Coventry Society has objected to the latest planning application relating to 34-36 Earlsdon Street. The former bank in the Earlsdon Conservation Area was partially demolished over the New Year holiday in 2024/2025 to the disgust of local residents.
The City Council issued a Stop Notice which was objected to by the owners, who have now submitted a new planning application.
The full response of the Society is shown below:
Planning Application PL/2026/0000534/FUL
34 – 36 Earlsdon Street, Coventry, CV5 6EJ
Objection to the proposed development.
A full application for the erection of a 2-storey building to replace the National Westminster building recently demolished.
The Earlsdon Conservation Area Management Plan contains a number of proposals and actions. Item 2.2 states that “Many mid-20th to 21st-century shop fronts do not preserve or enhance the character of the area, display inappropriate signage and have a negative impact on the character of the area.”
The 1971 façade of the old National Westminster building is a case in point with the cheap plastic shiplap and wood/hardboard frontage which quickly fell into disrepair once the premises were vacated.
It is pleasing to note that the applicant is looking to provide a new façade to the building in order to make a positive contribution to the conservation area. (Planning Statement Para. 6.6)
This mirrors the Conservation area policy of Coventry City Council which has the power to control new development –
The City Council asks for a very high standard of design, which is sympathetic to the existing environment. New development must make a positive contribution to the character of the area.
A Heritage Impact Assessment written by Catherine Tuck from Keystone Heritage, April 2026 is included in the application with the Local Planning Policy requirement being mentioned:
Local Planning Policy
2.8 Policy HE2(7) outlines that ‘All proposals should aim to sustain and reinforce the special character and conserve the following distinctive historic elements of Coventry …. The Victorian and Edwardian suburbs such as Earlsdon’.
This statement would suggest that the distinctive elements seen in the remainder of the terrace in the Earlsdonconservation area (Nos. 38-46) are to be included in the new front elevation design for numbers 34-36.
These distinctive elements can be seen in this Google Maps street view image reproduced below:
An SPD is mentioned in the Heritage Impact Assessment:
Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs)
2.9 A Design Guidance on Shopfronts for Conservation Areas and Historic Buildings SPD – June 2014
This document has several points that should be noted:
3.3 Elements of a traditional shopfront design
Materials – The use of plastics and metal sheet will not usually be permitted.
Pilasters, Consoles and Cornice – note the requirements
6 – The upper floors
Replacement upper storey and rear windows
Where original timber windows cannot be repaired or have already been lost they should be replaced / reinstated with timber double glazed windows and not with modern UPVC windows which fail to accurately replicate their historic appearance.
Roofing materials
Roofing materials should be plain clay tiles or slates, the use of interlocking concrete tiles has a negative visual impact on the appearance of the historic building….
The proposed design:
Looking at each element of the proposed front elevation it can be determined as to how well this design matches the existing terrace and requirements of the SPD.
- Ridge tiles – No ridge tiles have been proposed whereas the existing terrace has crested ridge tiles.
- Roof – The proposal is for concrete tiles whereas the Design Guidance requires the use of slate or plain tile. Slate should be used to match the existing terrace. The roof pitch should match that of the existing terrace.
- Dentil Brick courses – Dentil bricks proposed, however no detail is provided as to how these matching bricks will be sourced.
- Window lintel – Stone lintel proposed is ivory. The lintels of the existing terrace are painted white. Suitable materials should be selected to match the white finish of the existing terrace.
- Windowsill – Stone sill proposed is ivory. The lintels of the existing terrace are painted white. Suitable materials should be selected to match the white finish of the existing terrace.
- Window – Standard casement window proposed, probably uPVC. The SPD requires timber frames. Sash windows are needed to match those of the existing terrace to replace those lost in the demolition.
- White line – A painted white line is required to match the existing terrace using suitable materials.
- Facia – The facias of other premises in the street cover the full width of the building.
- Corbels – No Corbels have been proposed to match those of the existing terrace.
- Portico – No porticos have been proposed to match those of the existing terrace.
- Pilaster – No Pilasters have been proposed to match those of the existing terrace.
- Door and windows – Aluminium is proposed for the door and windows. The SPD does not permit the use of metals so these need to be of a design having wooden frames.
One of the objectives of The Coventry Society is to promote high standards of planning, urban design and architecture in or affecting Coventry.
The Earlsdon Conservation Area Management Plan Section 2.0 The Design of New Development, States in section 2.2 – Shop frontages of a more appropriate design, scale and material will be encouraged by design guidance and sensitive and detailed development management over alterations and shop fronts. Also encourage use of existing shopfront Design Guidance.
In considering applications for planning permission for new shopfronts, ensure that the proposed shopfront makes a positive contribution to the character of the Conservation Area
Section 8 of the Planning Statement relates to Community Involvement. A contributor to the Earlsdon Echo recently stated ” want to see the original facade of 36 rebuilt. I really do not like the proposal for the rebuild.” It is likely that many people living in the area would have a similar view since this application is not for a New Build which might allow some design aspects to have a modern content, but for a rebuild of part of the demolished terrace where it is expected that the frontage will match the existing properties.
This application has a proposed design with a front elevation which completely fails to meet the standards of the Coventry Society as well as those of the Earlsdon Conservation Area Management Plan and City Council on many counts having no sensitivity whatever.
Therefore, the society objects to this application in its current form. It fails to ensure the very high standard of design demanded by Coventry City Council and the Earlsdon Conservation Area Management Plan by being totally unsympathetic to the existing environment and not making the positive contribution to the character of the area required.
The Coventry Society would ask that this current application be refused.