 300 apartments, which kind of suggests that the residential scheme will still happen as they already have deposits paid, they did offer people theyre money back because the development was going to be delayed by a year.

Who said they were going to submit a new planning application? They already have consent for a mixed use high density development that has already sold most of its resi aspect why would they downgrade it to just an office building? it wouldnt make financial sense.

im a little confused, because i was looking at buying an apartment on the site, when i went to enquire about it i was told they had all been sold and thats at least 300 apartments, which kind of suggests that the residential scheme will still happen as they already have deposits paid, they did offer people theyre money back because the development was going to be delayed by a year.

Who said they were going to submit a new planning application? They already have consent for a mixed use high density development that has already sold most of its resi aspect why would they downgrade it to just an office building? it wouldnt make financial sense.

The article in the telegraph said that they were submitting a new application for the office development. I don't really know what's going on anymore.

the article says that the planning app for park court has been approved and will start in the summer, it says it will create a hotel, bars and restaurants and apartments.

the article says that the planning app for park court has been approved and will start in the summer, it says it will create a hotel, bars and restaurants and apartments.

Scazmattaz might know more, but Park Court covered ALL the site, so they must be making changes to it.

Scazmattaz might know more, but Park Court covered ALL the site, so they must be making changes to it.

is it not covering the whole site now?

Am I right in thinking that Friars Gate is the name for the station redevelopment and that the developers behind this have bought the site of the old tax offices (which is known as Park Court) meaning that both are now part of one big scheme, presumably Friarspark Gatecourt?

Am I right in thinking that Friars Gate is the name for the station redevelopment and that the developers behind this have bought the site of the old tax offices (which is known as Park Court) meaning that both are now part of one big scheme, presumably Friarspark Gatecourt?

yep thats right, apart from the funky name.

is it not covering the whole site now?

They're just building an office block...
Wait and see when the application goes in...

There's a rough picture of "Friargate" in the Coventry Observer tonight.

It's big. It takes in Park Court, the whole station area and appears to show Warwick Road running straight into the city centre.

Park court is DEFINITELY not on the model, and the development takes in the land currently occupied by Burger King/Car Parks and butts right up the railway. Looks like there's at least one high rise - perhaps 20 floors, plus a few mid rise.

anyone post any pics, would be great to see whats happening in coventry

There's a rough picture of "Friargate" in the Coventry Observer tonight.

It's big. It takes in Park Court, the whole station area and appears to show Warwick Road running straight into the city centre.

Park court is DEFINITELY not on the model, and the development takes in the land currently occupied by Burger King/Car Parks and butts right up the railway. Looks like there's at least one high rise - perhaps 20 floors, plus a few mid rise.

yes, it looks to be definate that Park Court HAS been redesigned, shame that, i was really starting to imagine a better coventry looking at the old designs...

saying that, the picture shown in the observer doesnt give much of a negative appeal, the 2 prominantly taller buildings shown look a good, decent size, but what i was really hoping for in the station redesign was for the station to be more accessable, more out-in-the-open and BIGGER, things that the picture doesnt give much of an impression of. But before i say that i would rather wait and see proper renders of the final design, lets just hope we have something promising for the city here...

anyone post any pics, would be great to see whats happening in coventry


Try this. Might be large.

http://i6.tinypic.com/479xjih.jpg

The coloured stuff is all the new buildings.

It looks like the railway line both sides of the road will be BUILT over (Yellow). Flanking the road look to be two towers, perhaps between 15-20 storeys, and next to this is a tower that looks to be at least 20 - appears a lot taller than the 14 storey little tower by the station. From the station, an avenue leads down to Greyfriar's Green, which looks like it'll be connected to the new development directly - no subways.

It seems that maybe there's some alterations to the ringroad junctions and the access to the station.

Looks very big - I'd say the whole area is about the size of Nuneaton town centre, perhaps larger. In fact it's hard to take in just how big the site is.

Looks like Park Court is definitely gone - replaced by a much larger development that sits at interesting angles!

yes, it looks to be definate that Park Court HAS been redesigned, shame that, i was really starting to imagine a better coventry looking at the old designs...

saying that, the picture shown in the observer doesnt give much of a negative appeal, the 2 prominantly taller buildings shown look a good, decent size, but what i was really hoping for in the station redesign was for the station to be more accessable, more out-in-the-open and BIGGER, things that the picture doesnt give much of an impression of. But before i say that i would rather wait and see proper renders of the final design, lets just hope we have something promising for the city here...

If you look at the station, you can see that there's a road leading from the station right towards what is now the roundabout... So people will be able to come out of the station and head down this road straight into Greyfriar's green and then into the city centre. Warwick Road looks to go straight on as well, no more horrible junction?

I think it looks impressive... If it happens.

If you look at the station, you can see that there's a road leading from the station right towards what is now the roundabout... So people will be able to come out of the station and head down this road straight into Greyfriar's green and then into the city centre. Warwick Road looks to go straight on as well, no more horrible junction?

I think it looks impressive... If it happens.

lol now i see that pic a bit better i can see more of the good point of the project, true, the project looks good and if this goes ahead it could lead to bigger projects accross the city, and it is a great idea to build over the railway.

So do you think the tallest building in that project could rival Coventry's current tallest in height? maybe even bigger than park court...who knows.../\/\those designs are only at stage one at the moment so anything could change

btw martin, you have said a possitive thing about Coventry LOL
i think martin is extra impressed by this heehee;):):cheers:

is it not covering the whole site now?

If you're refering to the footprint of the new building thats been in the press; it is indeed smaller than the whole Park Court area, however other buildings will make up the rest of the old 'Park Court' site.

I went to the public meeting on this this evening and it all looks quite good; very basic masterplanning at the moment and there may be serious issues with the TA; but i must say im looking forward and excitedly to what happens next! :)

If you look at the station, you can see that there's a road leading from the station right towards what is now the roundabout... So people will be able to come out of the station and head down this road straight into Greyfriar's green and then into the city centre. Warwick Road looks to go straight on as well, no more horrible junction?

I think it looks impressive... If it happens.

Yeah that road linking the frontage to warwick road is a bus only access for all the bus services and Sprint.

The car access will be from the opposite side (eastern side) aswell as the new taxi ranks.

Tonight the public / councillors / council workers / developers discussed the linkages, use of open space, possible 'zoning' (land-use) areas and where each type should be focused. They are VERY serious about this development bringing 25,000 jobs and we will have 4 virgin trains to london an hour by 2010. This will be a huge milestone.

John McGuigan also outlined city-wide aspirations which would see the current inside-ringroad area jobs total of 25,000 rise to 100,000; my thinking possibly by 2010/2015.

Mind boggling figures!! :nuts:

lol now i see that pic a bit better i can see more of the good point of the project, true, the project looks good and if this goes ahead it could lead to bigger projects accross the city, and it is a great idea to build over the railway.

So do you think the tallest building in that project could rival Coventry's current tallest in height? maybe even bigger than park court...who knows.../\/\those designs are only at stage one at the moment so anything could change

btw martin, you have said a possitive thing about Coventry LOL
i think martin is extra impressed by this heehee;):):cheers:

I am taken aback by the size of this development. It looks like a lot of buildings and a cluster of mini towers...

The tower near Park Court (What would have been) looks quite large.

Yeah that road linking the frontage to warwick road is a bus only access for all the bus services and Sprint.

The car access will be from the opposite side (eastern side) aswell as the new taxi ranks.

Tonight the public / councillors / council workers / developers discussed the linkages, use of open space, possible 'zoning' (land-use) areas and where each type should be focused. They are VERY serious about this development bringing 25,000 jobs and we will have 4 virgin trains to london an hour by 2010. This will be a huge milestone.

John McGuigan also outlined city-wide aspirations which would see the current inside-ringroad area jobs total of 25,000 rise to 100,000; my thinking possibly by 2010/2015.

Mind boggling figures!! :nuts:

25,000 jobs is an incredible figure. Now I can see where they're going to put them. Building over the railway is a good idea.

