COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

Around 30 firefighters tackled a blaze at the disused Rowleys Green Working Men's Club



A fire chief has issued a stark safety warning to youths in the city after a reckless arson attack in Coventry last night (April 5). Five engines from West Midlands Fire Service and around 30 firefighters from Coventry, Foleshill and Binley stations were called to a blaze at the disused Rowleys Green Working Men's Club in Burbages Lane, Longford.

The fire, which started at around 7pm, was reported shortly after the emergency services were alerted to a group of youths seen inside the abandoned property. "For that reason we had to treat it as a persons reported incident," Watch Commander Mullin, from Foleshill Fire Station, said.

"We had 28 firefighters involved and 14 breathing apparatus in use. Safe effective fire fighting meant we were able to bring the fire under control quickly. No one was found."

WC Mullin confirmed the fire had been started deliberately and reiterated the dangers of anti-social behaviour in disused properties. "We need to stress the safety aspect of children playing in abandoned buildings and with potential fire sources.

"Thankfully, no one was injured in this incident, but the consequences can be very serious, even life-threatening." The road was partially blocked off while emergency services dealt with the blaze.

West Midlands Police and West Midlands Ambulance Service personnel were also involved in the response because of the nature of the initial calls. "It was a significant drain on their resources as well as ours," WC Mullin added.

Drive-thru restaurant to be built in Coventry as old working men's club to be demolished

An old working men's club in Coventry will be knocked down for a drive-thru restaurant and hot food takeaway. Plans to demolish the disused Rowley's Green club building got approved by the council last week.

The site is in a prominent spot just off the A444, near a junction of the M6 and opposite the Coventry Building Society arena. Forty jobs will be created with the development including eight full time roles, according to the application.

The jobs will be a "significant economic benefit" a planning statement said. The eatery will also "provide opportunities for people to socialise" and "improve the appearance of the site," it added.

Over the past few years the empty club building at Burbages Lane has suffered from vandalism and fly-tipping. Six months ago it was hit by an arson attack, sparking a safety warning from police to youths in the city.

Plans to knock the building down finally got approval last week, almost three years after the application went in. A legal agreement to secure £6,400 for highway improvements was not able to be completed and caused a "significant" delay to the council's ability to make a decision, a report said.

Instead, a planning condition will be used to make sure the works take place. Police also had "unease" over the site which has been hidden by shrubbery and is isolated from other buildings.

They also noted that fast food outlets can be targets for crime and anti social behaviour. But the greenery around the block has now been cut back so it's "highly visible" and plans are in place to manage litter and lighting.

"The site, once operational, will be clearly be much more active and well-surveyed both by the staff in the outlet and customers generally" the report added. "It will be a considerable improvement over the existing situation where the vacant building has suffered vandalism."

Plan to sell £1m club site for EV charging



A council is set to sell a derelict site to West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) for £1m so an electric car charging station can be built.

The site contains former Rowleys Green Working Men's Club, near Coventry Building Society Arena, which has been used for match day and event parking since closing in 2011.

Part of the plot is currently leased by a developer, with planning permission granted for a drive-through restaurant.

Coventry City Council documents, external reveal the WMCA has secured funding to develop a charging station, similar to a petrol station, with restaurant and retail facilities.

The two-storey former club, which lies off Burbages Lane, occupies part of a 1.5-acre site.

The scheme, recommended by planning officers for approval, would involve the city council selling its freehold interest, with potential to make "in excess of £1m".

The project would provide high-speed charging for at least 20 electric vehicles (EVs), according to the documents.

The deal would also involve the WMCA negotiating terms with the leaseholder "to alter the existing agreement to facilitate the development".

"Although the council rarely considers the sale of freehold interests," according to local authority documents, "given the public interest value of providing the EV chargers and the limited strategic importance of the site... the disposal is recommended."

In addition, the council would retain an option to buy back the site after five years if the scheme was not delivered.

Coventry City Council's cabinet meets to discuss the plan on 27 August.

Leaseholder's shock over council EV charging plan



A council has deferred a decision on a £1m electric vehicle (EV) charging station scheme after a leaseholder said it was "shocked" it had not been consulted.

Developer Redleaf Limited said it also had an EV scheme planned and questioned spending public money on selling the former Rowleys Green Working Men's Club in Coventry to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

Coventry City Council's cabinet was to discuss it at a meeting on Tuesday but said its report was held after "last-minute correspondence".

"As always, the council will act in good faith and look at this and as such the report has been deferred," a spokesperson said.

The report, external had set out a scheme to sell the derelict council-owned site for more than £1m to create a high-speed charging site for at least 20 EVs.

"This report seeks authority to dispose of the council’s freehold interest in this site to the WMCA," it stated.

However, Redleaf Ltd, which has leased part of the plot since 2013 and has planning permission in place for a drive-through restaurant, said it was "shocked and saddened" it had not been consulted.

Founder Paul Bishton said the Birmingham-based firm had spent 12 months working on new plans for an equivalent scheme, with "operators ready to commit".

"Now we find that the council and combined authority have privately hatched a deal for the site's sale, which is baffling," he said.

Mr Bishton said the leasehold was "originally purchased at the behest of the council and in good faith of both parties' mutual interest".

He added Redleaf had worked hard to deliver an EV scheme and now feared being "forced out of our own development plot".

"Why waste public money on repossessing this site when there is already an EV scheme ready to go through private investment?" he added. "It appears to be a senseless waste of public money".