Coventry University's £125m redevelopment plan blocked by city centre building's listed status

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Coventry University's £125m redevelopment plan blocked by city centre building's listed status

Postby dutchman » Thu Aug 31, 2017 11:18 am

Historic England has slapped a Grade II listing on the former council property

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Coventry University’s plans to redevelop a former council building have been thrown into disarray after it was given listed status.

Civic Centre Two, which sits opposite Coventry City Council House on Earl Street, was bought by the university in 2015 as part of a £125million deal that included three other council properties.

It was reported at the time that the university planned to demolish the buildings with a view to creating new ones, including a new headquarters for the university.

The bridge between the Council House and Civic Centre Two was recently removed as the university’s plans gathered pace.

But the building has now been given Grade II listed status which prevents it being knocked down or modified significantly without special consent.

Civic Centre Two [is] an office and studio block, built for the Architecture and Town Planning Department of Coventry City Council in 1957-1959 to the designs of George Sealey working under the city architect, Arthur Ling.

The areas affected by the listed status are the studio block, the courtyard surface to its south and the eastern retaining wall of the courtyard.

Historic England gave the following reasons for their decision to protect the building.

“Architectural quality: The deliberately spare, curtain-walled studio block with its concrete frame, supported on pilotis, is a good example of refined modern-movement design of the late-1950s which benefits from careful detailing.

“Historic interest: The building was the centre of design activity for the vibrant team of architects who were responsible for Coventry’s redevelopment, several of whom subsequently had notable careers in other cities across Britain.

“Expression of the building’s purpose: The studio floors with their glass walls and the panels showing different samples of tiles, brickwork and paving all showed the purpose of the building.

“Popular inclusiveness: By providing a purpose-built exhibition space at ground floor level with glass walls the building was designed to share the plans and models for the continuing redevelopment of Coventry with its citizens; a rare example of such inclusiveness at that time.”

Rob Talliss, group director of estate development at Coventry University, said: “We are still very much in the early stages of the design of the project and are considering how the listing will affect our proposals.

“This is a long-term project and we look forward to continuing to work with those in the community who have an interest.”

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Re: Coventry University's £125m redevelopment plan blocked by city centre building's listed status

Postby rebbonk » Thu Aug 31, 2017 11:42 am

Am I wrong to snigger at this? :stir:
Of course it'll fit; you just need a bigger hammer.
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Re: Coventry University's £125m redevelopment plan blocked by city centre building's listed status

Postby dutchman » Fri Sep 01, 2017 12:14 am

Historic England urged not to kill off multi-million-pound city centre redevelopment plans

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The man in charge of regeneration in Coventry has urged Historic England not to get in the way of multi-million-pound plans to transform the city centre.

Cllr Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs and regeneration at Coventry City Council, was speaking after Historic England slapped a Grade II listed status on the Civic Centre Two building, on Earl Street.

The move prevents demolition or major modification of the property and has disrupted Coventry University’s £125million redevelopment plans for the area.

Cllr O’Boyle described Civic Centre Two as “pretty horrible” and said he was concerned that other projects in the pipeline could be thwarted if Historic England takes similar action in other areas of the city.

A repeat elsewhere could put the £330million City Centre South proposals at risk - plans which aim to create a complex the size of Solihull’s Touchwood development in the city centre.

Cllr O’Boyle told the Telegraph: “What’s important is for people to recognise, Historic England included, what the plans are for the city generally.

“The plans will improve our current buildings, and the settings in which they lie, for the benefit of all parties.

“I think people have to account for the fact we have some amazing plans for the city centre. The money is in place and we are working on the final details before we can go public.

“We don’t want well-meaning Historic England to say they want to save all these buildings. That would mean they fall into disrepair because they are no longer fit for purpose.”

Cllr O’Boyle said: “I’ve always said when it comes to the city centre, we’ll either do things properly or we won’t do them at all. We won’t just fiddle around the edges, because it’s a waste of time.

“We don’t want a repeat of the canopy at Broadgate, the escalator in the Upper Precinct or Priory Place - which never reached its full potential.

“Let’s hope we have all learned the lessons of the past.”

Speaking about Civic Centre Two, he said the council would be willing to work with the university over the future of the building which the local authority sold to them in 2015.

“I imagine the listing will cause Coventry University problems. It’s not something which can’t be overcome, but when a building is listed it means money is involved, and more than most would spend I suspect.

“Architecturally, it’s pretty horrible. But I understand there’s some love for the courtyard there.

He added: “We are happy to help with anybody and talk to Historic England and help them understand our plans and how we want to take them forward.”

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Cllr O’Boyle said: “We’ll either do things properly or we won’t do them at all." :rolling:
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Re: Coventry University's £125m redevelopment plan blocked by city centre building's listed status

Postby dutchman » Wed Mar 28, 2018 4:45 am

Government lists more post-war Coventry buildings, 'threatening' City centre redevelopment

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THE government has controversially listed more post-war buildings in Coventry city centre to protect them due to their “national importance”.

But council chiefs say it could hold up and threatens a vital planned multi-million-pound redevelopment of the struggling city centre.