The model in the picture looks like an early idea of the massing and heights of buildings and where buildings can be built. I don't think we will end up some of the triangular buildings the model suggests.

Looks really impressive though even if the two current towers at the station are retained (the middle and right hand side pink buildings), presumably with some major reclading.

Does this mean Coventry will have no Burger King's?

The triangular buildings to me are the most interesting aspect of the development - as they create access that leads towards the crossing over to Greyfriar's Green.

This means that when approaching from Greyfriar's green, the development should look interesting, and also forms a natural route to Central Six/Earlsdon/Spencer Park as well as the route from the station. This hopefully means it'll have decent footfall and not be like many of Cov's developments that suffer in that respect.

It might actually at last make Greyfriar's green into a real feature, linked to this new development. It looks like - at last - something that goes somewhere.

If they did this I reckon it'd be a city scene that would make many other cities in the UK jealous! It also looks as if it'd create a fair amount of street frontages.

It's also worth pointing out that this development isn't far from Butts Apartments, which itself in the middle of an area that's already had two apartment blocks built, and the Butts College development.

25,000 jobs is an incredible figure. Now I can see where they're going to put them. Building over the railway is a good idea.

The plans are definately not to build over the railway, sorry guys! That yellow block is a little misleading tbh but its still a huge development.

The plans are definately not to build over the railway, sorry guys! That yellow block is a little misleading tbh but its still a huge development.

Ah, so they ditched this idea... I remember them talking about it years ago. Still a good idea... Plenty of free space.

Ah, so they ditched this idea... I remember them talking about it years ago. Still a good idea... Plenty of free space.

Yeah should be awesome, plus they are going to demolish the Burger King, JJB and Golf shop to make way for larger buildings with a street-scene!

Burger King should have never have closed their city centre store; idiots lol.

Yeah should be awesome, plus they are going to demolish the Burger King, JJB and Golf shop to make way for larger buildings with a street-scene!

Burger King should have never have closed their city centre store; idiots lol.

It's no great loss. Shame they couldn't continue and demolish central six. What a horrible place that is! I'm more interested in how this will link up with the rest of the city centre...

It's no great loss. Shame they couldn't continue and demolish central six. What a horrible place that is! I'm more interested in how this will link up with the rest of the city centre...

We were also very interested in this point, and everything everyone did last night pointed toward working on the links first, and the development second.
We were also concerned about pedestrians having to cross the new ring road junction at surface crossings. This is an improvement from any subways / bridges but the traffic volumes and the assumption that all cars heading to Lower Precinct / The Market carpark will HAVE to use Junction 6 as Junction 7 will only be for IKEA and Skydome (which i think is a great idea nevertheless) may be a cause for concern.

Apprently footfall will rise from roughly 500 people/hour walking between the station and the city core, at peak times, to 5,000 by 2010.

Well if there are any further public meeting type things ill let everyone on here know and you can come along!

I was actually quite amazed last night that i made a comment about something and a Coventry resident agreed with me!!!! Made me feel really special lol. :tyty:

Up to 5000 people an hour trying to cross the ringroad at surface level by the station should interesting.

We were also very interested in this point, and everything everyone did last night pointed toward working on the links first, and the development second.
We were also concerned about pedestrians having to cross the new ring road junction at surface crossings. This is an improvement from any subways / bridges but the traffic volumes and the assumption that all cars heading to Lower Precinct / The Market carpark will HAVE to use Junction 6 as Junction 7 will only be for IKEA and Skydome (which i think is a great idea nevertheless) may be a cause for concern.

Apprently footfall will rise from roughly 500 people/hour walking between the station and the city core, at peak times, to 5,000 by 2010.

Well if there are any further public meeting type things ill let everyone on here know and you can come along!

I was actually quite amazed last night that i made a comment about something and a Coventry resident agreed with me!!!! Made me feel really special lol. :tyty:


Interesting to see the ringroad is still a cause for concern. I suppose the station's location - between fairly decent residential areas and the ringroad - is not ideal and creates restrictions on space. I still think IKEA is going to cause huge problems, and if they're talking about re-routing traffic around the ringroad to get to certain parts of the precinct... Ugh. It's already confusing enough with most of the roads into Coventry being dead ends or going nowhere...

They don't publicise these meetings, and I imagine the only people who turn up are the "usual" suspects who are anti-everything and think Coventry is York. I can imagine a few of the "Coventry Society" folk will be up in arms at the scale and mass of this development. They seem to object to everything (And their "sarcastic" letters I've read on the planning portal verge on the insulting).

Up to 5000 people an hour trying to cross the ringroad at surface level by the station should interesting.

It certainly should be. Ringroad presents two choices: traffic or pedestrians. Giving priority to traffic makes it a physical barrier to pedestrians, and as we've seen over the years causes areas to decline and reduces footfall in the city centre's outer streets. Surface level crossings could jam up the ringroad. It seems that there's no real way to make it suitable for both, and the road itself is too big for such a small area it encloses.

Interesting to see the ringroad is still a cause for concern. I suppose the station's location - between fairly decent residential areas and the ringroad - is not ideal and creates restrictions on space. I still think IKEA is going to cause huge problems, and if they're talking about re-routing traffic around the ringroad to get to certain parts of the precinct... Ugh. It's already confusing enough with most of the roads into Coventry being dead ends or going nowhere...

They don't publicise these meetings, and I imagine the only people who turn up are the "usual" suspects who are anti-everything and think Coventry is York. I can imagine a few of the "Coventry Society" folk will be up in arms at the scale and mass of this development. They seem to object to everything (And their "sarcastic" letters I've read on the planning portal verge on the insulting).

Well you'd be VERY surprised to hear that the people who were quite obviously general public (residents) are very keen on this development and want as many office jobs as possible - in fact id go as far to say that as long as the accessibility between the station and city core is improved significantly then they frikking love it! :banana:

They don't publicise these meetings, and I imagine the only people who turn up are the "usual" suspects who are anti-everything and think Coventry is York.

I think they are worried that if all the residents turn up there wont be enough room; as there were around 90 people anyway; things wont be discussed in the 'workshop' (which is what it was!) environment effectively and it'll get out of hand. Thats what usually happens at completely public meetings and things never progress so to be honest i think it was a good thing it wasn't well publicised.

Everyone who was there was a major stakeholder pretty much, mainly people from different parts of the council who specialise in different fields and then there were the developers and some resi's aswell; but all the issues are quite clear to most of us - so i doubt they missed out on much / any imput that would have been helpful. I honestly believe that it'd turn into a residents event to bash the council if it wasn't conducted in this manner.

Well you'd be VERY surprised to hear that the people who were quite obviously general public (residents) are very keen on this development and want as many office jobs as possible - in fact id go as far to say that as long as the accessibility between the station and city core is improved significantly then they frikking love it! :banana:

Wow... All you usually get is comments from people complaining about.

Office jobs would be good. The only other alternative is to leave for another city... Something I'm facing in the near future, as there are no local jobs. I may have to move south.

I think they are worried that if all the residents turn up there wont be enough room; as there were around 90 people anyway; things wont be discussed in the 'workshop' (which is what it was!) environment effectively and it'll get out of hand. Thats what usually happens at completely public meetings and things never progress so to be honest i think it was a good thing it wasn't well publicised.

Everyone who was there was a major stakeholder pretty much, mainly people from different parts of the council who specialise in different fields and then there were the developers and some resi's aswell; but all the issues are quite clear to most of us - so i doubt they missed out on much / any imput that would have been helpful. I honestly believe that it'd turn into a residents event to bash the council if it wasn't conducted in this manner.

Is there a timetable for how this is going to progress? I know they want to start the office development ASAP.

Wow... All you usually get is comments from people complaining about.

Office jobs would be good. The only other alternative is to leave for another city... Something I'm facing in the near future, as there are no local jobs. I may have to move south.

I have the same issue on many fronts; jobs in Birmingham dont pay as well as Coventry; i like to move cities / places a LOT anyway; there aren't many vacancies in this area; most of the jobs are in Manchester / London.

