Spon End regeneration plans finally get green light after years of debate

A £250 million redevelopment programme in Spon End has finally been given the green light to move forward, after years of demolition and waiting. 

Plans were announced for the regeneration of a 1960s housing estate in the Coventry district of Spon End as early as 2019, but the project was only signed off by Coventry City Council in June 2024.

Six years on from the original plans, permission for the project has now been approved by Coventry City Council’s Planning Committee.

The aim of the initial proposals was to modernise residences in the area, as well as to improve safety, after demands from residents in 2017.

Plans were expanded to include the demolition of old residences and create 750 new homes in the area, significantly expanding on the previous 449

Residents had raised complaints about anti-social behaviour, which the project also aimed to tackle.

Plans were later expanded to include the demolition of old residences and create 750 new homes in the area, significantly expanding on the previous 449.

This stage of the process started with the demolition of 158 homes in Kerry House, Milestone House, and Trafalgar House – termed as ‘Area 1’ of the scheme.

Although demolition was originally scheduled to start in the spring of 2023, plans were only approved by Coventry City Council in June 2024.

The regeneration of Spon End will deliver considerable social, economic and environmental benefits that include the delivery of new homes that will better meet the needs of residents

Spon End planning report

Kevin Roach, Director of Regeneration at Citizen Housing, told the BBC that these delays were mostly due to “challenges that we have with the scheme in terms of the flood mitigation and ensuring that we’re meeting council policy for all of that.”

Demolition ultimately started in March this year, coinciding with the submission of a plan to the Coventry City Council’s Planning Committee. As per the report, the regeneration has been approved.

“The regeneration of Spon End will deliver considerable social, economic and environmental benefits that include the delivery of new homes that will better meet the needs of residents”, the report stated.