We revealed earlier this month the proposal by heritage watchdog Historic England to recommend the government lists buildings with canopies over shop fronts in Upper Precinct, the former Leofric Hotel and Woolworth buildings, and more.

Historic England confirmed today the government’s Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport has agreed to the grade 11 listings.

They also include listing the legendary Locarno nightclub building, now the Central Library, Smithford Way.

Councillor Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs and regeneration, re-iterated today it serves as a disincentive to developers to go-ahead with long-awaited plans to rejuvenate the flagging central shopping area.

He said those plans are, in any case, sympathetic to the celebrated post-war architecture of the Gibson plan, and include the removal of the unpopular 1990s addition, the Upper Precinct escalator.

Coun O’Boyle added actions such as the listing of canopies over the empty former BHS store could affect potential profit margins for developers, and put them off going ahead with escalator removal.

He said frank discussions were continuing with Historic England.

Coun O’Boyle today accused Historic England of “double standards”.

He said some of the overhanging canopies had already been removed at the double-fronted Waterstone’s bookshop building on the corner of Smithford Way and the Lower Precinct, itself revamped decades ago in sympathy with the original Gibson plan.

But Historic England said today…

“The national significance of Coventry’s post-war architecture has been recognised with eight places in the city listed.

“They are:

  • Former Hotel Leofric, Grade II
  • Former Woolworths building, Grade II
  • Former Locarno Dancehall – now the Central Library, Grade II
  • Former British Home Stores, Grade II
  • Levelling Stone, Grade II
  • Broadgate Standard, Grade II
  • Marks and Spencer, Grade II
  • North & South Link Blocks and Piazza, Grade II

“These newly listed buildings form part of the first, and among the largest, post-war city centre developments to be planned in the country.

“The innovative scheme for the precinct includes the earliest example of a shopping centre in England that separated cars and people, with a confident, kind and imaginative approach to public spaces for everyone.

“Coventry is a designated Heritage Action Zone and has also been named UK City of Culture 2021.

“The city’s heritage and rare architecture have an important role to play in celebrating what is special about Coventry and in helping to bring about economic prosperity for those who live and work there.”

Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England said:

“These listings mean that the scheme for the Upper Precinct which already has planning permission will now need Listed Building Consent as well. Historic England will advise on the proposals as quickly as possible when the formal application is made, but the decision on any application lies with the local planning authority, Coventry City Council.”

“The reinvention of Coventry after the Second World War and the vital role that its post-war architecture played in restoring pride and confidence was renowned internationally.

“The buildings, built between 1948 and 1958, form the centrepiece of Coventry’s post-war reconstruction and reflect the spirit of a re-born city. They deserve the recognition and protection that listing brings. The generation that fought the Second World War lost a great many of their buildings and special places. They had to rebuild and reshape their England, and they did a remarkable job.”

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Re: Coventry University's £125m redevelopment plan blocked by city centre building's listed status

Postby dutchman » Tue Apr 17, 2018 3:46 pm

City centre businesses to close to make way for Coventry University redevelopment

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Two Coventry businesses that have served the community for decades are to close because of a massive Coventry University-led redevelopment in the city centre.

The Deli and City News Food and Wine are two of several businesses which will be leaving their Earl Street homes.

Leigh Maoudis has run The Deli for almost 13 years, but due to the regeneration work which will take place around the former Coventry City Council Civic Centre site, he has to leave.

The shop premises were bought back by Coventry University from Coventry City Council in 2015, along with Civic Centre Two, as part of a £125million deal.

That saw council staff leave the building and traders say they noticed business slow down as a result. One of the shop owners says he is "rather happy" and the university says it has "come to an agreement" with most of the businesses.

Now it is time for the shops to close, after Leigh says he was told last summer he would have to vacate the premises.

He said: " The university has been a good landlord, and our time will be up on May 25.

"I have been happy with the way they have dealt with me.

"Essentially we have to move because of the regeneration happening around the shops.

"The rent isn't the problem, but the council moving has made our business take a massive hit.

"We have been here since 2005 and had thousands of thousands of people walk through those doors - including the council staff.

"Now, I have none of them come in, because they have all gone, and my footfall has dropped.

"I feel proud of what I've done here and the business I have built up.

"I don't think I will find somewhere else though after this, and it makes me sad to see everything so empty.

"Even with the amount of students here, they don't come in. We used to serve thousands of people every day back in 2008.

"I would like to thank all my loyal customers though who have stuck with me."

Leigh's neighbour next door, Mohan Singh, who owns City Food News and Wine, has been in the business for 21 years and feels happy to close.

Mohan said: "It has been 21 years this year that I have had this business.

"I am 60 now and I have had a happy time here.

"You can't do anything now it is all happening.

"I have got all I have out of this place, all the love, so I am happy.

"I am rather happy with the situation."

It was reported at the time that the university planned to demolish the buildings with a view to creating new ones, including a new headquarters for the university.

But the building has now been given Grade II listed status which prevents it being knocked down or modified significantly without special consent.

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