In its historic 40th year, Coventry Society has made history by being the first civic society in the country to join the newly founded national organisation Civic Voice. Plans for Civic Voice were announced on 15th February after months of consultation following the demise of the Civic Trust in May of last year. Civic Voice will be the national organisation for England’s 922 civic societies when it is launched on 17th April. The Coventry Society committee feel that a national organisation to represent civic societies and co-ordinate their campaigns is essential. They were quick off the mark and became the first society to complete a membership application and pay their dues. The Coventry Society’s historic move will be recognised next week at a meeting of the Kenilworth Society which will be addressed by Tony Burton, Director of Civic Voice (pictured).   more

 In February 2007 (see our earlier article ‘Rebuilding Plan for Watchmaker’s House) we reported that plans were afoot to restore 31-33 Allesley Old Road in Chapelfields together with the workshops to the rear at 20 Duke Street. Now 2 years on the site still lies derelict and restoration work is yet to commence. What is to become of this site? Read on for more detail.   more

 Coventry City Council has applied for planning permission to expand the existing Salt Lane Car Park site between Greyfriars Lane and Little Park Street. The street level car park is a popular stopping off point for many motorists offering a central location just outside Broadgate and the heart of the city centre. The site is at the heart of a Conservation Area owing partly to the existence of neighbouring Fords Hospital (a Grade I Listed Building) and the general historic significance of the site. Greyfriars Road was after all part of the original southern entrance into the city centre prior to the construction of Hertford Street in the 19th century. What do we think of these plans? Read on for more comment.   more

 It is the time of year again where membership for the Coventry Society falls due for renewal and we invite new members to join us. Coventry is undergoing its greatest physical change since the post war period and this is particularly so in relation to the city centre. In a recent article we commented upon the City Centre Area Action Plan which has been unveiled as the planning document which will govern any redevelopment proposals presented for the city centre in future. We urge as many people as possible to get involved in the process of helping to shape our city centre of the future. Please read on to see what membership of the Coventry Society entails and why we need you.   more

 The Coventry Society is delighted to learn that outline planning permission has been granted for the huge regeneration project proposed for the central train station area in Coventry city centre, dubbed ‘Friargate’. Planning officers granted outline planning permission for the £1.5bn scheme on 14th January 2010 subject to a number of reserved matters which will need to be determined at a later stage. These ‘reserved matters’ include details of exact building heights, materials to be used, landscaping proposals, as well as access to the site which will involve detailed consideration of the bold plans to remodel junction 6 of the ring road.   more

 A draft City Centre Area Action Plan 2008-2021 is currently out for consultation. This planning policy document sets out how development should happen in the city centre over the next eleven years. It builds on the good work that went into the City Centre Urban Design Framework and adds detail to the policies contained in the City Council’s Core Strategy as they affect the city centre.   more

 Politicians from three of the four parties on Coventry City Council have rushed to defend the city’s green belt following the article in last month’s Coventry Society newsletter and on our website (Eco-suburb: noble ambition or fig-leaf?). Their responses came around the same time as a Council meeting in which there was claim and counter-claim about who had voted for or against preserving the green belt.   more

 Only several weeks after the demolition of the former Hope & Anchor Pub on Whitefriars Street, Coventry University has now also demolished the former Peacock Pub on Gosford Street. What has become of the once commendable efforts of the University to restore and re-use historic buildings such as the former Calcott Factory / Astleys Works on Far Gosford Street and the former Odeon Cinema on Jordan Well?   more