Friargate development

I agree with flapdoodle - Coventry is anything BUT a skyscraper city, and certainly not dense with them by any stretch of the imagination. In fact it hasn't got ANY skyscrapers by some peoples definition, or even highrises (100m +). The three tallest buildings in the entire city are all medieval - the three spires. A lot of visitors wouldn't even realise how big this city is looking at the city centre as it has more the look of a provincial town. Go the the US and come back and it's amazing how small everything here looks (not that I'd want to look like a US city as they are too much). I didn't like a lot of the Jerde plan (too tacky) and I think the Friargate plan is far too big, will never be completed and just lead to another central space being vacated and left abandoned if the council move there. Yes, I think it is nicer to have a lower rise street to shop in, but that's not the sole purpose of a city. It needs offices, workers etc and those buildings just aren't cost efficient and so Coventry won't see jobs created without taller buildings and slide further into decay. And the looks of the buildings is subjective. For example, personally I find the glass facades much more airy and light than a lot of the dull brickwork that festoons the city centre. The stonework has a nice aged feel to it but that sort of look can easily be recreated - look at the Council House. Don't forget the old buildings in places like Bath and York were the skyscrapers of their time - monoliths compared to much of their surroundings.

I happen to disagree slightly there as well and have a feeling the old 'rose tinted specs' may be on. Greyfriars Green is BIGGER now than it was years ago. I find it's one of the few things visitors like when they visit. The precinct was never 'green', but was a bit more spacious and felt more open due to not being cluttered with the escalator etc and didn't have the sightline blocked up by the ramp to the upper level. But this is nothing to do with the buildings, just the street furniture. Broadgate was greener in the 70's/80's but before that, when you could argue it was more historic, it had no greenery at all - it was just a massive junction linking a load of streets. Even when it was green it was surrounded by traffic, even more so than today now Broadgate is vehicle free. And the buildings being unsightly isn't really a point I'm making. Yes, they can be cleaned to look better, but it doesn't make them fit for purpose. Bradford cleans the buildings, but how many people set up in Bradford? It's one of the few places that left me feeling good about Coventry - it's a truly depressing place. And how many set up in Manchester and Leeds, with their redevelopments with newer buildings? The fact is there are more of us and we need housing and workplaces etc, and these old buildings for various reasons often are not up to the task. So new ones have to be built and that means they need somewhere to go.So that means either putting them on green land to preserve the old buildings, or knocking down the old which are no longer economically viable to make way for them. Given population growth over recent years probably both would need to be done. Personally I'd say around 75-80% redevelopment, 20-25% new development

Thanks MR, Jaytob has asked me to say that she loves the photo - thank you so much for posting

So pleased, Tony

Bradford Metropolitan borough consists of a lot of towns that aren't even part of the urban area, such as Keighley and Bingley and Otley. Linked by ribbon development, maybe. For Coventry, the equivalent would be Coventry/Bedworth/Nuneaton/Kenilworth/Binley Woods/Brandon/Meriden and maybe even Leamington and Warwick. I used to go drinking in Keighley when I was younger! Some good pubs there. Coventry should actually be the centre of a pretty populous region, and benefit hugely from being at the centre of it - yet it doesn't. There are some remarkably nice places around Bradford. Salt's Mill is good, for a start.

More news from today's Coventry Telegraph

Hello How long has Station Tower been empty? I have a vague recollection of seeing some lights on in it a some years ago, but it has looked very empty for some time now. When was it built? Was it a speculative development or built for a long-departed client? I was surprised to read recently that Mercia House (Lower Precinct tower) was originally built as an office building, but converted into flats.

Hi FD, floors 11- 13 were used by Post Office Telephones (later BT) in the 70s, maybe into the 80s, housing External Works, Pole Erection Unit Controls, Planning (not sure if was Internal or External) and some Clerical Groups. Great views of the city could be seen.

Looks like the work has already started! I counted at least 35 trees that had been felled around the island at junction 6 of the ring road I wonder what will happen to the horse? (I'll be in touch with the council on Monday to find out!)