PROPOSALS for a ‘student village’ on a former social club site in Canley instead of housing are being opposed by residents and local councillors.
Westwood ward Conservative councillors David Skinner, Marcus Lapsa and Tim Mayer want to block proposals for what developers are calling a ‘Warwick Univillage’ at the former Canley sports and social club, Marler Road.
They are calling for affordable and family housing to be built on the land instead, and have launched a petition calling on council planners to reject the plan.
The land had outline planning permission for up to 44 dwellings on the site, given in 2015.
In a joint statement couns Skinner, Mayer and Lapsa said “ We are calling on Coventry council to reject plans for a potential 300-bed gated student accommodation block.
“We are concerned about additional transport and parking problems, plus safety issues for students walking to and from the site.
“We believe the site would be much better suited to helping the Canley community grow by providing much needed starter and family accommodation and adequate associated parking.
“Just one mile up the road the council are looking at destroying green belt land at Cromwell Lane to provide family housing so our petition is calling
for new plans to be brought forward that include both affordable and family housing, as well as adequate on-site parking and accompanying traffic improvement measures at the former Canley sports and social club.
“The residents we’ve spoken to in the area are strongly opposed to the current plans for this site and are keen to lodge their objections.
“We of course want to see this site redeveloped and brought back into use. It has been disused for far too long, but it must be in a way that benefits the Canley community.
“Canley has changed significantly in the last few years and now has an air of confidence and optimism.
“There’s a strong feeling locally that a better use for this site would be family housing that includes affordable homes.
“We’re therefore calling on the developer to go back to the drawing board and come back with plans that are more acceptable to the local
community for the redevelopment on the former Canley sports and social club.”
Developers Urban Pulse in community briefings have said they are responding to demand from students and young people who want to live in affordable and ‘bespoke’ ‘contemporary’ accommodation without a walking commute of campus, with shuttle bus and cycling links.
