Official Coventry Thread 4 - Page 8

stig1982 · December 4th, 2009, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spread

News from Property Week
Royal Mail to sell Coventry site
12:33 | 01.12.09

By Jennifer Rigby

Royal Mail has appointed Jones Lang LaSalle to sell its mail centre in Coventry.

The Coventry Mail Centre on Bishop Street, totalling 1.6 acres and 200,000 sq ft of space, and Lower Ford Street car park which totals 0.6 acres, are for sale and can be bought separately or together.

Jonathan Fear of JLL’s Birmingham office said: “We anticipate the successful buyer of this unique site, which lends itself to a variety of uses, subject to planning consent, will have some innovative ideas for conversion or re-development.”

The sales form part of Royal Mail’s rationalisation plans across its UK operations. Two new delivery offices are being built by Royal Mail in Coventry to accommodate some of the staff from the Bishop Street centre.

Read more: http://www.propertyweek.com/story.as...#ixzz0YSFTQDBB

Surely they've got the reference wrong - the car park referred to must be the one on Bishop Street / Cook Street (adjoining the former Pink Parrot club), not Lower Ford Street? Lower Ford Street is the other end of town, between Sky Blue Way and Cox Street!

Is there even a car park on Lower Ford Street? News to me if there is!

Fernando Partridge · December 4th, 2009, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stig1982

Surely they've got the reference wrong - the car park referred to must be the one on Bishop Street / Cook Street (adjoining the former Pink Parrot club), not Lower Ford Street? Lower Ford Street is the other end of town, between Sky Blue Way and Cox Street!

Is there even a car park on Lower Ford Street? News to me if there is!

I think there is, it's on the site of the former Eclipse / Planet nightclub. It's only quite a small piece of land.

It was certainly either RM or Coventry City Council who were using it for their vans,.

LifeOnMarsBar · December 4th, 2009, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fernando Partridge

I think there is, it's on the site of the former Eclipse / Planet nightclub. It's only quite a small piece of land.

It was certainly either RM or Coventry City Council who were using it for their vans,.

yep - you're right - my dad worked at the Post Office and he used to park there sometimes.

We-Are-Borg-1987 · December 4th, 2009, 05:40 PM

With the issue of the 33,500 housing quota being so prominent in the local press atm, I was wondering what everyones opinion on this was and how people think it will affect the city?

skybluecity · December 5th, 2009, 12:50 PM

Is it December already? Looking ahead to 2010, this is my wish list:

1. Severn Trent is completed and all the staff move in, giving the city centre a much needed boost.

2. The university building on Jordan Well is completed and turns out much better than most of us expect.

3. Work starts on the other university building and we learn that they weren't lying to us in the renders and that it will actually look like that.

4. Funding is secured for the Radisson and work starts.

5. We at the very least see a planning application for Millenium View.

6. Stoford announce that they have secured a pre-let for Axa and work starts.

7. Work continues on FGS much in the same vein.

8. CDP submit a planning app for a funky new housing development on the Council Depot site.

9. The new bridge over the ring-road is completed and doesn't look shit.

10. Paragon Park is approved and work begins (pity about the cutbacks though).

11. University give us a date for the demise of Priory Halls.

12. Planning hurdles are overcome and we see progress at Friargate.

13. At least one major office relocation to the city centre is announced.

14. Somebody buys the Royal Mail building and announce that it won't be a MSCP.

15. A new shop opens in town and it isn't poundland.

16. Ironmonger Square is complete and makes it to the end of 2010 without looking shit.

17. An unexploded WW2 bomb detonates under IKEA and brings it crashing down.

18. Tories win election and follow through on proposals to remove Coventry from the West Midlands and reposition it in Warwickshire.

19. The council submit plans for a Civic/Concert Hall.

20. England win the World Cup.

Honestly, I'll be happy with 5 out of 20.

NewTroll · December 5th, 2009, 02:46 PM

I'll go along with all those, apart from 20 as I don't care about who wins what cup in whatever game is currently being played!

skybluecity · December 5th, 2009, 03:10 PM

Not into sport I take it.

Actually, I did consider putting 'City to win promotion' instead, but that would have been silly, #17 is more likely tbh!

