THE REFUSAL of outline planning permission for up to 731 apartments on a former National Grid gas works site has been welcomed by the MP for Coventry North West.
Complex Development Projects had submitted plans for a £100 million scheme in Abbotts Lane, Coventry, comprising of seven apartment blocks up to 22 storeys high, along with 711sqm of retail and commercial space.
This outline planning application was rejected by Coventry City Council’s planning committee last week.
Taiwo Owatemi MP said: “I’m pleased the Committee came to the decision to refuse this application. I obviously welcome the provision of new homes but this proposal was too big, offered no affordable or social housing and insufficient financial support for our local services.
“There were also warnings about the impact on traffic and a nearby school.
“I’m glad councillors looked into this scheme and found it was not appropriate. I will always do my part to make sure Coventry is the best place to grow up in and to grow old in.”
In a letter of objection to the planning committee last November, the Labour MP stated that the development was not keeping with the historic character of the area, “especially given Upper Hill Street’s status as one of Coventry’s oldest roads”. She was also concerned the tower blocks could have “a serious impact on the privacy” of constituents and may overlook the nearby school playground.
Ms Owatemi shared the concerns of West Midlands Police, particularly that the nearby “road structure was inadequate to accommodate a development of this size so close to the Holyhead Road junction”.
Police also expressed concerns over potential crime and anti-social behaviour given the high density nature of the scheme. The developers proposed to address this by monitoring the site via a 24/7 CCTV system.
