Plans to build hundreds of homes by Coventry beauty spot

This land could be sold to make way for hundreds of new homes

Plans to build hundreds of homes on former Coventry greenbelt land have been submitted to the council.

The land next to Browns Lane, Allesley, is owned by both the authority and the Coventry Diocesan Board of Finance Ltd, which made an outline planning application last week.

Up to 350 properties could be built, including 25% affordable housing.

But opponents are concerned about the land's closeness to Coundon Wedge, a beauty spot just across the road.

Coventry Conservatives leader, Gary Ridley, said the news would "ring alarm bells", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

"We are deeply concerned about it," he said. "People care passionately about this land."

He added "most local people" would consider the land at Browns Lane to be part of the Wedge and records show it was traditionally included.

If the application is successful, the land, currently rented to farmers, will be sold to developers who will later have to get approval for detailed aspects of the scheme, which in outline form also includes a care home.

The land was removed from the Green Belt in 2017 and re-designated for more than 400 homes in Coventry City Council's Local Plan.

Mr Ridley said there were already enough brownfield sites to develop the 20,000 new homes required in the plan by 2030.

Public consultation on the document opened last autumn and received 405 responses, according to a Statement of Community Involvement submitted with the Allesley application.

Concerns included the loss of green land and impact on traffic and surrounding areas.

Up to 10% of greenbelt was removed for the city's local, long-term housing plan which angered green campaigners.