Derelict Belgrade Plaza land frustrates Coventry council

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Coventry City Council has said it is "incredibly frustrated" by land in the city centre that has been left undeveloped for seven years.



The authority said it hoped the owner of Belgrade Plaza and surrounding land would sell part of the site.

Deeley Properties bought the plot in 2007 and said financing its development had "not been easy".

The company has also cordoned off the plaza's centrepiece fountain, saying it needs repairs.

The development, with the Belgrade Theatre at its heart, has attracted some investment but also includes derelict land.

The council has given planning consent in the past for apartments and student accommodation, but believes the developer subsequently decided those were not financially viable.

A spokesman from Deeley Properties said it was in advanced talks and a new planning application should be submitted "in the coming months".

"I am sure that people appreciate that bringing forward developments in the last few years has not been easy at any location outside the South East," he added.

Lesley Jackson who co-owns the neighbouring Town Walls Tavern said: "We've been here for seven years looking at this hoarding directly outside the pub... Mr Deeley saying that things are imminent, well it's 2014 and, nothing."

Martin Yardley, executive director of place at Coventry City Council, admitted that it was difficult for developers to find the "£60-£70m" to move plans forward.

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Plans unveiled for £40million shopping complex and student village at Belgrade Plaza



This could be the long-awaited transformation of prime city centre land which has lain vacant for years.

The artist’s impression shows a £40 million planning scheme for shops and student accommodation on a disused plot in Belgrade Plaza.

In the past the site, next to the Belgrade Theatre and between the Town Wall Tavern and the multi-storey car park, has been labelled a “monstrosity”.

It was last used in 2009 as a car park.

But property group Downing, based in the North West, said its plan “can contribute” to the site and the city centre.

Architects Simpson Haugh & Partners have submitted the outline application for up to 49 apartments and full planning permission for a range of student accommodation for 600 students.

There will also be an additional retail element of 1,100 sq metres

It is said to have been carefully designed to fit in with the historic surroundings of nearby Spon Street.

And its size ranges from three storeys to 21 storeys.

Hill Street would also be improved as part of the development.

Courtyard spaces would be created for the use of residents and a new landscaped park with trees is proposed along Hill Street.

Downing’s Paul Houghton said: “We are delighted to have an opportunity to be part of the ongoing development and growth of Coventry.

“We feel our proposals can contribute to Belgrade Plaza and the city centre generally.”

If planning permission is granted the scheme could start this December.

In 2012 planning permission to build a 400-room student halls of residence on the same site expired.

That plan formed part of the original Belgrade Plaza development in 2005, but at the beginning of 2011 Coventry University pulled out of plans to build student accommodation there.

That led to increased calls for developers to do something with the derelict land.

At the time the Telegraph reported how 200 people had signed a petition calling for it to be brought back in to public use, until development could be carried out.

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I'm afraid I'll believe this when I see it.

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Belgrade Plaza student village and shopping complex given go-ahead

Councillors have approved plans to build a 20-storey student village on redundant land at Belgrade Plaza.

Planning committee members yesterday voted unanimously for the £40million scheme for shops and student accommodation off Bond Street and Hill Street.

Responding to public criticism about the rise of student accommodation in the city centre, Coun John McNicholas (Lab, Lower Stoke) said: “We are a university town, we have one of the top 50 universities in the world, and Coventry University as well is a highly sought-after university to come to, so there’s going to be incredible demand for this type of accommodation.”

There were also fears the scheme would dominate the historic neighbourhood which includes Spon Street and Hill Street.

Some 200 people signed a petition opposing the bid for being out of keeping with the area.

But permission was granted subject to a whopping list of 45 conditions.

Head of planning Tracy Miller told the meeting it shouldn’t matter what the building was used for.

She said: “Tell me a city that doesn’t have tower blocks.

“We don’t have an abundance of them but we do have some dotted around.

“We always like to make sure views of the spires are not going to be affected, in this instance the analysis has been done.”

In the past the site, next to the Belgrade Theatre and between the Town Wall Tavern and the multi-storey car park, has been labelled a “monstrosity”.

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Luxury hotel plans abandoned in favour of student housing and residential flats



Plans for a new four-star hotel in Coventry city centre are set to be officially dropped after an 11-year wait - and replaced with proposals for student housing and residential flats.

Developers Oakmoor Deeley Partnership (ODP) have applied to Coventry City Council to change the conditions of use for the undeveloped land it owns between the Belgrade Plaza car park and the Premier Inn.

The firm wants to change the terms of the leasehold to allow the building of student and residential accommodation.

It also wants some of the area to be designated for hotel use, paving the way for a possible expansion of the Premier Inn at the site first revealed by the Telegraph in August.

There are also plans to sell off the 1,100-space car park at the site to Coventry University for use by staff and students after ODP cited problems with underuse.

Around 350 spaces would be kept for public use as part of the proposals.

The change of use application by ODP comes with a view to selling off the land to the Downing Group, which is currently developing a £40million scheme on adjacent land at Belgrade Plaza.

That will house 600 students in a 20-storey building and be complemented by a ground-floor shopping complex.

After ODP was awarded the contract to develop the site in 2005, plans were drawn up for a Radisson Edwardian Hotel on this part of the site.

It would have been the city’s first four-star hotel since the former Leofric opened in the 1960s - but that development hit the buffers in 2009 because of the credit crunch.

A council cabinet report into the leasehold sale reads: “Having marketed this site extensively ODP have been unable to secure any credible interest from appropriate operators.”

It adds: “It is clear that ODP do not have the will or the resources to complete this development, accordingly to reject this proposal would continue to leave this site undeveloped for the foreseeable future.”