I am hoping to live in London for a few years once i hit 25 anyway so i've decided that id direct myself in that orientation. Plus a lot of my since uni mates lives there now and have amazing lives (and get paid huge amounts grrr) so i wanna experience that aswell if its possible.

Is there a timetable for how this is going to progress? I know they want to start the office development ASAP.

Phase 1 planning application in a few weeks, will probs be in the press when its revealed.

Phase 1 will be a catalyst to the rest of the development.

And we need not dispair about Park Court - This is meant to have a 4/5* hotel as part of the development. They have no interest in Travelodge / Ibis style hotels atall, and the residents and stakeholders made it clear these would not be acceptable nor aid in enliving the area.

the plans look fantastic, im shocked at the scale of them, i hope they happen very quickly.
On the hotel front, the reason Radisson Edwardian are opening in the city centre is because they do a lot of government contract work i.e. better room rates and good conference facility rates. They have realised the potential of the lyons report and decided this is the best place, from what i am aware of it is the closest city to london in the report, so bradford was pretty much out of the question.

Park court looks to have been redisigned your rite but it actually looks bigger. The plans to me also look as if they take in the houses that are next to the development. is this right?

I have the same issue on many fronts; jobs in Birmingham dont pay as well as Coventry; i like to move cities / places a LOT anyway; there aren't many vacancies in this area; most of the jobs are in Manchester / London.

I am hoping to live in London for a few years once i hit 25 anyway so i've decided that id direct myself in that orientation. Plus a lot of my since uni mates lives there now and have amazing lives (and get paid huge amounts grrr) so i wanna experience that aswell if its possible.


That was my plan, except when I finished my doctorate ended up being offered a job in Coventry! It turned out OK, as the girlfriend worked here (Now wife) and I knew the place from Uni days. Still have lots of Uni friends in the city as well.

Not many jobs in my area in the region - more in Cov/Warwick than Brum.

so from looking at the plans the park court tower has just been shifted to the left on top of the burger king in central six, the tower on the corner im guessing will be staying then(the one that fronts park court)

so from looking at the plans the park court tower has just been shifted to the left on top of the burger king in central six, the tower on the corner im guessing will be staying then(the one that fronts park court)

It's completely different to Park Court - Park court had the tower opposite the existing 14 storey thing (The white tower) and then a courtyard behind that. From what I remember the retail/restaurant area ran parallel to Warwick Road. This new design is far better with diagonal roads leading away from the open space over the ringroad.

This plan is actually completely the opposite to the stuff by Corbusier that inspired much of Coventry's rebuilding - it's got angles in it and diagonal roads meeting.

This would really stand out on the skyline of the city - it's on a hill - and would create a fairly impressive looking cluster of buildings.

oh ok yea it will be impressive, i just hope it gets built as planned, otherwise it will just be another waste of time, the link into the city centre is the main thing that needs to be done.

oh ok yea it will be impressive, i just hope it gets built as planned, otherwise it will just be another waste of time, the link into the city centre is the main thing that needs to be done.

The link is important. If it works, it may show that the ringroad needn't be the barrier it has become.

The link is important. If it works, it may show that the ringroad needn't be the barrier it has become.

Well Leicesters ringroad is at surface level all the way round (i think) and we could work with something like that, as long as they complete the 'outer ring-road' across the wedge and upto junction 3 of the M6.

Well Leicesters ringroad is at surface level all the way round (i think) and we could work with something like that, as long as they complete the 'outer ring-road' across the wedge and upto junction 3 of the M6.

I remember when that was canned! I was a student at the Poly.

I remember when that was canned! I was a student at the Poly.

John McGuigan is determined to get it built now! Shame they'll never finish the North-South road though.

John McGuigan is determined to get it built now! Shame they'll never finish the North-South road though.

I think it's a good idea. It'd help my commute and mean I don't have to use the centre of the city.

Is the North->South road the continuation of the A444 to the A45? Surely this isn't needed, as there's the outer ringroad that does the same route? (Just in a roundabout manner)

i hope the new outer ring road gets built, but, according th the council, they would only think about even considering to build it if the cities population increases to a number of near 400,000...

I think it's a good idea. It'd help my commute and mean I don't have to use the centre of the city.

Is the North->South road the continuation of the A444 to the A45? Surely this isn't needed, as there's the outer ringroad that does the same route? (Just in a roundabout manner)

Yeah it was meant to go from the Binley RToad Roundabout to Whitley Interchange, hence why the whitley interchange fly-over is so high up and theres a large central reservation between the carriageways of the A46 as you come into Cov.

The housing quota for Coventry is most likely going to be 40,000+ so the population increase will def happen as far as i can see.

Yeah it was meant to go from the Binley RToad Roundabout to Whitley Interchange, hence why the whitley interchange fly-over is so high up and theres a large central reservation between the carriageways of the A46 as you come into Cov.

The housing quota for Coventry is most likely going to be 40,000+ so the population increase will def happen as far as i can see.

I drove through Whitley today, and notice there's a lot of spare land round there - in fact it looks like an area that could be redeveloped, especially aroundt he depot & the supermarket.

Could Cov be a "dark horse" in city stakes?

I drove through Whitley today, and notice there's a lot of spare land round there - in fact it looks like an area that could be redeveloped, especially aroundt he depot & the supermarket.

Could Cov be a "dark horse" in city stakes?

the spare land will probably just be turned into another cluster of tiny terraced houses for more drug dealers and immigrants to move into, this is what coventry does all the time, saying that i wouldnt be surprised if they changed their way of thinking now they have come up with their exciting (for once) designs for the train station area...

the spare land will probably just be turned into another cluster of tiny terraced houses for more drug dealers and immigrants to move into, this is what coventry does all the time, saying that i wouldnt be surprised if they changed their way of thinking now they have come up with their exciting (for once) designs for the train station area...

That's not true. Coventry has problem estates, but they're isolated, the reasons they are problematic is historical - the estates were built for the factories that have now gone.

Nowadays they seem to be more interested in Mixed developments.

yes, but surely coventry has enough mixed development designs going around already, they should try something new

yes, but surely coventry has enough mixed development designs going around already, they should try something new

When I say "mixed", I mean a mixture of housing - it's an attempt to create mixed communities rather than end up with sink estates.

Presumably they will at some point have to buy out or CPO the various business's and the block of flats around the station.

Come to think of it haven't they just a built a new multi-story car park behind the British Transport Police building? Is this to be included in the future plans? I can't see it in the model.

John McGuigan is determined to get it built now! Shame they'll never finish the North-South road though.

It would certainly be a job trying to put a duel carriageway through from Toll Bar island to the bottom of Phoenix way even with the Peugeot site redevelopment. Not impossible, just very time consuming and expensive.

Actually.... does anyone know if the Humber Road realignment through the site is duel carriageway? I just wondered if they would 'future proof' it if the council still had long term plans.

Presumably they will at some point have to buy out or CPO the various business's and the block of flats around the station.

Come to think of it haven't they just a built a new multi-story car park behind the British Transport Police building? Is this to be included in the future plans? I can't see it in the model.

I thought Cannon Kirk - the developers - had bought a lot of the land already.

I thought Cannon Kirk - the developers - had bought a lot of the land already.

they have, they bought all the current buildings around the station and any other land that they needed bar the actual station itself.

It would certainly be a job trying to put a duel carriageway through from Toll Bar island to the bottom of Phoenix way even with the Peugeot site redevelopment. Not impossible, just very time consuming and expensive.

Actually.... does anyone know if the Humber Road realignment through the site is duel carriageway? I just wondered if they would 'future proof' it if the council still had long term plans.

Its going to be single carriageway. The traffic flows aren't that huge.

With regards to Toll Bar to Phoenix again the route is underused and people can get to junction 2 easily, or just use the new London Road right to the ring road. We dont want Coventry to end up like Milton Keynes! Its horrendous there!

Its going to be single carriageway. The traffic flows aren't that huge.

With regards to Toll Bar to Phoenix again the route is underused and people can get to junction 2 easily, or just use the new London Road right to the ring road. We dont want Coventry to end up like Milton Keynes! Its horrendous there!

