The project will see a complete revamp to one quarter of the city centre
DEMOLITION has got underway ahead of a major city centre revamp that has been in the works for 15 years.
A series of buildings are being flattened ahead of a decade-long projectestimated to cost £450 million.
The redevelopment of the south side of Coventry City Centre is finally underway this month, after first reaching the drawing board in 2011.
A handful of buildings in the area have already been demolished, with more to come.
Once demolition is complete in mid-2026, construction work will start on new residential and retail properties.
A hotel and leisure spaces are also planned for the area, with work extending over years.
The work is set to be carried out in phases over the next decade, with the first due to be completed in the summer of 2032.
This final project will cover an area the size of nine football pitches, measuring around a quarter of the entire city centre.
Overall, it is expected to deliver around 1,300 homes, hotels, restaurants, and shops.
“It’s a massive scheme for Coventry, it will completely change the way the city looks and feels and how people live, work, and shop in our city,” councillor Jim O’ Boyle told the BBC.
Hertford House, Barracks multi-storey car park, and the City Arcade, a shopping centre which dates back to the 70s are among the buildings being demolished as part of the project.
The revamp marks the end of a nostalgic era for the city, with the first record shop of Coventry music producer, Pete Waterman included in the demolition.
Meanwhile, Coventry Market, stands isolated during the demolition and will be given a more prominent position in the new city centre layout.
The project marks the biggest redevelopment works in the city centre since it was rebuilt in the aftermath of World War II.
