Proposals for a new 15 hectare office-led quarter to be put forward to Coventry's Development Forum
20th May 2009
A European property and investment company is putting forward proposals to redevelop a large strategic site, bounded by Station Square, Manor Road, Warwick Road, Greyfriars Green and Grosvenor Road in the centre of Coventry. The 15 hectare (37 acre) site could accommodate approximately 300,000m² (3,200,000 sq ft) of high quality development, with a large proportion of the scheme designated for Grade A offices, to encourage inward investment and job creation in the city centre.
Friargate Coventry LLP, the development vehicle for Dublin based Cannon Cannon Kirk, together with internationally acclaimed architects Allies and Morrison, will present a ‘first look' of the proposals to an audience of Councillors, City Council Officers, local stakeholders and members of the public at 5pm on Thursday 21st May at the Development Forum, to be held at Coventry's Council Chambers, at the Council House, Earl Street. Following public consultation and subsequent design refinement, a planning application is likely to be submitted to the City Council's planning department before the end of June 2009.
Rodney Pilcher, who is overseeing the development proposals for Friargate Coventry LLP comments: "We have been working in conjunction with Coventry City Council for a number of years to bring about this extensive and strategic development opportunity. Coventry has the opportunity for a high quality business hub to encourage more companies to relocate to the area and to enable existing businesses to expand. Being located next to Coventry train station, this site is perfectly placed to create a vibrant new office-led community."
The proposals being worked up by Friargate Coventry LLP include 12 Grade A office buildings, two hotels, new residential dwellings and vibrant streets with retail/restaurant/bar units, designed around new high quality public spaces. The high quality office buildings - which will have restaurants and shops at ground level - will front Warwick Road and a new public square to be created in front of the train station. The residential dwellings that are proposed will be located in the quieter areas of the site around Grosvenor Road and Manor Road. In total, 25 buildings are being proposed for the mixed-use scheme, conveying the scale of the 15 hectare development area.
Councillor Gary Ridley, Cabinet Member (City Development) said: "Coventry is undergoing a massive transformation and Friargate is crucial to that development. The 15,000 jobs which this development could create will help to underpin the redevelopment of the city centre, as voted for by local people.
"The development will seek to create impressive links between the new Friargate development and the city centre and we will work closely with the developers to ensure we get a quality and viable scheme for the benefit of the people of Coventry.
"This development proposal demonstrates that investors still believe in the future of our city, even during these difficult economic times. I would encourage anyone who wants to know more about the plans to come along to Thursday's Development Forum presentation at the Council Chamber."
Friargate Coventry LLP reports that there are a number of underused existing buildings located within the development site. These un-modernised late 20th Century buildings will be incorporated into a phased demolition programme, enabling sustainable new buildings to be developed across the site. Meanwhile, the area surrounding the Grade II listed Coventry train station will be enhanced as a fundamental aspect of the proposed masterplan.
While the planning application that is expected to be lodged before the end of June will be an outline application - which seeks approval for the principles, rather than the detail of the individual buildings - Friargate Coventry LLP has already instructed the development project team to seek to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating across the site, ensuring sustainability and environmental factors dictate the proposed designs. Detailed planning applications for individual buildings will be submitted in due course, in accordance with the development principles to be approved as part of the outline application.
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