Agenda and minutes

Councillors Mal Mutton and McNicholas declared interests in Minute 12 below headed ‘City Centre Redevelopment including Friargate, City Centre South, Station Master Plan, Leisure Centre and 50m Pool’ in so far as the discussion related to the Canal Basin. They remained in the meeting during the consideration of this item.   

The minutes of the meeting held on 12^th July, 2017 were signed as a true record. There were no matters arising.   

Briefing Note of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

Councillor Duggins, Cabinet Member for Policy and Leadership, and Councillors J O’Boyle and D Welsh, Cabinet Member and Deputy Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration have been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item

The Committee received a presentation and briefing note on Friargate and other City Centre developments including City Centre South, the Station Master Plan and the new leisure centre. The presentation also featured the new 50m pool. Councillor Duggins, Cabinet Member for Policy and Leadership and Councillors O’Boyle and Welsh, Cabinet Member and Deputy Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration attended the meeting for the consideration of this item.

The presentation set out the importance of regeneration and the redevelopment of the city centre which would create rates income, attract increased investment, attract new jobs, attract and retain skills and attract new visitors and customers as well as increasing the attractiveness of Coventry as a destination. Detailed information was provided on the financial implications of the regeneration which involved a total spend of £276m with additional funding from the private sector.

The station masterplan involved a new station building to complement the existing listed building with 5 retail units in this new building. There would be a 640 space multi-storey car park and a new bus interchange on the Central 6 side of Warwick Road. Work had started on site in March 2016 to construct the pedestrian link under Warwick Road.

Attention was drawn to the potential 14 office space buildings for the Friargate development with shops, restaurants and bars. There was space for 2 hotels, up to 400 new homes, vastly improved public space and 15,000 new jobs once complete. Business rates income was estimated at £23m. Further information was provided on the first completed Friargate building and the plans for the second building.

The presentation provided an overview of the City Centre South development which along with the retail offer included student and residential accommodation and a 5 screen cinema. A timeline for the development was provided. To date the public sector funding had been confirmed and terms were being agreed for the anchor store. Completion of the development was anticipated for October 2022.

Contractors were currently on site for the new leisure attraction in New Union Street, demolition works had been completed and the opening of the new facility was anticipated for 2019. Additional information was provided on the new 50m swimming pool at the Alan Higgs Centre. The timeline for the new pool was set out which indicated an opening date of May 2019. 

Reference was made to other developments in the City Centre including the student housing scheme, residential apartments and an extension to the Premier Inn at the Belgrade Plaza; a further five restaurants in phase 2 of the redevelopment of Cathedral Lanes, new student units at Bishopsgate and Millenium View; and the redevelopment of the former Co-op building.

Members raised a number of issues in response to the presentation and responses were provided, matters raised included:

·  The importance of growing and developing the City Centre to increase Business Rates to fund services in the future and the current uncertainty around the final detail of this due to it’s omission from the Queen’s speech.

·  The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

Report of Councillor Lindsley Harvard, Lord Mayor 2016/17

The Committee received a report of Councillor Lindsley Harvard, Lord Mayor in 2016/17, concerning his civic visit to Dresden from 27^th to 29^th April, 2017. The Lord Mayor was invited to represent the City of Coventry at the re-opening of The Kulturpalast Civic Centre ‘Palace of Culture’ and the inaugural performance of the Dresden Philamonic Orchestra concert.  

RESOLVED that the report of the Lord Mayor’s civic visit to Dresden, accompanied by the principal private secretary to the Lord Mayoralty, and the positive outcomes of the visit be endorsed.

Report of the Lord Mayor, Councillor Tony Skipper

The Committee received a report of the Lord Mayor, Councillor Tony Skipper, concerning his civic visit to Kiel from 16^th to 19^th June and the associated Kieler Woche (Kiel Week) celebrations. Kiel Week was the largest summer festival in northern Europe and the largest sailing sports event in the world, comprising both sailing and cultural events. Attendance provided the opportunity to raise Coventry profile at a European and International level.

RESOLVED that the report of the Lord Mayor’s civic visit to Kiel and the associated Kieler Woche (Kiel Week) celebrations be endorsed.   

All outstanding issues are dealt with in the Committee’s Work Programme.

The Committee noted that all outstanding issues had been dealt with in the Committee’s work programme.

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

The Committee considered their work programme for the current municipal year. The Chair, Councillor Brown, informed of his meeting with Andy Street, West Midland Mayor on 12^th October and of his intention to invite him to attend a future Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee meeting.  

RESOLVED that:

(1) The work programme be noted.

(2) Consideration be given to scheduling Selective Licensing for the Private Rented Sector and Student Accommodation and University City Development on the work programme timetable.

(3) The Chair’s intention to invite Andy Street, West Midlands Mayor, to a future meeting of the Committee be noted.

Any other items of public business which the Chair decides to take as a matter of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

There were no additional items of public business.