®Planning appeal decision
Coventry Stadium, Rugby Road, Coventry, CV8 3GP
Planning appeal 3322013 at Coventry Stadium, Rugby Road, Coventry, CV8 3GP (Rugby Borough Council) was dismissed on 19 January 2024 by Inspector Hockenhull H, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposed development forms inappropriate development in the Green Belt, the effect on openness and Green Belt purposes.
the demolition of existing buildings and outline planning application (with matters of access, layout, scale, and appearance included) for residential development (Use Class C3) including means of access into the site from the Rugby Road, provision of open space and associated infrastructure and provision of sports pitch, erection of pavilion and formation of associated car park
- Authority
- Rugby Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Hockenhull H
- Postcode
- CV8 3GP
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposed development forms inappropriate development in the Green Belt, the effect on openness and Green Belt purposes
- Whether the stadium is surplus to requirements having regard to national and local planning policies
- Whether it is financially viable to reinstate the speedway stadium
- Whether there is an identified need for the alternative sports provision proposed
- Whether the benefits of the alternative sports provision outweigh the loss of the former speedway use
What decided it
The stadium was found not to be surplus to requirements and the benefits of the alternative 3G pitch provision did not clearly outweigh the loss of the former speedway/stock car use, resulting in conflict with the development plan as a whole.
The moderate/significant weight given to housing, affordable housing and other benefits did not outweigh the significant weight attributed to conflict with the development plan arising from loss of the stadium, so the balance tipped against the proposal
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy HS4Policy LF1Policy H2Policy GP3
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 154Paragraph 103Paragraph 97Paragraph 96Paragraph 123Paragraph 99
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.