NewTroll · December 5th, 2009, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skybluecity

Not into sport I take it.

Actually, I did consider putting 'City to win promotion' instead, but that would have been silly, #17 is more likely tbh!

Nope. Never have been, never will be! So I'd replace 20 with something like "Jethro Tull do a gig at Warwick Uni Arts centre"!

City win promotion? I think your list should only have things that are possible in a million years!

I actually went into town today with daughter for a coffee and a cake and to get some other stuff and I have to say I was pleased to see the new Chinese supermarket open (With an empty new cafe a few doors down.).

There's an empty store on Spon Street.

Hawkwin's Bazaar seems very popular. Daughter loves it!

The HMV store is bigger, but really poorly stocked. HEAD in Leamington is far, far better.

Poundland had opened up in Woollies and appeared to be heaving... And there's ANOTHER hair salon opening up on Hertford Street. Odd place for a hair salon, IMHO... Surely these are better in local areas where there's parking and... well, locals. Do people nip into City centres and decide to have a barnet as well?

We really do need Hertford Street, City Arcade, Shelton Square, Smithford Way, Bullyard to go - it's really awful around there.

And Spon Street is grim as well - although the architect's offices have a snazzy new glass door that looks quite nice. The street itself is filthy and depressing.

We-Are-Borg-1987 · December 6th, 2009, 06:04 PM

5 and 6 would be a pleasent surprise, fingers crossed.

skybluecity · December 7th, 2009, 10:39 AM

Not sure if this has been mentioned before; but I had a read through the new City Centre Action Plan on the council site earlier and it makes for very encouraging reading.

I know this is essentially a rehash of previous such documents, but nonetheless it does appear that the powers that be have the right intentions at least (and yes, it is all very well putting these proposals down on paper and another thing to actually implement them).

95% of the proposals I agree with. There is a lot of talk of street frontages, the ring-road and the problems it causes, talk of 'greening' the ring-road and improving access. Also sets out the policy on car parking, housing, the retail core, the poor quality of office provision, the lack of a 'street' scene, poor public spaces and all the other stuff we constantly moan about. well worth a read.

one thing i found very encouraging were the references to building taller and creating a more city like skyline. the map below shoes the areas where tall buildings will be encouraged:

Link to the document:

http://www.coventry.gov.uk/ccm/cms-s...et_id=32671037

Link to proposals map (surprised at just how much land around the northern rim has been earmarked for housing):

http://www.coventry.gov.uk/ccm/cms-s...et_id=32671036

sjs239 · December 7th, 2009, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by We-Are-Borg-1987

5 and 6 would be a pleasent surprise, fingers crossed.

Millenium view was incorporated in the jerde plans and changed into an open space i think.

NewTroll · December 7th, 2009, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjs239

Millenium view was incorporated in the jerde plans and changed into an open space i think.

I doubt it.

We-Are-Borg-1987 · December 7th, 2009, 03:24 PM

I got a leaflet showing the original Jerde plans when they used an empty unit for the consultation. It shows a building with a grass roof at Millenium View.

I think its tragic that Millenium View remains empty, yet those horrible flats in Lower Ford Street were built! I liked both the original and revised plans for Millenium View. When the site does get built on, retail units on the ground floor will add much needed life to the area!

Cov can get it right when it comes to city centre living. I know flats in the city centre don't sell well, but the ones built a few years back opposite the registry office look stunning, plus the ones opposite Ikea look stylish with the curved part on the corner (although part of the elevation facing Ikea looks a bit messy-but overall I like them).

Hopefully young Severn Trent workers (without families) who are bored of commuting from Brum may boost the city centre living market as I think that is the demographic that goes for city centre living. I would say no flats would be built in the city centre for about 2/3 years, as house prices and demand haven't risen enough to justify new projects just yet.

Fernando Partridge · December 7th, 2009, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by We-Are-Borg-1987

I got a leaflet showing the original Jerde plans when they used an empty unit for the consultation. It shows a building with a grass roof at Millenium View.

I think its tragic that Millenium View remains empty, yet those horrible flats in Lower Ford Street were built! I liked both the original and revised plans for Millenium View. When the site does get built on, retail units on the ground floor will add much needed life to the area!

