News roundup 2015

The Co e t Lo al De elop e t Pla LDP that a e out i the late pa t of

last ea , a d the Cit Ce t e A ea A io Pla that as eleased fo o sultaio i Fe ua , a e a gua l the ost i po ta t do u e ts of these last

o ths. O e e do sed the Se eta of State these poli ies ill guide ho the it de elops o e the e t - ea s.

The e a e good thi gs i the LDP a d e said so i ou ep ese taio . But e e

ot o i ed that a populaio e pa sio , espe iall o the pe iphe of the it , ill auto ai all lead to the i p o e e t that so a a t to see. Espe iall at the it s hea t. I esse e

e elie e that ou isio should e fo a it of ualit athe tha a it of ua it . Qualit has ee the So iet s at h o d fo the last eight ea s.

G eate populaio

We e p essed o e fo the i kle ess of populaio p oje io s a d the appa e t elease of % of ou G ee Belt to a o odate ho es o e the

e t - ea s . I ou ie the de elop e t of o ield sites ould ha e less appeal to de elope s. The e

ould also e g eate de a d o the t a spo t s ste , the hospital a d othe

ai l i ed assets. O top of that e elie e the ate of house uildi g should e ied i ith the g o th of jo s i the it , so as ot to eate e essi e o ui g i a d out of the it .

City Ce t e

The Cit Ce t e A ea A io Pla is u e tl u de s ui ou o itee. The pla states: Despite

so e sig s of a uptu i pe fo a e

i , it is lea f o the stud that the it e t e has pe fo ed poo l du i g

the e essio a d to so e e te t i the i te e i g pe iod. This is, i pa t at least, a esult of sig ii a t o peiio f o

eigh ou i g to s a d iies i ludi g Lei este , Bi i gha , Solihull a d Lea i gto . As su h, it is lea that Co e t ust p o ide a lea luep i t that ill ot o l suppo t the it as a

hole ut also help the it e t e la a k a ket sha e a d o pete o e idel ith its eigh ou s.

We ould t ag ee o e a d ill e aki g ou o e ts o ate s like

suppo t fo s all i depe de t etaile s, e t al pa ki g, the e e i g e o o ,

e-use of ou he itage uildi gs, a i e f o tages , to e io just a fe . Capital of Cultu e

We a e delighted to see Co e t p epa i g to ake a id to e a Capital of Cultu e. But the e a e a that ould s ee at the p ospe t. Ig o i g this s epi is e ask: What ill it take to

ake the all-i po ta t id?

We a do so u h o e ith ou he itage a d i o i uildi gs. Co e t is fa ed fo its post- a a hite tu e, so e of it Fesi al of B itai st le like ou pio ee i g P e i t. The e a e i po ta t

uildi gs that a e u i ue—the Ce t al ‘etail Ma ket o o the Naio al List, a d ou Ce t al S i i g Baths that ould a d should e eha ilitated. The

Elepha t e t doo is also th eate ed a d e ha e e e tl applied to E glish

He itage fo Naio al Lisi g. We a ait the esult. A d St Ma s Guildhall, o e of

the est su i i g guildhalls i the ou t , eall should pla a g eate ole

i at a i g oth tou ists a d lo al people to the ag ii e t Cathed al Qua te . ‘e a ka le p og ess i Fa Gosfo d St eet is pleasi g espe iall the Fa go C eai e Village p oje t. Also the t e e dous o k the Cha te house Co e t P ese aio T ust that e e tl se u ed su sta ial fu di g. We o e ted o pla s to de elop D ape s Hall the Higgs Cha it , a d look fo a d to seei g the uildi g e-

used as a e t e fo e elle e i usi . Stai g ou ie s

The So iet has ee o sulted o e ajo i p o e e ts to the pu li eal .

We o g atulate the Cou il o the i t odu io of a ph speed li it i the e t e. Ate a shak sta t this has helped ake the sha ed spa e ju io s safe .

