The University of Warwick refused to let the public attend a meeting about plans to build Coventry City Football Club's new stadium and an eco park on campus – the town council has revealed.

In January Kenilworth Town Council was asked by a resident to arrange a meeting with the university to give a public update on the developments.

However, at last month's meeting councillors said the university was "adamant" that it wanted to keep this behind closed doors.

Mayor of Kenilworth Cllr Peter Jones said: "It certainly wasn't an oversight.

"It was Warwick university's reluctance – let's put it like that, although I could use a stronger word – to admit the public and kept it just the council.

"We did try, the town clerk did try and persuade them, but they were adamant. So we ended up with a briefing for councillors only."

Cllr Jones said he had written to the resident who had asked for the meeting to explain the situation.

Plans for the park, which would be on the south side of campus, were revealed last June.

The 48-hectare eco park will be open to the public as well as students and university staff.

Plans to build a new home for the Sky Blues were revealed back in July 2020.

However, the university said to Nub News it was committed to keeping local residents informed.

"As we develop a comprehensive sustainable plan for growth on the University campus, we'll continue to engage with stakeholders throughout, including our neighbours in Kenilworth and the wider area," Ben Hayday from the University of Warwick's community engagement team said.

"We are working to the timeline set out by the local authorities for the South Warwickshire Local Plan, and will share information about our thinking for comment and discussion as appropriate.

"For example, we shared our vision for the eco park last year when we made a submission to the local plan.

"The proposal is to create an area dedicated to wildlife, recreation, biodiversity and renewable energy open to the public and that will be an asset to communities in Coventry and Warwickshire. We will engage with local residents as the plans develop.

"We welcomed the meeting with Kenilworth town councillors and the opportunity to share our understanding of the timelines for engagement and formal consultation."

(Header image by David P. Howard via geograph.org.uk and (insert) Warwickshire County Council)