Coventry City have been dealt a blow to their plans for their new stadium after a High Court judge ruled the planning process had been abused.

Mr Justice Sullivan ruled that a change in the number of units in the proposals at the arena should have gone through more consultation.

Coventry City Council allowed the increase in the number of retail units at the request of the Sky Blues.

But the two companies that own the Lower and Upper Precinct said the changes should have been put out to consultation.

Arrowcroft and Land Securities argued in the High Court that the changes amounted to allowing an out-of-town shopping centre, and that the city council did not have the power to permit the changes.

They won their case in the High Court on Friday.

But Coventry City FC chairman Bryan Richardson insisted the setback would not affect the scheme.

He said that the size of the shopping development would remain the same. All that changes is the number of units alongside a huge Tesco.

A new planning application is coming before the city council later this week.

It includes provision to give Coventry’s City Centre Company £100,000 to improve the city centre to cope with the new threat to traders.

There is also a pledge that Tesco will keep its shop in Bedworth town centre open for at least seven years after the new store opens at the arena.

Cllr Dave Batten, cabinet member (Development and Renewal) said traders in Coventry city centre should not be worried about the scale of the development at the arena.

He said the development would pose no more threat than other shopping parks such as Alvis, Central Six and Cannon Park:

Cllr Batten said: