A PETITION objecting to the development of 240 houses on Sphinx Green in Stoke Aldermoor, Coventry, has already been signed by more than 600 people.
Coventry Sphinx Sports and Social Club teamed up with developers Wellington Arch to submit a planning application to the city council for a new residential development and recreational facilities on the former privately owned golf club and playing fields, as reported by the Observer on February 18.
Campaigners have formed two Facebook groups informing residents of the proposals – Save Our Green Space Stoke, Coventry, which has 187 members, and Save Our Air, Coventry formed by Siddeley Avenue resident Steve Smith.
Their major concerns are traffic resulting from an additional 500 cars, particularly as residents say Siddeley Avenue is already heavily congested at peak times, and a further increase in already high inner city air pollution levels. The road has also seen a number of accidents including a recent case where a child was knocked over receiving minor injuries.
The loss of a green area and ‘beautiful wildlife haven’ is the other main objection.
Steve Smith, 53, who runs his own property renovation business and is one of the coordinators of a group of residents affected by the proposed developments said: “We have begun the process of fighting against the Coventry city council for them to adopt a ‘Zero Inner City Development Policy’ due to the illegally high NO2 levels around the city.
“By approving inner city developments these NO2 levels are immediately increased. We have recently set up a Facebook page called Save Our Air Coventry with information and link up residents.
“We want to Crowdfund and present a case to a barrister and take action against the planning committee for professional misconduct and wilfully causing the harm of Coventry residents.”
In a letter of objection to the council he said: “The £30m that Coventry City Council is due to spend to reduce levels are not yet in place and realistically are not going to reduce the levels by much by putting in a cycle lane (encouraging cyclists be breathe levels of Carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide which are almost double the acceptably legal levels WHO have set) and having 10 council electric vehicles!
“Kids are breathing illegally high levels and it’s killing 10,000 of residents in the UK each year. Should the city council not be held accountable?
“The Environment Agency says this is the greatest health risk after Covid. Studies show that NO2 poisoning increases the death rate of patients fighting Covid.”
The developers said the planning application – of 177 new houses, alongside 54 affordable retirement units for social rent which would be offered exclusively to older people of modest means – received support overall after a consultation in the autumn,
They added the inclusion of retirement accommodation was in direct response to concerns about traffic expressed by some local residents during pre-application consultation, with retirement units generating around a quarter of the volume of car trips than a typical house.
They also said the site was disused private land fenced off from the surrounding community for many years. The disused former golf course is now comprised primarily of bramble scrub, as well as overgrown areas of hardstanding and is inaccessible.
“The proposed development will open up the site for the first time in generations, including five acres of green public open space, the planting of 700 new trees, wildlife corridors, public walking and cycling routes, a locally equipped children’s play area, skatepark and multi-use games area – all of this fully accessible to the wider community on land that is currently completely inaccessible.
“In relation to concerns relating to traffic and air quality the plans have been amended specifically to reduce the traffic generated by the development, despite transport assessments demonstrating that there is sufficient capacity in the local network for the development.
“A comprehensive transport assessment has been carried out which demonstrates that the development will accommodate fewer cars and generate far fewer traffic movements.”
And the developers added the plans were supported by a comprehensive air quality assessment which concluded the air quality impacts of the proposed development are largely negligible.
And they point out the plans would secure the future of Coventry Sphinx Sports and Social club by gifting it the freehold of the site and generating investment into the club’s facilities.
Details of the development can be viewed here and the resident’s Stop Sphinx Green Area Development petition here.