Cov can get it right when it comes to city centre living. I know flats in the city centre don't sell well, but the ones built a few years back opposite the registry office look stunning, plus the ones opposite Ikea look stylish with the curved part on the corner (although part of the elevation facing Ikea looks a bit messy-but overall I like them).

Hopefully young Severn Trent workers (without families) who are bored of commuting from Brum may boost the city centre living market as I think that is the demographic that goes for city centre living. I would say no flats would be built in the city centre for about 2/3 years, as house prices and demand haven't risen enough to justify new projects just yet.

The Manor House Drive flats are abysmal. As are the housing association ones you talk of on Greyfriars Rd.

The worst flats are the others that were built on that car park off Greyfriars Rd (with the green cladding that is supposed to give a copper effect), some of them don't have any windows!

We-Are-Borg-1987 · December 7th, 2009, 05:51 PM

The Greyfriars Road ones are awful, but I think the award for worst flats goes to the ones on the former car park on Friars Street, by the job centre. The wood cladding hasn't been treated properly and they have had scaffolding around them for as long as I can remember! If only the developer of those hadn't gone ahead but had developed Millenium View instead!

An interesting item on the news earlier that although online sales are up, high street footfall is also up. This bodes well for Jerde, as I have been saying before if online sales reach a certain point retail-led city centre schemes will be under threat. I guess people enjoy the social aspect of shopping to the point that the internet will kill some high-street shops (I'm thinking HMV ultimately when streaming takes off big time in 10 years or so) but others, where seeing the product in the flesh is imperitive, will survive.

CovAD · December 7th, 2009, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skybluecity

Not sure if this has been mentioned before; but I had a read through the new City Centre Action Plan on the council site earlier and it makes for very encouraging reading.

I know this is essentially a rehash of previous such documents, but nonetheless it does appear that the powers that be have the right intentions at least (and yes, it is all very well putting these proposals down on paper and another thing to actually implement them).

95% of the proposals I agree with. There is a lot of talk of street frontages, the ring-road and the problems it causes, talk of 'greening' the ring-road and improving access. Also sets out the policy on car parking, housing, the retail core, the poor quality of office provision, the lack of a 'street' scene, poor public spaces and all the other stuff we constantly moan about. well worth a read.

one thing i found very encouraging were the references to building taller and creating a more city like skyline. the map below shoes the areas where tall buildings will be encouraged:

Link to the document:

http://www.coventry.gov.uk/ccm/cms-s...et_id=32671037

Link to proposals map (surprised at just how much land around the northern rim has been earmarked for housing):

http://www.coventry.gov.uk/ccm/cms-s...et_id=32671036

Does anyone else find it difficult to keep up to date with the huge number of different reports the council churns out on redevelopment and what they all refer to exactly.

We've had the Local Development Framework, the Action Plan, the Core Strategy, The Urban Design Framework and probably some others I never even found out about.

What exactly do they all do, as many just seen to go over the same ground as in the others? Are some superceding others? It's all unbelievably messy and unclear and it's hardly surprising few people respond given the difficulties just in finding out about the stuff.

I sent in a few suggestions etc for a few of them but have never seen a document with the responses for each and what changes will be made, or e-mailed a link by the council.

And that's before I even start on the planning portal....

We-Are-Borg-1987 · December 7th, 2009, 06:54 PM

Your right, I think Councils have some employees that churn out nonsene just to justify their jobs existence. Councils seem to love using big words when they could have said the same thing alot more concisely!

I would think that intregrating everything into one plan or maybe two would be the best and most efficient thing, but I guess taxpayer-funded organisations just have money to burn...its not as if they have to make any cutbacks or anything...(lol).

skybluecity · December 7th, 2009, 07:52 PM

I *think* the action plan pretty much supercedes them all; the consultation is due to finish in the new year and then has to go to central government for approval (why I don't know, what does it have to do with the bureaucrats in Whitehall?).

skybluecity · December 7th, 2009, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by We-Are-Borg-1987

The Greyfriars Road ones are awful, but I think the award for worst flats goes to the ones on the former car park on Friars Street, by the job centre. The wood cladding hasn't been treated properly and they have had scaffolding around them for as long as I can remember! If only the developer of those hadn't gone ahead but had developed Millenium View instead!

