Next phase of Spon End regen heads Coventry agenda
Close to 750 homes could be delivered by Citizen Housing Group across three parcels of land, with a hybrid application due to be determined next week.
A hybrid application for Spon End will be considered by Coventry City Council’s planning committee, which will also look at a proposal that Sherbourne Student Village be partly given over to serviced apartments.
Spon End is the largest item on the agenda. Each of the two main areas put forward in this tranche of development at the traditional council housing area will feature four apartment blocks as the city looks to clear 462 flats, including the 18-storey Meadow House, and replace them with new stock delivered by its social housing provider partner.
The site is west of Coventry city centre, immediately adjacent to the A4053 ring road. The proposals follow the start of demolition works on three blocks of flats this summer, which will see 158 homes replaced by 261 homes.
Baily Garner and Emery Planning head a professional team that also features Richard Jackson, CPW, Part B, TTP Consulting, Logika and Betts Hydro.
Area 1: full planning permission is sought for 257 affordable dwellings, along with 10,500 sq ft of commercial space, highway works including alterations to Windsor Street, and other works including public realm enhancements and engineering works to the River Sherbourne. The site is located between Upper Spon Street, Meadow Street and Windsor Street.
Area 2: outline planning is requested for the demolition of existing buildings including Spon Gate House, George Poole House, Grindlay House, Drinkwater House, Givens House, Gardner House, Fennel House, Winslow House, Corrie House, and the Hampton pub. The blocks would be built along the edge of the site fronting the Butts.
This will create space for up to 462 homes, 25% of them affordable, with associated highway and drainage infrastructure, landscaping and public realm enhancements over a site of 4.2 acres.
Area 3: full consent is wanted to demolish buildings in a conservation area (including Wellington Gardens, Sherbourne Street, and Upper Spon End Street shops), with 27 new homes the desired oyutcome, 25% of which would be affordable. The project includes alterations to Windsor Street, landscaping, creating public open space, and enhancements to River Sherbourne including engineering and enhancement works to the public realm.
The flats within the Area 1 phase will be in blocks of four to nine storeys, with 57 one-bed apartments and 200 two-bed apartments.
Although not set in stone at this stage, indicative plans for Area 2 suggest buildings of eight, 12, 15 and 18 floors.
Clearances for Area 1 have already been carried out, and the plan is for homebuilding to start following the completion of the river enhancements, expected to be in late 2027. The Area 2 programme, including demolitions, is inked in to take place between 2028 and 2035, and Area 3 to take place from 2030, including the second part of the river enhancement scheme.
The project will go to committee on 16 October. The plans, recommended for approval, can be viewed on Coventry’s planning portal with the reference PL/2025/0000548/FULM.
