Coventry city centre redevelopment plans 'on the starting blocks'

The City Centre South scheme includes plans for 1,500 flats with retail units beneath

A planned £450m redevelopment of a city centre "is on the starting blocks" and will start next year, a council said.

Plans for the City Arcade, Bull Yard, Market Way, Shelton Square and Hertford Street in Coventry include 1,500 homes as well as retail space.

Developers had "levered in" private investment, said Jim O'Boyle, Coventry City Council's head of regeneration.

"That is really key to making this an absolutely once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he added.

The scheme would mostly be made up of flats, but also includes a hotel and cinema.

"The money is from capital funding which is separate from our day-to-day spending as a local authority," the councillor explained.

The City Cenntre South development has been on the cards since 2011, with the latest designs reducing the amount of retail space.

"It's true there have been different iterations," Mr O'Boyle added, "but there have been changes in the market - how people shop, how people use city centres have changed radically."

Detailed plans are expected by the end of the month said Andy Fancy of The Hill Group

The plans would include "two beautiful brand new pavilion buildings" where there will be "grab-and-go dining areas", said Andy Fancy, from partners The Hill Group.

Plans are expected to be submitted to the council by the end of November.

The developers also had "exciting plans" for public art affected by the scheme, he explained.

The listed Three Tuns mural by artist William Mitchell "which is in a bit of a sad and sorry state" was going to be moved into "one of the gateways to the city" on Rover Road, he explained.

The History of Coventry mural has been scanned and could be recreated

A "challenging and sensitive" mural, also by the artist, situated in Hertford House, had been scanned "because it is in a fragile state," he said.

"It's not an easy piece of art to deal with. If we can move it we will move it, but what we've made sure is we've rendered a 3D image and the intention is to recreate an exact replica in the façade of one of the first blocks," said Mr Fancy.

New public art would also be included in the plans, he added.