Shop owners' heartbreak over City Centre South scheme as some face closure

While I was in the market buying a birthday card I spotted an old Dansette record player for sale, presumably to cash-in on the current vinyl revival? Unless you are an experienced electrical restorer my advice is to stay well clear. Even when they were brand new they were 'good enough' for 78 and 45rpm singles, anything slower than that and they really struggled. There are much better retro-style record players available. Neither are great from a sound-quality point-of-view but the latter are at least a lot less technical trouble. I say that as a lover of old technology and member of a couple vintage electronics restoration groups.

New image shows City Centre South vision as plans include seven new apartment blocks housing over 600 people



Coventry's City Centre South scheme is to include seven new apartment blocks housing more than 600 people and will have almost 700 cycle parking spaces provided for the residents.

The city council has now approved a cycle parking plan submitted by City Centre South developers Hill Partnerships Limited.

A planning condition for the huge scheme says that prior to the occupation of each apartment block, a strategy for secure cycle parking must be approved. The cycle parking must remain available for use at all times and cannot be removed or altered in any way.

The strategy will provide 60 cycle spaces for Block A1 which will have 60 apartments, 62 spaces for Block A2 which is to consist of 55 apartments, and 96 cycle spaces for Block B1/B2 which will house 85 apartments.

Block B3 is to have 200 apartments and will get 220 cycle parking spaces. B4 will comprise 137 apartments and is to have 134 cycle spaces, and B5 with its 101 apartments is to be provided with 110 spaces.

In all there will be 638 apartments – most of them one or two bedroom, plus a small number with three beds – served by 682 cycle parking spaces, provided via double-deck racks.

The council said in a report: "The applicant has provided a cycle parking strategy along with detailed layouts/floor plans of how the proposed provision of cycle parking will be accommodated throughout the various development blocks proposed.

"This information has been reviewed by the Local Highway Authority who has no objection to the information provided and is satisfied with the provision of cycle parking."

The overall plans for City Centre South feature between 900 and 1500 homes, a hotel with up to 150 rooms, plus a mix of non-residential uses including retail, food and drink, leisure, office, community and cinema uses. There will also be between 90 and 300 car parking spaces along with new public open spaces.

The city council says the aim is to "transform some of the most tired and outdated areas of the city centre, including Bull Yard, Shelton Square, City Arcade and Hertford Street."

Outline plans for the scheme were granted by the council in April 2021. Details of Phase 1 were approved at the start of March 2024 and include 991 new homes ranging from studio apartments to three-bed properties, with 200 of those to be affordable housing for rent.

The first phase, due to be completed in summer 2032, also include a new covered servicing yard for Coventry Retail Market and new pedestrian-friendly routes connecting this quarter to the city centre, Friargate and new Coventry Cultural Gateway Centre.

The scheme also incorporates the relocation of the William Mitchell mural from the front of the former Three Tuns pub in Bull Yard, plus various transport initiatives such as cycle hire docking stations, car club spaces and the integration of the council's Very Light Railway (VLR) scheme.