Exactly... That road was planned in the 1940s, I believe... I can't see much need for it, and filling the city's suburbs with dual carriageways just poses more problems!

i thought id put this link in here as well, as MartinN as also put it on the
'Official Coventry developments thread' in the main area (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=374907&page=15)


:banana: :banana:

http://iccoventry.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/tm_headline=15-000-jobs-for-city%26method=full%26objectid=18717184%26siteid=50003-name_page.html
^^

Just found this website:

http://www.friargatecoventry.co.uk/

Notice the heavy "Coventry and Warwickshire" emphasis. As I always suspected, the city's relationship to Warwickshire is a good selling point.

I really do think the "office" aspect of this development could make a real difference in Coventry - it's something the city needs. At least they're not filled it up with apartment blocks!

This is looking really quite impressive. I also have to note that Cannon Kirk say Coventry has one of the shortest average journey times to work (presumably by car) due to its Ring Road which is 'the most efficient ring road in the country'!! Here here, finally someone has recognised how much of an asset it is, and 10 minutes for a city is incredible. I challenge any other city in the country to beat that, or even large town!

This is looking really quite impressive. I also have to note that Cannon Kirk say Coventry has one of the shortest average journey times to work (presumably by car) due to its Ring Road which is 'the most efficient ring road in the country'!! Here here, finally someone has recognised how much of an asset it is, and 10 minutes for a city is incredible. I challenge any other city in the country to beat that, or even large town!

I was stuck on the ringroad this week for 10 minutes. Does that count?

My travel to work time is between 20-30 minutes, and that's using the ringroad. The ringroad only constitutes a small part of my overall journey.

I'd rather have an attractive environment than a ringroad.

I was stuck on the ringroad this week for 10 minutes. Does that count?

My travel to work time is between 20-30 minutes, and that's using the ringroad. The ringroad only constitutes a small part of my overall journey.

I'd rather have an attractive environment than a ringroad.

Imagine if it wasn't there though and there were a series of junctions and streets you had to drive along to get to work, it'd easily add an extra 10 minutes onto your daily commute. We have to weigh up and pros and con and realise that no-one has the money to do anything with it, lol, so we are kinda stuck with it and need to adapt small sections to get the most we can from it.

When IKEA opens i think we'll be thankful that the traffic is stuck on the ringroad and not on the cities more central streets :nuts:

Come'on Martin lets be optimistic about the station scheme!!

There's been even more background mentions of a major retail development somewhere in the city, so that should also improve your spirits!

Imagine if it wasn't there though and there were a series of junctions and streets you had to drive along to get to work, it'd easily add an extra 10 minutes onto your daily commute. We have to weigh up and pros and con and realise that no-one has the money to do anything with it, lol, so we are kinda stuck with it and need to adapt small sections to get the most we can from it.

When IKEA opens i think we'll be thankful that the traffic is stuck on the ringroad and not on the cities more central streets :nuts:

I'd rather go on an outer ringroad. I only use the inner one because the road system around Coventry is so poor. I do get stuck at junctions and small streets - lots of them. My point is that the ringroad is a small part of the journey, and when it's jammed up (Which is frequent) I can be stuck at the ringroad exits for some time or in heavy traffic on Kenilworth road.

Adapting is good, but other cities without ringroads work. They are generally far better places, as well.

Come'on Martin lets be optimistic about the station scheme!!

There's been even more background mentions of a major retail development somewhere in the city, so that should also improve your spirits!


I am optimistic about it, mainly because it seems to involved private partners and isn't a lottery/council funded disaster like The Phoenix Initiative.

I've not heard any mentions of a retail development?!?

does anybody know if any renders have been releades? or when they will be?

does anybody know if any renders have been releades? or when they will be?

Planning application should be in this week i hope, ill keep my ears open at work and once i hear the word 'station' ill be looking at the plans instantiously through whatever means i can!!

Planning application should be in this week i hope, ill keep my ears open at work and once i hear the word 'station' ill be looking at the plans instantiously through whatever means i can!!

LOL! cheers, i really do hope this goes through, as then the station redevelopment will act as a huge boot to kick the other projects and plans into action in Coventry!

LOL! cheers, i really do hope this goes through, as then the station redevelopment will act as a huge boot to kick the other projects and plans into action in Coventry!

Yeh the fact Coventry are at MIPIM aswell will drum up support, and Coventry seems to be being recognised as a MAJOR dark-horse, developers are seeing at a way to make a huge profit (which is fine by me if they build more landmark schemes and stuff) as the land isn't that expensive and we were in the Barker review for London offices.

The only way is up.... baby... for you and me now.

Things are very optimistic. I hope the citizens start to feel this soon too.

Yeh the fact Coventry are at MIPIM aswell will drum up support, and Coventry seems to be being recognised as a MAJOR dark-horse, developers are seeing at a way to make a huge profit (which is fine by me if they build more landmark schemes and stuff) as the land isn't that expensive and we were in the Barker review for London offices.

The only way is up.... baby... for you and me now.

Things are very optimistic. I hope the citizens start to feel this soon too.

Have you been taking happy pills?
It does look exciting for the moment - Friargate reminds me of an area of Bournemouth that's near the city centre, but filled with new office developments - looks very impressive and makes it feel as if the place has a bit of life.

I suppose there is a lot of oppurtunities for redevelopment.

What's happend to those Friar's Road apartments? They'll be opposite Friargate which make that area look very dense.

Actually, I think one way to lessen the impact of the ringroad is to develop around it and effectively hide it.

Have you been taking happy pills?
It does look exciting for the moment - Friargate reminds me of an area of Bournemouth that's near the city centre, but filled with new office developments - looks very impressive and makes it feel as if the place has a bit of life.

I suppose there is a lot of oppurtunities for redevelopment.

What's happend to those Friar's Road apartments? They'll be opposite Friargate which make that area look very dense.

Actually, I think one way to lessen the impact of the ringroad is to develop around it and effectively hide it.

I have no idea, but all the apartments in the Central Six quarter of the 'city centre' do make the area quite dense. I feel sorry for the owner occupiers of the terrace houses around there, but we need to stuff them!

I have no idea, but all the apartments in the Central Six quarter of the 'city centre' do make the area quite dense. I feel sorry for the owner occupiers of the terrace houses around there, but we need to stuff them!

That's Butts Apartments... Friars Road is the one on the other side of the ringroad, next to the Tax Office. They got planning permission ages ago.

Erm, near to Friars House yeah? I dunno!! Are the properties that are there all boarded up? I did like the look of that scheme :o), was one i saw when i first moved here and thought 'cool!'.

Erm, near to Friars House yeah? I dunno!! Are the properties that are there all boarded up? I did like the look of that scheme :o), was one i saw when i first moved here and thought 'cool!'.

Yes, they're old Edwardian houses overlooking the ringroad, and they're boarded up... near Friars House, yes.

I have no idea about that one, its gone quiet. I think there were still issues with light and stuff and the effect of the tower on the surrounding houses... maybe they should just clear the whole area and start afresh.

I have no idea about that one, its gone quiet. I think there were still issues with light and stuff and the effect of the tower on the surrounding houses... maybe they should just clear the whole area and start afresh.

I thought they got the plan approved? At least it was recommended for approval. Those houses round there are cheap Edwardian terraces - not Victorian, as some people think. They're no loss. I think your idea is best. Start again.

Yes, they got approved last year, 14 december, so I doubt we'll see much action for a while.

http://planning.coventry.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=656968

This is another Farrells project:

http://www.terryfarrell.co.uk/projects/working/work_bp.html

Could Friargate be Coventry's miniature-Canary Wharf?

This is another Farrells project:

http://www.terryfarrell.co.uk/projects/working/work_bp.html

Could Friargate be Coventry's miniature-Canary Wharf?

Wow thats hot! Very hot! If only all men were as hot as some of these buildings ans schemes coming outta the woodwork lol. I think im still high!

Wow thats hot! Very hot! If only all men were as hot as some of these buildings ans schemes coming outta the woodwork lol. I think im still high!

Calm down, it's only glass and concrete...

