[15
FEB 01] SPON END FORUM NEWS
Bus Route Could Flatten Historic City Houses
A
block of watchmakers cottages in Coventry are to be demolished to make
way for a road widening scheme, despite community groups being told
that no such scheme was being planned.
STANLEY TERRACE
COULD BE DEMOLISHED FOR THE BUS SHOWCASE SCHEME
Public
consultation is to start shortly on a suggestion to demolish Stanley
Terrace as part of a bus showcase scheme running from the city centre
to Tile Hill.
A
major problem facing planners is a bottleneck at the junction between
Hearsall Lane and Allesley Old Road.
Traffic
builds up there at peak hours and there is not enough room for a
dedicated bus lane to allow buses to jump the queue.
A
variety of proposals are being put forward by Coventry City Council to
get around this problem. They include demolishing a row of empty
houses called Stanley Terrace, in Allesley Old Road to widen the road
at the junction.
But
members of the Spon End Forum say they have been told for two years
that no such plan is being considered.
Malcolm
Adkins of the community group, which draws together interest groups
from all over Spon End, said he was about to start campaigning for the
terrace to be renovated when he heard about the scheme.
Now,
instead of calling for the former watchmakers’ cottages to be
restored, he faces a battle to ensure their survival.
He
said:
“We
have been arguing that there should be another way of doing it but
we were told that there were no plans for it.
"These
were Watchmakers Houses, which at one time contained the offices of
the Coventry Watchmakers Co-operative.
"This
group figured prominently in the recent Channel Four Time Team
programme on watch-making in Coventry.
"It
would be bad for Coventry if the building they occupied was
demolished.”
Mr
Adkins said the buildings could be brought back to life and used to
provide much-needed family-sized houses.
He
said:
"Recently
a new group has established itself under the umbrella of the Spon
End Building Preservation Trust.
"This
group is intending to purchase Victorian and Edwardian houses in the
Spon End area, largely to make family houses available to young
couples that we know want to move into the area, but are prevented
at present by the large amount of houses illegally subdivided into
bedsits.
“The
result is that we do have a team with the right skills and
experience to take over, renovate and manage or sell properties such
as this.
"We
are confident that we can raise the money that would be needed. The
scheme would be an economic one that would not need any grant aid
and which would show a return for the council."
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