Affordable housing scheme gets green light
Planning consultant CSJ Brooke Smith has secured planning consent for affordable new homes at Whitley Village in Coventry. Associate director Will Charlton told Insider that the scheme was “a huge boost to Coventry, as the region is in clear need of housing".
Charlton added that across the region, housing was becoming a bigger issue. "Schemes such as Whitley Village are going a long way to fix the problem, but demand is still outweighing the supply", he said.
The Whitley Village development was given the green light following successful negotiations between Birmingham-based CSJ Brooke Smith and Coventry City Council.
CSJ Brooke Smith was working on behalf of housing association Midland Heart.
Forty-five units will be built, replacing a number of empty office buildings - one of which was previously used by the housing association. Construction work will start “imminently”, according to CSJ Brooke Smith.
The site will include one and two-bedroom apartments and four-bedroom houses. All the homes will be "affordable" and they will lie next to the existing homes in Whitley Village.
Chorlton said: “The acceptance of this scheme is great news for Coventry – there is clear demand and need for housing in the region. Demand and supply of housing will become a very big topic as we go through the rest of the year.
"It will definitely be the topic that everyone is talking about. People need homes, and affordable housing is becoming a big issue. The land is there, but with the housing system in a bit of a mess at the moment, it's becoming difficult to seal the deals."
The Whitley Village development stands at a key gateway into Coventry, next to the green belt and a local nature conservation site. The proposal includes a feature apartment block, which will act as a landmark building.
Chorlton added: “The result will significantly enhance this entrance to Coventry. An extensive public consultation exercise brought no objections from consultees or local residents, which is a testament to the quality of the proposal, the sensitive approach taken and the need for low cost homes in the area.”