Are there any other things planned for Cov aside from Friargate?

Calm down, it's only glass and concrete...

Are there any other things planned for Cov aside from Friargate?

No not yet but you should expect some more stuff to be made public next financial year (April 07-08).

Also the Binley Retail Park behind Morrisons is going to planning in the next month or so. I wont be happy if theres a NEXT and M&S there, but it seems there wont be.

No not yet but you should expect some more stuff to be made public next financial year (April 07-08).

Also the Binley Retail Park behind Morrisons is going to planning in the next month or so. I wont be happy if theres a NEXT and M&S there, but it seems there wont be.

In the Coventry Development Plan, Binley was supposed to have a "regional Centre", and I think it talked about a "mini high street" type of thing to complement Morrisons.

In the Coventry Development Plan, Binley was supposed to have a "regional Centre", and I think it talked about a "mini high street" type of thing to complement Morrisons.

I really think its gonna end up as a load of sheds, but thats being very pessemistic. Apparently theres apartments being incorporated in the scheme - not sure where they will fit in. Morrisons is at a funny orientation aswell so not entirely sure how it'll tie in. Be good for Morrisons though, and Tescos sucks so anything to help Morris is great news!

I really think its gonna end up as a load of sheds, but thats being very pessemistic. Apparently theres apartments being incorporated in the scheme - not sure where they will fit in. Morrisons is at a funny orientation aswell so not entirely sure how it'll tie in. Be good for Morrisons though, and Tescos sucks so anything to help Morris is great news!

Apartments & retail park? Odd... Maybe it will be a "high street" type of thing. That area certainly needs one. Some parts of Coventry could benefit from having High Streets - only Earlsdon and Ball Hill have them at the moment, but Ball Hill has gone downhill.

Jubilee Crescent in Radford has a high street feel.

Jubilee Crescent in Radford has a high street feel.

yes, but also has a feel of death, knives and the moving activity of a thugs arm, put all of these feelings caused by JC together, and, well, ill let you figure it out...LOL

Jubilee Crescent in Radford has a high street feel.

Jubilee crescent? That big round thing with the grass in the middle and a load of cheapy shops around it? It's a bloody bizarre place, that is - I only saw it for the first time a few years back. Just stuck in the middle of a huge sprawl of houses?

I suppose that is a "regional" centre, but I don't recall there being much there of note. Some friends of ours moved near there and managed to last about six months before they moved out... They hated it.

Jubilee crescent? That big round thing with the grass in the middle and a load of cheapy shops around it? It's a bloody bizarre place, that is - I only saw it for the first time a few years back. Just stuck in the middle of a huge sprawl of houses?

I suppose that is a "regional" centre, but I don't recall there being much there of note. Some friends of ours moved near there and managed to last about six months before they moved out... They hated it.

Foleshill Road has a high street feel about it, esp with all the high street banks located there as well.

Here we go...
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/8642/friargatele3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Here she is: This is the proposed building for the QCA; the the orange/yellow one on the masterplan.
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/5239/friargate2fq5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Here we go...
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/8642/friargatele3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Mmmm. Not sure I'm overly impressed. Nice street pattern, but it looks a bit like Cov Uni campus. No real landmarks. Lots of colour, though, and different styles, which can only be a good thing! Disappointed that there's nothing really spectacular there.

Should be a good place with proper streets & life in it, though.

I know what i mean, i think the issue is that the demand for office space outside of London isn't amazing at the moment so anything very large-scale wouldn't be viable.

Other than that i like how its a crazy sorta mish-mash - should encourage tourists and architects to visit Coventry i guess!

I know what i mean, i think the issue is that the demand for office space outside of London isn't amazing at the moment so anything very large-scale wouldn't be viable.

Other than that i like how its a crazy sorta mish-mash - should encourage tourists and architects to visit Coventry i guess!

The mish mash is the good aspect... I just wonder how it'll look in reality.

Is station Tower going? That drawing makes it look smaller than it currently is.

It's certainly better than what is there at the moment!

Update on those apartments near to Friars House that you mentioned MartinN. What with the AXA development and Belgrade certain to go ahead, both with amounts of residential (the latter a significant amount); there isn't the demand for these apartments at this point in time. Also with the development at Millenuim Square the market for apartments will be saturated. Expect it to reserge in maybe 4-12 months time or so - so its not all gloomy.

Update on those apartments near to Friars House that you mentioned MartinN. What with the AXA development and Belgrade certain to go ahead, both with amounts of residential (the latter a significant amount); there isn't the demand for these apartments at this point in time. Also with the development at Millenuim Square the market for apartments will be saturated. Expect it to reserge in maybe 4-12 months time or so - so its not all gloomy.

I thought as much.

Is AXA definitely going ahead?

I thought as much.

Is AXA definitely going ahead?

I would think so. AXA want more space anyway and the rest is resi and retailing, plus all this Ironmonger Square stuff - which consequently i think is a load of rubbish - is being pushed because of AXA, so something must be happening!

I would think so. AXA want more space anyway and the rest is resi and retailing, plus all this Ironmonger Square stuff - which consequently i think is a load of rubbish - is being pushed because of AXA, so something must be happening!

Ah, that's good news about AXA - I thought they were closing down departments.

I think office space and more office workers in Cov city is vital - the place is dead during the day.

Here we go...
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/8642/friargatele3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

:eek:

Wow! That looks great!

I know it is an early stage visualisation, but the planning looks very cohesive, and built up but not claustrophobic. There is some scope for great quality buildings there, and will surely spearhead regeneration.

Good work :)

From AJ Online:

http://www.ajplus.co.uk/Images/Articles/140307_Farrell.jpg

Terry Farrell unveiled his ambitious masterplan for the regeneration of an 8ha site around Coventry Station at a mock CABE design review at MIPIM this morning.

The Friargate scheme, which will create 200,000 million m2 of office space, 50,000 m2 of retail space and 750 homes on the plot south of the city, came under the scrutiny of the CABE commissioners at a public event to showcase the panel's work.

Backed by developer Cannon Kirk, the project aims to reconnect the Grade-II listed station with the city centre by 'decking over' part of Coventry's ring road – described as a restrictive 'concrete collar.'

A new public space outside the station and improved access through Friars Green were also mooted.

Project director Eugene Dreyer, who presented the scheme, admitted that 'major issues still need to be resolved' before the masterplan can get off the ground, including possible funding difficulties.

However, the proposals were generally applauded by the design review panel, which raised only a handful of questions about the possible impact of the shops on the city centre, the detailing, density and proposed uses.

Farrell said: 'This is an extraordinary opportunity for Coventry. For the first time in its history we are integrating the station with the city centre, and creating one of the most vibrant and walkable cities in Europe.'

It is hoped the first phase, including 13,000 m2 of office buildings, could be complete as early as autumn 2008.

Project director Eugene Dreyer, who presented the scheme, admitted that 'major issues still need to be resolved' before the masterplan can get off the ground, including possible funding difficulties.

Uh oh, I can see this being a HUGE problem.

I'm only half convinced this will happen.

There will always be funding difficulties. Everyone will want a slice of the action, but no-one will want to pay for the infrastructure.

your rite there is always difficulties with a project this size, but if it happens it will be amazing, maybe one of the best interchanges in the country, i can really see the city centre shifting south slighly, most people will want to eat, shop and relax here. A majority of business will relocate from the city centre to this area, meaning that swathes of units both retail and office will become available. This could be good however because it could force landlords to redevelop their properties and modernise them. We could also see SME's from birmingham and leamington relocating to take advantage of good transport links and good cheaper office space. The QCA will definitly be a catalyst to help liven the area up, if Cannon Kirk can show that the office space is letting it will show other potential occupiers that it is a fantastic location, for both private and public firms. One thing i like is the fact that they havent just filled the area with flats like most developments in cov have done, its a real mix concentrating on the office aspect.

