Large city centre housing scheme gets go-ahead

The first phase of the development will create 991 apartments

A city centre development which will create nearly 1,000 homes along with shops, bars and restaurants has been given planning approval.

It will be the first phase of a larger £450m transformation of the centre of Coventry, known as the City Centre South project.

The city council, which backed the first part of the plans, said the first homes should be ready by early 2027.

They will be split across four buildings ranging in height from five to 19 storeys.

The authority said there would also be large areas of public space, with a series of public artworks.

They will include scale replicas of the History of Coventry murals by artist William Mitchell.

The council said the aim of the City Centre South project was to bring people "back into the city to live, work, play, and socialise".

It also said the scheme will transform areas including City Arcade, Bull Yard, Market Way, Shelton Square and Hertford Street into a "thriving" new neighbourhood.

The development will include 17,000 square metres of public open space

The council said the apartments will range in size from between one and three bedrooms, and 200 of the homes will be affordable housing for local people.

It also promised all homes will have either a balcony or terrace, as well as access to communal podium gardens, roof terraces and landscaped squares.