Hot on the heels of the planning application for the new hotel and commercial development at one end of Far Gosford Street comes another application to restore the Victorian 'Topshops' at numbers 67-72 at the other end of the street.
But the plans go beyond restoration. A further application has been submitted to build a new complex at the rear of the Topshops site and fronting Sky Blue Way.
The Topshops at numbers 67-72 Far Gosford Street were built around 1834-1840 as part of a speculative development for ribbon weaving. The large windows at third floor level were designed to maximise daylight for the weavers that lived and worked inside the Topshops. Surviving examples are quite rare and numbers 67-72 are now afforded the protection that statutory listing provides.
Coventry City Council has applied for planning permission to refurbish the buildings and create new shop fronts in Edwardian style at numbers 69-72 to replace the existing modern shop fronts. The more traditional shop fronts at number 67-68 are to be repaired. Two storey extensions are to be built at the rear of numbers 67, 70 and 71 to recreate the original extension to number 72. This will enable access to the upper levels where it is understood residential accommodation is planned.
To compliment the refurbishment works Complex Development Projects Limited and Coventry City Council have applied for planning permission to construct a series of small to medium sized commercial units designed to attract started businesses into the area. It is proposed that the new buildings sit with the size, form and boldness of the Victorian Topshops and provide a 21st century workshop.
The new development will provide an active frontage to Sky Blue Way and is designed to help 'heal' the severance effect of the carriage way upon Far Gosford Street.
At this year's Annual General Meeting the Coventry Society voted that one of our campaigning themes for the current year and beyond is the reuse of heritage assets. This not only improves the quality of the built environment but also leads to wider regeneration. The schemes planned for the Topshops unveiled by Coventry City Council and Complex Development Projects Limited are fine examples of this and we applaud the development partners for their vision.