We e e tl o e ted o p oposals fo the Belg ade S ua e ju io a d e a ess a a ge e ts to West O ha d. We put o e o d ou ese aio s o e p oposed pedest ia ossi gs ea to the fo e Telegraph uildi g. We et ith ep ese tai es fo Co e t U i e sit to ake ou ie s felt o the S ie e a d Health uildi g. Sadl e failed to ha e a gas li de sto age fa ilit elo ated a a f o the ea of the histo i Whitef ia s Gatehouse. Desig B iefs

So e ea s ago ou Cou il p odu ed desig iefs i di ai g the p efe ed a a a ea should e de eloped. This is o lo ge the ase. We et ith leadi g Ca i et Me e Cll Ke i Mato , ho ag eed iefs a e a useful tool, a d it spu ed us to sta t o ki g ith lo al a hite ts a d pla e s i the hope that a desig fo u ight e esta lished. It has ee a us ea of o k ade possi le th ough the dedi aio of ou o itee. I tha k ea h of the fo the

i e a d e e g gi e i aki g Co e t s i i a e it so iet o th of its a e. Keith Draper, Chair a

Ca paig i g fo a uality Co e t y

A d aisi g a a e ess as to hat uality ea s

O e of the a s all t ade s i the u i ue Ci ula Ma ket

The u i ue Ce t al S i i g Baths

S all i depe de t shops like Age s a e the o e sto e of the it e t e

The for er AXA uildi g: Ate Paul Maddo ks e t o lo al adio to highlight the foll of pai i g the uildi g “tud I s, o e tha 7 o je to s ote to the Cou il. O the last da of o sultaio the Cou il de la ed that pla i g pe issio

as ot e ui ed a d etu ed the PA.

Copsewood Gra ge: We u de sta d that talks ha e ee taki g pla e e e tl et ee the Cou il a d

Mo is Ho es, o e s of the site. “tua t Da iel ho has ee i ol ed i egoiaio s f o a ea l stage said: The Cou il is ada a t that the o igi al ag ee e t should e ho ou ed a d feel su e the Cou il

ill ai tai its sta e.

The “o iet as i st u e tal i ha i g la d use a ou d the G a ge ha ged f o o e ial to eside ial.

CAN: O e of ou o itee, Paul Maddo ks, o ks ith Coventry Action for Neighbourhoods, formed to campaign for better communities in Coventry. It came about after claims of adverse effects that houses in multiple occupation (HIMOs) are having on certain areas of the city.

War Me orial Proje t: that as sta ted i to a k the e te a of the out eak

of the Fi st Wo ld Wa , o "The G eat Wa " as it as k o . As pa t of the t i ute to the people ho ga e thei li es du i g the Wa Joh Pa e has eated a set of pages sho i g a of the WW Wa Me o ials i Co e t . We e e delighted he the He e t A t Galle e p essed the ish to pa t e the p oje t a d the u e t pages ha e ee eated i olla o aio ith the .

Charterhouse: “tua t Da iel has pla ed a sig ii a t pa t i helpi g to shape the futu e of the th e tu g ade I listed Cha te house a d its la ds. Pi tu ed ight is a a ist’s i p essio of the house a d its ga de s that ill

e o e a ealit ate a e e t £ , He itage Lote Fu d g a t that ill ise to £ . illio . The lote g a t is i addiio to £ , f o E glish He itage a d The Pilg i T ust.

These pages highlight so e of the o k u de take the “o iet . O ehalf of e e s I tha k those that ha e gi e i e a d efo t , a d i so doi g ade a g eat o t i uio to the futu e ell ei g of ou Cit . Keith Draper, Chair a

Sher our e Proje t: O Ci i Da last ea the “o iet o ked ith a a ge

of pa t e s to highlight the p ese e a d i po ta e of the Ri e “he ou e as a sig ii a t asset i the it . Based at the Cha te house, a i iies i luded a pi tu e displa , po e poi t p ese taio , a i iies fo hild e , a i e lea -up a d a pilg i age alo g the i e . The p oje t as o side ed to ha e g eat

e it a d as e og ised Ci i Voi e he a a a d as p ese ted to us i O to e . Me e s of the o itee e e i ol ed as ell as

the E i o e tal Age , Cha te -house T ust, the “he ou e Pa t e -ship a d hild e f o a lo al s hool.