An interesting item on the news earlier that although online sales are up, high street footfall is also up. This bodes well for Jerde, as I have been saying before if online sales reach a certain point retail-led city centre schemes will be under threat. I guess people enjoy the social aspect of shopping to the point that the internet will kill some high-street shops (I'm thinking HMV ultimately when streaming takes off big time in 10 years or so) but others, where seeing the product in the flesh is imperitive, will survive.

It is true, people will always shop in town centres and online shopping will peak in the not too distant future (maybe!).

It is important that the city centre is as diverse as possible and is a place where people not only shop, but also live, work, eat and spend their leisure time - and Coventry needs to improve hugely in all areas, particularly when it comes to leisure and cultural facilities.

We shouldn't place too much emphasis on shopping, but it is certainly important and huge improvements do need to be made, even if I do feel that Jerde is a tad grandiose and too broad in its scope.

We-Are-Borg-1987 · December 7th, 2009, 08:26 PM

Online shopping will always have security issues. Online transaction will never be secure as organsied criminal groups are very adaptive. E.g. criminals could crack the 'chip and pin' system in shops before it even came out so it will be even worse for online shopping.

The city centre definetly needs to diversify. I think the first phase of Jerde will be great then after that phase II will be toned down (although phase I would always be more significant). In a few weeks time we will be able to say that Jerde will start in 4 years! Seems ages away but It will probably go really fast!

December 5th, 2009, 02:46 PM	#146
NewTroll Concerto Grosso Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Coventry Posts: 3,729 Likes (Received): 6	I'll go along with all those, apart from 20 as I don't care about who wins what cup in whatever game is currently being played! __________________ Good here, innit?

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December 4th, 2009, 05:40 PM	#144
We-Are-Borg-1987 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Rugby, Warwickshire. Posts: 691 Likes (Received): 2	With the issue of the 33,500 housing quota being so prominent in the local press atm, I was wondering what everyones opinion on this was and how people think it will affect the city?

December 5th, 2009, 12:50 PM	#145
skybluecity Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Coventry & Mallorca Posts: 650 Likes (Received): 0	Is it December already? Looking ahead to 2010, this is my wish list: 1. Severn Trent is completed and all the staff move in, giving the city centre a much needed boost. 2. The university building on Jordan Well is completed and turns out much better than most of us expect. 3. Work starts on the other university building and we learn that they weren't lying to us in the renders and that it will actually look like that. 4. Funding is secured for the Radisson and work starts. 5. We at the very least see a planning application for Millenium View. 6. Stoford announce that they have secured a pre-let for Axa and work starts. 7. Work continues on FGS much in the same vein. 8. CDP submit a planning app for a funky new housing development on the Council Depot site. 9. The new bridge over the ring-road is completed and doesn't look shit. 10. Paragon Park is approved and work begins (pity about the cutbacks though). 11. University give us a date for the demise of Priory Halls. 12. Planning hurdles are overcome and we see progress at Friargate. 13. At least one major office relocation to the city centre is announced. 14. Somebody buys the Royal Mail building and announce that it won't be a MSCP. 15. A new shop opens in town and it isn't poundland. 16. Ironmonger Square is complete and makes it to the end of 2010 without looking shit. 17. An unexploded WW2 bomb detonates under IKEA and brings it crashing down. 18. Tories win election and follow through on proposals to remove Coventry from the West Midlands and reposition it in Warwickshire. 19. The council submit plans for a Civic/Concert Hall. 20. England win the World Cup. Honestly, I'll be happy with 5 out of 20.

December 5th, 2009, 03:10 PM	#147
skybluecity Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Coventry & Mallorca Posts: 650 Likes (Received): 0	Not into sport I take it. Actually, I did consider putting 'City to win promotion' instead, but that would have been silly, #17 is more likely tbh!

December 6th, 2009, 06:04 PM	#149
We-Are-Borg-1987 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Rugby, Warwickshire. Posts: 691 Likes (Received): 2	5 and 6 would be a pleasent surprise, fingers crossed.

