New plans for purpose-built student accommodation of up to 400 beds next to Warwick University have passed the first hurdle, despite a petition of more than 100 signatures and dozens of letters opposing the scheme. 

Outline planning permission has been granted by councillors for the development at County Scaffolding builder's yard in Westwood Heath Road, Coventry, next to the University of Warwick's main campus. Existing buildings would be demolished to make way for the student blocks.

Coventry City Council planning committee heard the site is near Grade II listed St John's Church. Part of the land already has separate planning permission to create a new 32,000 sqm Social Sciences Quarter for the university.

The proposals were referred to the committee because of the number of objections, including a petition with 105 signatures. 

Those who signed the petition opposed the scheme "due to the oversupply of student accommodation" and said it undermined local planning policy as well as placing pressure on established residential areas. There were also concerns about an increase in congestion and traffic and that the development would be detrimental to highway safety and the character of the area.

The council said it had separately received 31 letters of objection raising similar issues plus additional worries over the impact on the church, a lack of suitable infrastructure, and the scale of the accommodation being "inappropriate" for the area.

Cllr Marcus Lapsa also objected "due to there being no demonstrable need for additional purpose-built student accommodation" as well as fears over highway safety and the development of "safeguarded" land.

A council report explained that formal greenbelt status for the land had been lifted to allow "future consideration to be given to cross-boundary developments" as the site lies next to Warwick District. The student accommodation scheme relates only to redeveloping an existing builder's yard, planners pointed out. 

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Coventry Society vice chairperson Tim Brown told the meeting the plans were "satisfactory" and supported in principle. 

He added that additional university funding was mainly for research and post-graduate teaching and likely to attract mature students so the society felt there was a need to consider family accommodation. Mr Brown said the society was concerned over the scale of the development "so close to the Grade II listed church."

A spokesman for the applicants told the committee: "The council and Warwick University have evidenced the need for more student bedspaces to meet future student demand and this is a logical location for more accommodation to meet that need. Students will be able to access the university safely and easily on foot and cycle." He added that there had been no objections raised from the church itself.

Cllr Kevin Maton agreed to the principle of the scheme. But he said it was difficult to picture the visual impact of the four-storey and five-storey accommodation blocks, to assess potential overdevelopment. 

He said: "At the moment, I've got no problem with student accommodation in that location, and it's been a policy for a number of years to have more purpose-built accommodation in order to free up more housing for families.

"But try telling anbody who lives in Tile Hill and Canley that somehow our policies have led to more accommodation being available. I think, everytime I look, there's another set of houses being converted to HMOs in one form or another."

Planning officer Richard Edgington told the committee meeting: "Over the last couple of years in particular we have had a number of cases that have come to planning committee for purpose-built student accommodation where we have had discussions, particularly around Warwick University, about whether there is a need.

"The Cushman Wakefield report commissioned back in 2023 shows that Warwick [University] should be treated differently to Coventry and the city centre and be a sub-market, which is an approach that we continue to take."

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Addressing traffic concerns, Mr Edgington said the accommodation would have 20 parking spaces aimed mainly at Blue Badge holders and for the occasional dropping off and picking up of students at the start and end of terms. It was envisaged as a "car-free development" where people would instead rely on local bus, cycle and pedestrian routes, he said.

Officers concluded that "the proposed development is considered to be acceptable in principle and will not result in any significant impact upon neighbour amenity, highway safety, ecology or infrastructure, subject to relevant conditions and contributions."

At the city council planning meeting on April 2, the outline application was approved, with seven votes in favour, none against and one abstention. Detailed plans will be brought forward at a future date.