Lets hope that it happens as planned, if its to be completed by 2010, its going to be a major facelift very quickly, meaning that its going to be funded by the banks and not by Cannon Kirk directly. I just hope the new access road is the first port of call, and that it is built to a good standard so it stands the test of time.

your rite there is always difficulties with a project this size, but if it happens it will be amazing, maybe one of the best interchanges in the country, i can really see the city centre shifting south slighly, most people will want to eat, shop and relax here. A majority of business will relocate from the city centre to this area, meaning that swathes of units both retail and office will become available. This could be good however because it could force landlords to redevelop their properties and modernise them. We could also see SME's from birmingham and leamington relocating to take advantage of good transport links and good cheaper office space. The QCA will definitly be a catalyst to help liven the area up, if Cannon Kirk can show that the office space is letting it will show other potential occupiers that it is a fantastic location, for both private and public firms. One thing i like is the fact that they havent just filled the area with flats like most developments in cov have done, its a real mix concentrating on the office aspect.

Lets hope that it happens as planned, if its to be completed by 2010, its going to be a major facelift very quickly, meaning that its going to be funded by the banks and not by Cannon Kirk directly. I just hope the new access road is the first port of call, and that it is built to a good standard so it stands the test of time.

Offices and retailing are very unlikely to relocate. There are no anchor stores in Friargate and as such high-street chains will be less interested in even considering this location. Even though the Precinct is not the most attractive of shopping areas you have Debenhams, Primark, Marks and Spencer, Woolworths, BHS, T.J.Hughes, Rooms and WHSmith all in that area, Friargate's planning doesn't allow for it to have large retail units, hence no anchor stores.

Most of the tenants that will take office space will be relocations, likely from outside of the West Midlands. This therefore has to be in the national lime-light and promoted nationally to make it a success.

Offices and retailing are very unlikely to relocate. There are no anchor stores in Friargate and as such high-street chains will be less interested in even considering this location. Even though the Precinct is not the most attractive of shopping areas you have Debenhams, Primark, Marks and Spencer, Woolworths, BHS, T.J.Hughes, Rooms and WHSmith all in that area, Friargate's planning doesn't allow for it to have large retail units, hence no anchor stores.

Most of the tenants that will take office space will be relocations, likely from outside of the West Midlands. This therefore has to be in the national lime-light and promoted nationally to make it a success.

When you first mentioned the retail, I assumed it'd be mainly coffee shops, smaller chains, snack bars, banks, etc... The sort of things that you get around office developments.

Relocations from outside the West Midlands is a good thing.

Yeh and you have to consider theres already about 30-40,000sqft of retail space in the area that will be removed so offset that and you have some banks and restaurants technically already included.

.... and thats excluding what will be taken at Central Six, which must be in the region of another 60,000 sqft which is being replaced. So 100,000sqft of the space will be replaced. Im not saying that these occupiers will then take units in the new Friargate retail element but there will be some reduction of existing space before more comes online.

Yeh and you have to consider theres already about 30-40,000sqft of retail space in the area that will be removed so offset that and you have some banks and restaurants technically already included.

.... and thats excluding what will be taken at Central Six, which must be in the region of another 60,000 sqft which is being replaced. So 100,000sqft of the space will be replaced. Im not saying that these occupiers will then take units in the new Friargate retail element but there will be some reduction of existing space before more comes online.

Shame they're not demolishing all of central six. I hate that place. What a cheap, nasty and horrible development that is.

Shame they're not demolishing all of central six. I hate that place. What a cheap, nasty and horrible development that is.

LOL Im getting the impression you dont like any out-of-town shopping parks?

LOL Im getting the impression you dont like any out-of-town shopping parks?

Nope. Horrible, ugly things. Gallagher retail park. Tell me what's good about that place. Once held the world's largest machine tool firm - now it's filled with downmarket chain stores and car parks.

Yeh and you have to consider theres already about 30-40,000sqft of retail space in the area that will be removed so offset that and you have some banks and restaurants technically already included.

.... and thats excluding what will be taken at Central Six, which must be in the region of another 60,000 sqft which is being replaced. So 100,000sqft of the space will be replaced. Im not saying that these occupiers will then take units in the new Friargate retail element but there will be some reduction of existing space before more comes online.

im not sure, i think you will see some business relocate to better office space from within the city, the only good quality space at the moment is the quadrant, and this is always full. Businesses are crying out for top office space in the city and at the moment have no option but to stay where they are. I have a friend who is looking at buying some old office stock in the city, but is having trouble finding anything of reasonable price, the old office stock is still very pricey even though it is of poor quality.

the Friargate development site has been updated.

www.friargatecoventry.co.uk

the Friargate development site has been updated.

www.friargatecoventry.co.uk (http://www.friargatecoventry.co.uk)

The illuminated picture looks incredible!

I hope they pull this off. It'll surely be one of the most incredible office/leisure developments in the UK... It looks so varied.

i love this development, the more i see it the more i love it.

There is an article in that free newspaper, the Coventry Times, saying the traders are peed off because the developers havent spoken to them about anything, there has been no consultation, apparantly one biz owner said they only way he had heard about it was when he saw the picture in the paper. I very much doubt this because the plan has been mooted for about a year and a half, maybe longer. Personally I think the developers will be ruthless and push it through anyway, which is what is needed.
One thing that i am amazed about is that they are looking to get the development completed by 2010, that only two and a half years, that 1.3m sq f a year at least. Thats fantastic. I think we may have a hit on our hands here. This coupled with Ikea, Belgrade plaza, the hopefull barracks shopping development, the sale of west orchards, and the road into the city centre from the station, also the two towers opposite ikea(which i think may not happen, because the amount of flats actually still on the market in the city centre). Amazing, we may actually have a good city centre bye 2010/11. Im actually quite excited to be honest.

Hopefully that model will soon be on display in Cov.

id love to see that, but i wonder how sucessful the MIPIM event was for the development, its been rather quite so far, usually they are talking about it and commenting on how good its been. I must have been the biggest cov has done far, seeing as it was attended by so many developers in cov. I wonder why the council have been so quite?

id love to see that, but i wonder how sucessful the MIPIM event was for the development, its been rather quite so far, usually they are talking about it and commenting on how good its been. I must have been the biggest cov has done far, seeing as it was attended by so many developers in cov. I wonder why the council have been so quite?


If it gets built - then we know it was a success! If it doesn't, then... Well, there's always warehousing.

lol, or just a giant extention to the pocket park with loads of tunnels.

Or a Tesco!

lol, yea but it would be the biggest tesco in the world. OOOOOOOOOHHHHH.

it should get built, the **** cant turn down an opportunity like this, its not like there will be another opportunity like this

it should get built, the **** cant turn down an opportunity like this, its not like there will be another opportunity like this

Yes... It's something that Coventry really does need - a large, central business area aimed at professionals. I'm just a bit concerned that the people who might work in such a place will not want to live in Coventry, or in the parts of Coventry that do not have a large supply of housing.

Its nothing to do with what the **** wants, its all to do with the market and private investment. If it falls through its cos of a lack of demand and if it does get built its cos there are occupiers who want space.

Its nothing to do with what the **** wants, its all to do with the market and private investment. If it falls through its cos of a lack of demand and if it does get built its cos there are occupiers who want space.


Exactly. This is why I have my doubts it'll go ahead. I don't see any real demand for property, business or retail in Coventry.

Exactly. This is why I have my doubts it'll go ahead. I don't see any real demand for property, business or retail in Coventry.

i think this project is one of those developments that are designed to bring in more demand into the city...

I know a mooted completeion date is 2010/11 but I assume this is for the first phase (presumably the old tax office site), otherwise 2/3 years is a very short space of time to construct every new building and the engineering on Warwick Rd and the ringroad. The Phoenix Initiative took a couple of years from start to finish and it was a much smaller project.

I know a mooted completeion date is 2010/11 but I assume this is for the first phase (presumably the old tax office site), otherwise 2/3 years is a very short space of time to construct every new building and the engineering on Warwick Rd and the ringroad. The Phoenix Initiative took a couple of years from start to finish and it was a much smaller project.

According to the friargate website, 2010 is the completion date.

