Car dealer site to make way for self storage complex

The building used to be a Citroen dealership

Plans have been given the go-ahead for a self storage facility and six business units to replace a boarded-up, former car dealership.

The old Citroen showroom on Herald Avenue in Earlsdon, Coventry, is set to be knocked down despite concerns about the size of the redevelopment scheme.

A council report said the new buildings would look bulkier than the existing complex, and take up more space.

Officers also raised concerns over the height of the blocks – mainly the four-storey self storage space – but the plans were approved by councillors on Thursday.

The report had also noted the proposed scheme was 33m (108 feet) from terraced homes on Tile Hill.

The height of the new building would be almost double that of the current one – increasing from 7.6m (25 feet) to 15m (48 feet) at the tallest point.

An artist's impression reveals the detail discussed in a council report.

Officers said, however, it was unlikely they could defend refusal based solely on the building’s height upon an appeal.

They recommended measures such as planting and a checkerboard design to mitigate the impact of the new structure.

They also noted the wider economic benefits of the scheme and said no neighbours had objected to the plans.

Adapting the current building was not cost effective, they added.

Their report recommended approval, stating the scheme would create job opportunities and make use of an empty brownfield site.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.