Yahoo News Coventry car dealership to be torn down and replaced with four-storey storage unit
An old and "boarded up" car dealership in Coventry will be knocked down and redeveloped. It comes despite "concerns" raised by council officers over the new scheme's height.
The scheme for a self storage facility and six employment units got the go-ahead from the council today, 9 May. It will replace the former Citroen showroom at Herald Avenue in Earlsdon.
But a council officer report said the new buildings will look "bulkier" than the old dealership, and take up more space. Concern over the height of the blocks - mainly the four-storey self storage space - were raised by officers, the report added.
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The height of the storage unit some 33 metres from a terrace of homes on Tile Hill is a "notable increase" from the dealership, the officer noted. It will be almost double the size of the old building, changing from 7.6 metres to almost 15 metres high at its tallest point.
But the report said there were problems with making the building smaller or changing where it is located in the site. A "solution" including changes to the roof design made it acceptable on balance, the council officer said.
Other measures like planting and a checkerboard design will reduce the impact of its bulk, the report added. The officer also refusing the plans based just on the building's height would not likely be able to be defended on appeal.
They referred to a recent decision on a student block scheme in Westwood Business Park earlier this year. The report admitted that the planning case officer still has some concerns over its overall "height to eaves" but a "balanced approach has been taken."
The mitigation moves have been weighed against the "wider economic benefits" of the scheme and make its design acceptable - "albeit very much on balance," the officer added. No neighbours objected to the plans, according to the report.
Officers concluded the plans would not have any significant effects on the look of the area, and recommended approval be given. The aim of the scheme is to house a wide range of businesses, according to a planning statement by Stantec on behalf of the applicants.
The document added that it is not "cost effective" to change the current building which was purpose built as a car showroom. It claimed the move will create job opportunities and make use of an empty brownfield site.
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