"Due for completion in 2010, Friargate will also incorporate enhanced pedestrian access routes linking Coventry station to the rest of the city centre. It should take just 10 minutes to walk from one side of the city to the other, but there are..."

if 2010 is the completion date, than they had better get a move on to start digging! lol...

I know a mooted completeion date is 2010/11 but I assume this is for the first phase (presumably the old tax office site), otherwise 2/3 years is a very short space of time to construct every new building and the engineering on Warwick Rd and the ringroad. The Phoenix Initiative took a couple of years from start to finish and it was a much smaller project.

Thats what i thought, its very quick. It cant be the first phase because they want that completed by summer 08 so they can attract that gov agency.

Has planning permission gone in for this yet?

Not that i know of - ill ask around tomorrow.

Thats what i thought, its very quick. It cant be the first phase because they want that completed by summer 08 so they can attract that gov agency.

The Phoenix development took so long because of the archaeology - they spent a time doing all the digs, and then part of the development consisted of a lot of restoration of old stuff.

Modus is set to buy a large chunk of Coventry’s main shopping area for redevelopment. Modus is understood to be in advanced talks with Prupim to buy its West Orchards shopping centre.

This sounds very good, i hope this goes through very quickly so it links with all the new developments in the city, this is kind of what we have been waiting for. I will try and get the whole article from property week when i find my password.

The Phoenix development took so long because of the archaeology - they spent a time doing all the digs, and then part of the development consisted of a lot of restoration of old stuff.

Even without any similar digs it takes a good year at least to build and fit out a large office building and thats once the site is cleared. The Friargate model has 10-15 large buildings and they are not all gonna go up at once. The station, Warwick Rd and the ringroad will all need to be functional throughout construction. 2/3 years just seems a bit tight for a complete build.

Which building(s) will the government dept be occupying?

Even without any similar digs it takes a good year at least to build and fit out a large office building and thats once the site is cleared. The Friargate model has 10-15 large buildings and they are not all gonna go up at once. The station, Warwick Rd and the ringroad will all need to be functional throughout construction. 2/3 years just seems a bit tight for a complete build.

Which building(s) will the government dept be occupying?

I don't think the buildings at Friargate are that large, to be honest... Most of them look typical of the sort of stuff you get on out of town business parks, and seem to be mainly 4 floors only. Steel frames, glass walls... There's nothing huge or complex about any of it. It's not going to affect Warwick Road much, apart from when they do the ringroad aspect of it (Which I'd be surprised to see happen.)

Then again, it's taken them six months to pave the top of Far Gosford Street.

Modus is set to buy a large chunk of Coventry’s main shopping area for redevelopment. Modus is understood to be in advanced talks with Prupim to buy its West Orchards shopping centre.

This sounds very good, i hope this goes through very quickly so it links with all the new developments in the city, this is kind of what we have been waiting for. I will try and get the whole article from property week when i find my password.

http://www.modusproperties.co.uk/home.htm

Their "credits" are rather underwhelming.

one good aspect is that they specialise in retail centers, this can only be a good thing, they do have numerous shopping centers under their belt and most look ok. But im sure they will see the potential of the city centre, particlularly with all the investment happening at the moment. But for any retail to flourish in coventry they need to have a big anchor store other than debenhams.

one good aspect is that they specialise in retail centers, this can only be a good thing, they do have numerous shopping centers under their belt and most look ok. But im sure they will see the potential of the city centre, particlularly with all the investment happening at the moment. But for any retail to flourish in coventry they need to have a big anchor store other than debenhams.

They seem to specialise in fairly average shopping centres in pretty average places like Wakefield, Warrington and Wigan... Coventry already has retail better than these places...

Modus to rebuild Coventry

Modus is set to buy a large chunk of Coventry’s main shopping area for redevelopment. Modus is understood to be in advanced talks with Prupim to buy its West Orchards shopping centre.


30.03.2007

It is thought to be paying around £65m and has beaten Howard Holdings, among other bidders.

The shopping centre in Smithford Way makes up one arm of the city centre’s retail area that creates an intersection in the city centre.

Coventry’s top retail rents are around £170 zone A. An in-town multi-level Ikea store is due to open in the summer, comprising 230,000 sq ft (21,368 sq m) over six levels.

modus is well known for regenerating and redeveloping urban shopping areas such as Wakefield, Newport and Wigan, which opened last week.

West Orchards’ owner, Prupim, is selling the centre in addition to other retail properties, including the Mander Centre in Wolverhampton, which will be sold for around £150m.

Strutt & Parker is advising Modus; CB Richard Ellis is advising Prupim. None of the parties would comment on the purchase or on future plans.

Plans and drawings for Friargate Building One are now up on the planning portal.

http://planning.coventry.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=669995

im not sure if i actually like this building, its so basic and seems only about 4/5floors, i was expecting something abit more striking and a little taller maybe about 10/11 floors as it is rite opposite a large tower on a prominent corner.

They seem to specialise in fairly average shopping centres in pretty average places like Wakefield, Warrington and Wigan... Coventry already has retail better than these places...

i think a retail development in the city is desperatly needed to really sort the environment out and the actual retail offering itself, i think this coupled with the ikea could be a real catalyst to draw john lewis to the city. I know its a long shot but i think it could happen and i dont think modus would be stupid enough to miss out on an opportunity like this, they could potentially have to major anchor stores of john lewis and debenhams, with ikea around the corner. Its quite an exciting prospect(if it happens)

I had a look today at the old tax office site as someone had mentioned the appearance of site cabin. I think it might be some testing of the ground as there was a boring machine at work.

... as there was a boring machine at work.

How dull ;)

Baboomcher!

:lol:

lol, i wonder when the planning will get approved? It normally takes about 2 months rite?

I just hope that the building gets built so that it will actually be the start of the development overall, im not actually that keen on the building itself but i love the overall masterplan its fantastic.

lol, i wonder when the planning will get approved? It normally takes about 2 months rite?

I just hope that the building gets built so that it will actually be the start of the development overall, im not actually that keen on the building itself but i love the overall masterplan its fantastic.

I think the building will look good - it's got enough detail on it to prevent it looking boring.

i hope so, this development will completely change the cities fortunes if it is done properly and is sucessfull. The council must agree to build the linking road over the ringroad otherwise it will just fail, the station will still be isolated.

i hope so, this development will completely change the cities fortunes if it is done properly and is sucessfull. The council must agree to build the linking road over the ringroad otherwise it will just fail, the station will still be isolated.

This must surely be the key aspect - if you look at the masterplan, it appears to all point towards Greyfriar's Green.

I just hope the council don't chicken out again. They have to breach this ringroad. One of my best friends is an architect, and he thinks the ringroad is an absolute load of rubbish - he just says they need to have the guts to start dismantling it.

i hope so, this development will completely change the cities fortunes if it is done properly and is sucessfull. The council must agree to build the linking road over the ringroad otherwise it will just fail, the station will still be isolated.


the link road is definitely a crucial part of the masterplan and will be beneficial to the city. I was looking at the masterplan in more detail the othere day, it looks as though another road is also planed to be re-connected from the city center, i think it Friars road but im not to sure. if the re-connections of these roads become a success then im hoping the council will concider re-connecting otheres roads around the city center may be it could even make them rethink there descion on lowering the ring road, i know its a long shot but heres hoping.

i was on the coventry socienty website and came across this,

http://coventrysociety.org.uk/detail.asp?ArticleId=50

can you believe that they actually objected to the belgrade sq. plan.

How much of the old train station will be kept ?

If you take a look at the plans on friargate website you will see that the main station building remains the same shape. I was under the impression we would be getting a new train station? :dunno:

http://www.friargatecoventry.co.uk/masterplan.php


http://www.webbaviation.co.uk/coventry/_MG_5576.jpg

all of the station is staying, its grade 2 listed, but they hope to refurb it and bring it back to life. Personally i think its an eye sore, i like the full glazed sides on it though, it just needs a total overhaul really.

I cant believe that the coventry society want to actually keep the fountain outside the belgrade theater, they must be absolutely stupid, its a monstrosity.

How much of the old train station will be kept ?

