Coventry College homes plan rejected over cow concerns

Developers wanted to knock down the former college buildings and build 68 houses and 44 flats on the vacant site

Plans by Coventry College to build homes on its former campus have been refused over concerns that children could disturb neighbouring cows.

David Whitlock from Henley Farm objected to proposals for the Henley Road site because he said children could trespass and encounter cattle.

In the past, college footballs have hit his cattle shed, he claimed.

After hearing Mr Whitlock's concerns, councillors voted not to give outline planning permission for 112 homes.

The college is working with architects Bond Bryan and planning consultants Landmark Planning to knock down buildings and build 68 houses and 44 flats on its vacant site.

It also hoped to retain the sports fields for the community.

'Upsetting'

Mr Whitlock told Coventry Council he had "lots of problems in the past" with footballs hitting his cattle sheds, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

He said he had asked the college to step in but had no response and told the planning committee he had concerns about children trespassing and disturbing cattle.

"If the building did go ahead, what mitigation [would there be] to stop [it]? It's literally the other side of the hedge."

Planning agent Peter Wilkinson, representing the applicants, defended the plans and stated it would help meet the city's housing need and is "surely appropriate" in a residential area.

He said sports fields would be kept for "exclusive community use" and there were also plans for a "green walkway".

Planning chairman councillor Lindsley Harvard said cattle could be "quite dangerous" to children.

Councillors voted to reject the plans by six to two, citing issues with the housing mix, affordability, the sustainable travel plan, security of the sports facilities and "insufficient protection for both the cattle and the health and safety of children".