December 7th, 2009, 10:39 AM	#150
skybluecity Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Coventry & Mallorca Posts: 650 Likes (Received): 0	Not sure if this has been mentioned before; but I had a read through the new City Centre Action Plan on the council site earlier and it makes for very encouraging reading. I know this is essentially a rehash of previous such documents, but nonetheless it does appear that the powers that be have the right intentions at least (and yes, it is all very well putting these proposals down on paper and another thing to actually implement them). 95% of the proposals I agree with. There is a lot of talk of street frontages, the ring-road and the problems it causes, talk of 'greening' the ring-road and improving access. Also sets out the policy on car parking, housing, the retail core, the poor quality of office provision, the lack of a 'street' scene, poor public spaces and all the other stuff we constantly moan about. well worth a read. one thing i found very encouraging were the references to building taller and creating a more city like skyline. the map below shoes the areas where tall buildings will be encouraged: Link to the document: http://www.coventry.gov.uk/ccm/cms-s...et_id=32671037 Link to proposals map (surprised at just how much land around the northern rim has been earmarked for housing): http://www.coventry.gov.uk/ccm/cms-s...et_id=32671036

December 7th, 2009, 03:24 PM	#153
We-Are-Borg-1987 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Rugby, Warwickshire. Posts: 691 Likes (Received): 2	I got a leaflet showing the original Jerde plans when they used an empty unit for the consultation. It shows a building with a grass roof at Millenium View. I think its tragic that Millenium View remains empty, yet those horrible flats in Lower Ford Street were built! I liked both the original and revised plans for Millenium View. When the site does get built on, retail units on the ground floor will add much needed life to the area! Cov can get it right when it comes to city centre living. I know flats in the city centre don't sell well, but the ones built a few years back opposite the registry office look stunning, plus the ones opposite Ikea look stylish with the curved part on the corner (although part of the elevation facing Ikea looks a bit messy-but overall I like them). Hopefully young Severn Trent workers (without families) who are bored of commuting from Brum may boost the city centre living market as I think that is the demographic that goes for city centre living. I would say no flats would be built in the city centre for about 2/3 years, as house prices and demand haven't risen enough to justify new projects just yet.

December 7th, 2009, 05:51 PM	#155
We-Are-Borg-1987 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Rugby, Warwickshire. Posts: 691 Likes (Received): 2	The Greyfriars Road ones are awful, but I think the award for worst flats goes to the ones on the former car park on Friars Street, by the job centre. The wood cladding hasn't been treated properly and they have had scaffolding around them for as long as I can remember! If only the developer of those hadn't gone ahead but had developed Millenium View instead! An interesting item on the news earlier that although online sales are up, high street footfall is also up. This bodes well for Jerde, as I have been saying before if online sales reach a certain point retail-led city centre schemes will be under threat. I guess people enjoy the social aspect of shopping to the point that the internet will kill some high-street shops (I'm thinking HMV ultimately when streaming takes off big time in 10 years or so) but others, where seeing the product in the flesh is imperitive, will survive.

December 7th, 2009, 06:54 PM	#157
We-Are-Borg-1987 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Rugby, Warwickshire. Posts: 691 Likes (Received): 2	Your right, I think Councils have some employees that churn out nonsene just to justify their jobs existence. Councils seem to love using big words when they could have said the same thing alot more concisely! I would think that intregrating everything into one plan or maybe two would be the best and most efficient thing, but I guess taxpayer-funded organisations just have money to burn...its not as if they have to make any cutbacks or anything...(lol).

December 7th, 2009, 07:52 PM	#158
skybluecity Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Coventry & Mallorca Posts: 650 Likes (Received): 0	I think the action plan pretty much supercedes them all; the consultation is due to finish in the new year and then has to go to central government for approval (why I don't know, what does it have to do with the bureaucrats in Whitehall?).

December 7th, 2009, 08:26 PM	#160
We-Are-Borg-1987 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Rugby, Warwickshire. Posts: 691 Likes (Received): 2	Online shopping will always have security issues. Online transaction will never be secure as organsied criminal groups are very adaptive. E.g. criminals could crack the 'chip and pin' system in shops before it even came out so it will be even worse for online shopping. The city centre definetly needs to diversify. I think the first phase of Jerde will be great then after that phase II will be toned down (although phase I would always be more significant). In a few weeks time we will be able to say that Jerde will start in 4 years! Seems ages away but It will probably go really fast!