Septe er August : Whe Wa i kshi e We t to Wa p ese ted y Ch is Holla d of the Weste F o t Asso iaio

O to er Post- a Co e t y—talk y a hite t Ala G iiths—the uildi gs a d people he o ked ith a d et. No e er Lesso s f o th ee a ee s i lo al go e e t, a d hy life ate a ds is so s eet ith Pete Hu te

De e er Fu pi tu e uiz a d talk y Wo e ’s Resea h G oup

Ja uary Th ee p ese taio s: The Ri e She ou e; Cou do Wedge— ou t y pa k? City Ce t e ju io i p o e e ts

Fe ruary The sto y of B o ’s: p ese taio y i te io a d a hite tu al desig e Ad ia Bay es

Mar h Caludo Castle p ese taio y fo e City Co se aio Oi e Geo ge De ido i z

May: e e e ell looked ate o a isit to the Ra gha ia Sikh Gu d a a at Foleshill. Whe e a i ed I a o da e

ith Sikhis ea h e e o e ed thei head ith a ed ha dke hief as an expres-sion of respect to their Gurus. After being given light refreshments we were taken to the Prayer Hall where texts from the Holy Book were being read.

Ju e: a guided tou of the ost histo i pa t of Wa i k members were taken on a town trail by James Mackay, chairman of the Warwick Society, who gave us a well informed but pleasantly informal introduction. He told us that threats to Warwick’s historic character surfaced during the post-Second World War period when town planners were keen to modernise, and the Warwick Society was formed in 1951 to oppose unwise development.

July: a fo ay i to the Wyke C ot se io of the So e Valley led y Les Fa et, took

e e s th ough ough g assla d to a ds the th e tu y He ley Mill. The alk i ished at the Red Lio , Walsg a e.

Rail ay aters: Les Fa et has headed up ou ep ese taio s a d dis ussio o the highly o t o e sial HS a d e pla s fo Co e t y’s Rail Staio . We o side the proposed bus station and multi-storey car park to be on the wrong side of Warwick Road, giving passengers a long walk to the trains via a new tunnel under Warwick Road.

I espe t of High Speed e elie e a alte ai e pla alled HSUK should e looked at as a ete opio . If £ illio is ei g spe t o a high-speed et o k it has to o k fo e e yo e; it has to e

o e tha a supe fast li k f o Lo do to Bi i gha , Ma heste a d Leeds. HSUK a e ie ed at

.highspeeduk. o.uk

Su h as the popula ity of the ale da e p odu ed a othe fo

this yea . A e se ies of Ch ist as a ds e e also i g eat de a d.

A joi t efo t y : Coli Walke , Paul Maddo ks, Jay e Lo g a d Keith D ape

We site: ai tai ed y Joh Pay e, it has had a i easi g

u e of isits o e the last yea . The e’s a log featu i g Ba elo a’s a hite tu e a d Co e t y’s lost pu s; uildi gs at isk i the ity; sto ies of ou histo y a d he itage. The e a e photos aple ty. Ea h eek a sele io of the o e i te esi g pla i g appli aio s is also pu lished.

Contacts

Postal address: 77 Craven Street, Coventry CV5 8DT

Chairman’s tel: 024 7640 2030

Email: info@coventrysociety.org.uk If Twitter is your thing, you can follow us at https://twitter.com/#!/CovSoc

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August: Lo e Cou do as ou fo us ith a o du ted tou of St Os u g’s Chu h

ith P u Po eta a d a isit to A tspa e i Lo e Holyhead Road ith Lau a Elliot.

