"Huge hotel, homes and cafe plan outside Coventry Rugby stadium"

The club said the scheme would help make it 'self-sustainable'


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Ambitious plans for a huge hotel, homes and drive-thru scheme outside Butts Park Arena in Coventry are taking the next steps with interest formally lodged to the council.

Coventry Rugby is working on the bid alongside developer Maxeve Ltd to transform existing hard standing parking areas into a major new mixed-use scheme.

Executive chairman Jon Sharp has long spoken about his ambition to develop the site to boost revenue for the club and enhance the Spon End area.

A ‘scoping opinion’ request has now been sent to Coventry City Council, asking what detail should be included in an environmental statement ahead of a formal planning application.

Details show the project consists of a 120-bed hotel including a bar, restaurant, dining market, a ground-floor club shop and a hospitality suite/terrace overlooking the pitch.

A 140-unit residential development made up of one, two and three-bedroom private rented apartments is also planned alongside a drive-thru cafe at the entrance off Butts Road.

The plan, which proposes building heights of between five and seven storeys, is currently at pre-planning stage but the club has said a public consultation will take place in due course.