Cllr Kevin Foster

Kevin Foster, Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman for Coventry South, has reacted to this week's (14th January 2010) Planning Committee decision on the Friargate scheme, but warning that the developers must take action to resolve residents concerns about their plans before they push ahead. Kevin today presented a petition signed by over 350 local residents expressing their concerns about how key parts of the proposal may be implemented.

Whilst outline permission for the Friargate Scheme was approved by Planning Committee many comments from Committee members indicated that they shared the deep unease many residents have about the plans to restrict access to the Ring Road from Junction 6 and to only allow traffic to access the Station via Stoney Road. It was also made clear that these key aspects of the plan would require a separate decision of Planning Committee before any development could proceed.

In addition to the conditions already proposed Planning Members insisted that a formal liaison group with local residents be established and that matters such as the detailed plans for the road layout would need to be presented to a future development forum, including alternative options.

Kevin said: "No-one is objecting to the idea of regenerating the area around the station and all the residents who spoke, along with myself, made clear that many aspects of the plan are welcome. Yet the plans to restrict access to junction 6 and force all traffic for the Station to use Stoney Road would cause real problems, as well as being impractical."

He added: "It was made clear by the Committee that the controversial traffic proposals were not being approved and will require further discussion and I hope that over the next 2 years the developers will work with residents to deliver a scheme that helps drive our city forward, but does not do so on the basis of the unrealistic traffic plan they have discussed so far."