Cheylesmore Councillors Hazel Noonan and Kevin Foster have received a petition signed by over 800 local residents calling on the City Council to block plans for changes to Leaf Lane that have been proposed as part of the Coventry Gateway Scheme.
The developer’s proposed changes are to close the junction from the Festival Island that leads to and from Leaf Lane, whilst also creating a major new access road leading directly from Leaf Lane via a new bridge (Close to its junction with Black Prince Avenue) to the Whitley Jaguar site. This new access would allow any vehicle to access the entire development, including to a new logistics park they wish to build on land south of Coventry Airport.
The developer recently stated they would present a series of options to the City Council, but hundreds of residents want a clear assurance land west of the A444 will be left untouched by new highways developments.
Cllr Kevin Foster (Con, Cheylesmore) said: “The Coventry Gateway development could have a massive impact on the Cheylesmore and Styvechale area if the plans as originally proposed by the developers went ahead. The proposal to allow Black Prince Avenue and Leaf Lane to act as a major access to their site could see large amounts of rat running traffic brought through local streets. In addition local greenbelt could have a new road built on it, despite recent claims from the City Council to be protecting it.”
It is expected that a Planning Application will be submitted by the developers to the City Council in September 2012.