Council racks up £900k overspend on IKEA project and records Guildhall loss

[dutchman]

Part of Coventry's old IKEA building could be demolished under new plans



A major change has been revealed for Coventry's old IKEA building with a big feature set to go. The huge blue building has stood a shadow of its former self ever since the Swedish furniture giant shut its doors back in 2020.

The city council then unveiled plans to turn it into a cultural hub, but this hit a major stumbling block when ISG, the company contracted to do the work, went into administration. A new contractor, John Graham Construction, has since been appointed to take over, but as a result it has led to some key planned changes to the design.

A new planning application has now asked for permission to demolish the huge three storey car park on the site in favour of a new surface car park. This, the application states, is to down to 'changes to client brief, changes to simplify construction methods and further supply chain advice'.

"The changes to the client brief were in response to future proofing the ground floor of the building and providing more flexibility for potential tenants," the application states. "The consented scheme assumed the retention of the 3-storey car park to the north of the scheme.

"Advice from the contractor suggested its removal would have a cost benefit and allow greater useability of the ground floor areas as a result."

The full list of proposed changes are as follows:

• The removal of the 3-storey car park to the north of the site and its replacement with a surface car park in the same location. Minor amendments to the landscape are made to accommodate the surface car park.
  
• The new north elevation will be clad in matching aluminium cladding to the surrounding area.
  
• A new plant deck at levels 1 and 2 will replace the ground floor plant enclosure previously located in the covered car park area. The plant deck will be clad in aluminium louvres.
  
• The Vehicle Conservation Area, Vehicle and Store, will no longer be located at ground floor. The vehicles will now be stored at Level 1.
  
  Space for Future Commercial/Retail tenants will now be created at ground floor.
  
  
• A new glazed entrance area is created on the south elevation to accommodate this future use
  
  
• On the West elevation new curtain walling replaces infill cladding at Level 2

The application is now being considered by the city council and this includes the proposed changes. All of the documents can be looked at by visiting the council website and searching the planning section for reference PL/2025/0001779/RVC.