New £300 million shopping destination planned for Coventry city centre

A new £300 million pound plan to transform Coventry’s city centre into a major shopping and entertainment destination has been revealed.

The new development, called ‘City Centre South’, will be situated in Bull Yard, Shelton Square, City Arcade, and Herford Street in Coventry, and will be the size of ten football pitches.

The centre will comprise a major department store, three flagship stores, and up to 50 retail stores as well as a bowling alley, a cinema and a hotel.

The development is being compared to the Touchwood shopping and entertainment complex in Solihull which is home to over 80 retail stores and more than 20 eateries.

It is hoped that City Centre South will overtake Touchwood to become the second largest shopping destination in the Midlands, second only to the Bullring in Birmingham.

Jim O’Boyle, Coventry City Councillor and Cabinet Member for jobs and regeneration, has stated that: “City Centre South is a key part of our plans to create a new, vibrant Coventry and we wanted to be absolutely sure we had the right scheme in place.

“We need to attract major names and bring people back into the city centre for shopping and leisure – in the day time and at night – and this mixed development will transform what is now a tired and dated part of the city.”

It is thought that the centre will generate 1,500 permanent jobs, with a further 2 000 temporary jobs being created during the construction stage. It is also estimated that City Centre South will generate an extra £20 million income for Coventry each year.

George Duggins, Coventry City Council leader, added: “When you look at all the changes happening around Coventry and see the ambitious plans for City Centre South, it shows there are great times ahead for our city.”

The construction of the project is due to start in 2020, and is hoped to be completed by 2022.