'Reasonable measures' being taken says Coventry council as residents claim they're being 'choked'

[dutchman]

A 544 student accommodation is in the process of being built



Coventry City Council has said "reasonable measures" are being taken to combat dust from a building project which will see an office building transformed to a 544-room student living complex. The comments come after residents said the demolition of Progress House on Westwood Way had left them feeling "choked".

The plans for the new building have been controversial from the start, with both residents and local councillors raising concerns. Despite the application being rejected to begin with, a successful appeal has seen the project go ahead.

But the work has not been met warmly by members of the local residents association, some of whom feel procedures for the demolition were not followed correctly initially.

A spokesman for the City Council said: "This development went to Planning Committee, where councillors rejected the proposal. However, the developer filed an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate who overturned the committee’s decision and granted permission.

"Since then, the Council has been working with the developer to ensure they are following guidelines. As part of this work, an unannounced site visit was recently carried out, which found work was in line with the planning agreements, and that approved working hours are being followed.

"With regard to the issues of dust, whilst dust cannot be eliminated totally during periods of dry weather, the developer is taking reasonable measures to limit dust emissions and using mobile dust suppression cannons and water sprays to regularly damp down roads."

Ian Stevenson, who is chair of the Westwood Heath Residents Association, previously told CoventryLive: "We are getting choked by the development, quite literally because of the dust from the demolition.

"It's calmed a bit now that we have complained, but before everything was coated, I've walked through the woods nearby everyday for 14 years but I was having to wear a mask it was that bad. They might be sticking to the regulations and policies now, but let me tell, they certainly weren't when it started."