101 flats near Coventry train station to be built despite parking and noise fears

Plans for 101 flats in Coventry have been approved by the council despite local concerns over noise and parking. The scheme four storeys high at its tallest point will go at Regent Street near the ring-road.

It comes two years after plans for a 234-room student block on the old roofing supply yard were refused. The latest plans were hit with four objections from neighbours, a council officer report revealed.

Locals said the block would be "out of keeping" with surrounding homes on the terraced street and be "overdevelopment." They claimed it would cause parking problems, create noise because of its size and next door homes would lose privacy and light.

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Plans revealed for 102-bed block of flats near Coventry station

But a statement with plans said the building had been designed to reduce its effect on neighbours and its scale. The report by GM planning claimed that the scheme is a "particularly well resolved design" that would help meet housing needs.

It added that the development will involve a capital spend of about £10 million and up to 100 jobs when it is being built. Assessing the scheme, the council officer said it would "help to regenerate the site" and be a suitable place for people to live.

Their report said it is much less intense than previous student accommodation plans meaning there will be less of an impact on neighbours from noise and disturbance. And this is "acceptable" when balanced against the housing it will provide, it added.

The flats will overshadow neighbours more than the current buildings but the impact will be "minimal," the officer wrote. Part glazing windows will address a loss of privacy and only "specific" flats in the scheme will be allowed to rent parking spaces.

Overall they found the scheme would mostly have benefits from going ahead, with only a limited downside due to the "minor" effect on daylight and sunlight of some neighbours. The number of parking spaces is below standards, the report admitted, but the block's location near major public transport and the centre means these can be relaxed.

The lack of housing in the city also weighed in the scheme's favour. Outline permission for the block was granted by the council earlier this week (22 April.)

Developers will pay £389,918.00 towards local services and 10 of the flats will be affordable under a Section 106 agreement. Most of the flats will be one-bedroom units and there will be 21 parking spaces.

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