If you take a look at the plans on friargate website you will see that the main station building remains the same shape. I was under the impression we would be getting a new train station? :dunno:

http://www.friargatecoventry.co.uk/masterplan.php


http://www.webbaviation.co.uk/coventry/_MG_5576.jpg

i guessing it will only get a revamp as it is a listed building.

Listed? :soapbox: Thought those flat roofed buildings were prone to leaking? I suppose that rules out having a snazzy new roof on it as well :(

i guessing it will only get a revamp as it is a listed building.


i think the developers/council have asked network rail to consider redeveloping the station inline with the surrounding masterplan developments.

I actually think the main station building is an asset to Coventry. It's a clean, simple design that brings in lots of natural light and is uncluttered with 'exciting retail opportunities'. Of course it could do with a good hose down but it would be a shame to loose this building. I think it's one post-war building in Coventry worth keeping.

I actually think the main station building is an asset to Coventry. It's a clean, simple design that brings in lots of natural light and is uncluttered with 'exciting retail opportunities'. Of course it could do with a good hose down but it would be a shame to loose this building. I think it's one post-war building in Coventry worth keeping.

I agree. I quite like the station. I think it's biggest problem is that it is too small and there aren't enough platforms.

This is a banner on display at the base of station tower. The buildings look a somewhat different from the Friargate website.

http://i8.tinypic.com/68bdws8.jpg

Interesting. That mock-up does look different to the masterplan. I do hope they are going to make the buildings look a bit more diverse- if they're all the same it'll look pretty bland!

I was reading the documents on the planning portal about the first Friargate building, and was surprised that it's 7 storeys high, and expected to house 1500 workers! That's a nice size for an urban area like that... Create a real sense of enclosure around the street.

I think this has the potential to do to Cov what Brindley Place and the ICC did for Brum - breach the inner ring road and expand the city centre. The fact that it connects the station to the city core is even better :)

I think this has the potential to do to Cov what Brindley Place and the ICC did for Brum - breach the inner ring road and expand the city centre. The fact that it connects the station to the city core is even better :)

Yes, it's looking good - I only have one major problem, and that's the lack of "venue" for entertainment. There should be some sort of attraction(s) there to keep the evening/weekend economy going.

I agree - it can be a little intimidating if you walk out of a rail station at 10pm and have to walk through a quiet office park.

Are there apartments there? Any leisure use like bar/restaurant?

I agree - it can be a little intimidating if you walk out of a rail station at 10pm and have to walk through a quiet office park.

Are there apartments there? Any leisure use like bar/restaurant?

Plenty of apartments and bars/restaurants, I believe - so that should help. Just a bit disappointing that they didn't use this to build a venue for the city - Cov must be the only city/large town in the UK not to have a music venue in the centre. (Warwick Arts Centre is excellent, but is 4 miles out!)

That masterplan looks like the original, so the buildings should be more diverse.

You'll be interested to hear that the QCA have chosen The Butts MCD Development and not this, belgrade plaza or axa.

AXA are about to merge with a rival company and will be sacking, and then taking on, a lot more staff in Coventry [this is only rumour but rumours tend to be partial truths!].

I love the way they have made the Masterplan look really green, and id like to see some solar panels and wind turbines on top of the buildings to really put Coventry in the limelight!

Theres an important meeting about the station with Network Rail next week so heres hoping things start moving on Phase 1 pretty soon.

MartinN is your surname Nike?

If so then im impressed you emailed with your support, im gonna do the same now.

That masterplan looks like the original, so the buildings should be more diverse.

You'll be interested to hear that the QCA have chosen The Butts MCD Development and not this, belgrade plaza or axa.

AXA are about to merge with a rival company and will be sacking, and then taking on, a lot more staff in Coventry [this is only rumour but rumours tend to be partial truths!].

I love the way they have made the Masterplan look really green, and id like to see some solar panels and wind turbines on top of the buildings to really put Coventry in the limelight!

Theres an important meeting about the station with Network Rail next week so heres hoping things start moving on Phase 1 pretty soon.

Very interesting that they've taken the Butts development. Does this jeopardize Friargate?

I'm quite pleased they've taken the Butts - it means the development will go ahead and may no lanquish like the rest of the developments seemed to be doing. That it's local to me has nothing to do with it.:)

I think the AXA thing makes sense - as there's been rumours that the new development there (Which is being done by AXA) will be pre-let to AXA.

MartinN is your surname Nike?

If so then im impressed you emailed with your support, im gonna do the same now.

Yes, I've been emailling support in for some time for various plans - someone has to counter the people who object to everything!

Maybe when some of these developments start going I'll get a bit more optimistic.:)

Yeh i just emailed The Butts (love it! - but a bit concerned about the fact there are 6 levels of car parking in the office building-Junction 7 is pretty bad already!!!!) and i emailed about Friargate which still only has one objection.

The Butts development has loads and loads of objections, do you recon we can get Dr Pepper to start emailing support aswell?

Yeh i just emailed The Butts (love it! - but a bit concerned about the fact there are 6 levels of car parking in the office building-Junction 7 is pretty bad already!!!!) and i emailed about Friargate which still only has one objection.

The Butts development has loads and loads of objections, do you recon we can get Dr Pepper to start emailing support aswell?


Most of the objections are the same, and regard the retention of the theatre. Even the Coventry society don't object to it...

Junction 7? I use that one everyday, and it's been made worse by the new junction at the Albany road.

Coventry's odd - some days it's clear, other days the ringroad junctions are all jammed up. I expect as the city centre is redeveloped, it is going to see a lot more traffic.

Very interesting that they've taken the Butts development. Does this jeopardize Friargate?

I'm quite pleased they've taken the Butts - it means the development will go ahead and may no lanquish like the rest of the developments seemed to be doing. That it's local to me has nothing to do with it.:)

I think the AXA thing makes sense - as there's been rumours that the new development there (Which is being done by AXA) will be pre-let to AXA.

Apparently Friargate is still steaming ahead. Reports have gone out which suggest that grade a office space demand will be created by the development, and a speculative construction could therefore be considered!!

Dont worry im gonna push Friargate as long as im working and living in this city! :cheers:

Most of the objections are the same, and regard the retention of the theatre. Even the Coventry society don't object to it...

Junction 7? I use that one everyday, and it's been made worse by the new junction at the Albany road.

Coventry's odd - some days it's clear, other days the ringroad junctions are all jammed up. I expect as the city centre is redeveloped, it is going to see a lot more traffic.

Indeed, and the junction at Albany Road is the first of 2. The next set of traffic lights are going in at the Butts Arena / Spon End estate junction thats informal at the moment.

I can see parts of Junction 7 from the flat window and traffic has a hypnotic effect, i can stand and stare at it for over 15 minutes and not realise the amount of time that has passed! It comes and goes in platoons, it appears to be related to the Junction 4 traffic signals; although this is a total guess; and if you approach Junc 7 from the anti-clockwise direction theres no queue apart from along Hertford Place.

Apparently Friargate is still steaming ahead. Reports have gone out which suggest that grade a office space demand will be created by the development, and a speculative construction could therefore be considered!!

Dont worry im gonna push Friargate as long as im working and living in this city! :cheers:

They must be disappointed not to get the big gov. department job, though.

I'll email support, not sure how to do it tho if u can fill me in. The butts development looks really good, and of high quality. I've wandered around that area a bit recently and it needs it. Do you rekon anything will ever be done about the council estate oppositie? That could be a prime location and possibly quite pleasant with that little bit of the sherbourne there.

What do you do by the way scazmattaz, if u don't mind me asking?

I'll email support, not sure how to do it tho if u can fill me in. The butts development looks really good, and of high quality. I've wandered around that area a bit recently and it needs it. Do you rekon anything will ever be done about the council estate oppositie? That could be a prime location and possibly quite pleasant with that little bit of the sherbourne there.

What do you do by the way scazmattaz, if u don't mind me asking?

Scaz is an international man of mystery, and won't tell anyone what he does.:) We have clues.:)

sleslie, to support or object to a planning application, go to the application from planning.coventry.gov.uk and and there's a button you can click to make your comments. It's very easy.