Ne sleter: Ea h o th the Chai a Keith D ape p odu es a e slete ith up-to the- i ute i fo aio

Heritage Weeke d: O e agai e ope ed St Ma k’s Chu h to gi e the pu li a othe oppo tu ity to see the u al y the a ist a d s ulpto Ha s Fei us h.

The Society has nominated two city developments for a Civic Voice Community Design Award, the inaugural year of the scheme. In the category for public realm schemes we have put forward the recently completed Council House Square. And less than one mile away, another outstanding project at Far Gosford Street—the FARGO creative village, recently opened in a series of old buildings that have been converted and re-used. Both schemes are the brainchild of Coventry Kids— Colin Knight who returned to the city four years ago to take up the post of Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Highways.

And Ian Harrabin, Managing Director of Complex Developments who masterminded restoration of buildings in Far Gosford Street. Freddie Gick, Chair of Civic Voice said: “We are introducing the award with the aim of demonstrating that communities are prepared to accept new development – when the development responds to local needs and is of a high standard of design. “The civic society movement is focused on delivering high quality places and these awards are a great way to do that while encouraging collaboration between communities and developers on a local level.”

I Fe ua the Ci i Voi e a ifesto, Lo alis fo Real as lau hed at a pa ked eei g of the All Pa t Pa lia e ta G oup fo Ci i “o ieies.

Lau a “a d s MP, Chai of the APPG fo Ci i “o ieies said The Ci i Voi e a ifesto ’Lo alis fo Real’ puts po e a k i to the ha ds of o u iies. I a delighted that oth Pla i g Mi iste , B a do Le is MP a d “hado Pla i g Mi iste , Ro e ta-Bla k a Woods MP he e a le to joi us fo the

eei g a d to de ate the e o e daio s . To a hie e Lo alis fo Real , the a ifesto htp:// . i i oi e.o g.uk/ a ifesto alls o futu e Go e e ts to: Make i p o i g the ualit of the pu li eal i ou iies, to s a d illages a p io it

Gi e all iize s oppo tu iies to a i el shape the futu e of thei pla e

Gi e lo al o u iies the po e s the eed to e a le thei to a d it e t es to p ospe

The e e t also it essed the lau h of a e pu li aio , Colla o ai e Pla i g fo All , p odu ed i pa t e ship ith Joh Tho pso & Pa t e s.

Ci i Voi e has pu lished this se o d epo t as pa t of its a paig to i g olla o ai e pla i g p o esses i to ai st ea pla i g so that th ough sha ed o ki g f o a ea l stage, o u iies a help shape a d suppo t, g o th a d de elop e t it fo thei o u it . Colla o ai e Pla i g fo All is a aila le to do load f o . i i oi e.o g.uk/ olla o ai epla i g

F eddie Gi k, Chai of Ci i Voi e said I the lead up to the Ge e al Ele io , Ci i Voi e ill e p essi g fo adi al ha ges to the p o esses hi h lo al o u iies a o t i ute to lo al pla i g de isio s. While Ci i “o iet e e s a oss the ou t e og ise the eed fo e t a housi g a d ha e o side a le e pe ie e to i g to ea , the a e ote fa ed ith e li ited oppo tu iies to espo d to o sultaio s o u sustai a le pla s that a e ot ight fo thei a eas. We a t to see a e app oa h i hi h lo al autho iies a e e ui ed to de o st ate that lo al pla i g de isio s a e ade o l ate it has ee sho that the e has ee a i e pa i ipaio i the p o ess e e s of the lo al i i a e it so iet . We a e alli g o all polii al pa ies to adopt Colla o ai e Pla i g fo All a d e look fo a d to sha i g ou ideas ith poli ake s i due ou se".

More news and views on our website: www.coventrysociety.org.uk

O e of the eai e t ade s at Fa go Village Cou il House “ ua e