Public inquiry begins into £250m Coventry Gateway plan
A PUBLIC inquiry gets under way today into plans for the ambitious Coventry Gateway scheme. The £250m development on the outskirts of the city could create thousands of new jobs but has run into local opposition.
Warwick District Council and Coventry City Council have already given their backing to the scheme at Coventry Airport but opponents have claimed it will damage greenbelt land.
A Government planning inspector will hear evidence from both sides before making his recommendation.
The Gateway scheme, which has been identified as a key driver to the regional economy, includes a new technology hub on land north of Coventry Airport and a manufacturing/logistics hub to the south.
The Coventry and Warwickshire Development Partnership is behind the scheme. This is a joint venture company set up by former Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership chairman Sir Peter Rigby and Roxhill Developments.
The Gateway has been selected by the CWLEP as the most suitable location to boost the local and regional economy and The Highways Agency has also factored the Gateway into its improvement scheme to the Tollbar junction, , designed to ease congestion in the area but also improve access to the Whitley Business Park.
The CWLEP last month submitted its plan for funding for the scheme to the Government. The plan has a strong focus on manufacturing.
It talks about creating new businesses, encouraging innovation and developing new and existing employment sites not just at the airport but at the Friargate, Lyons Park, Whitley Business Park and Bermuda Parks schemes as well.
