1,006 student bedrooms at Mercia Business Village, Coventry

The site and surroundings

The 1.17-hectare site contained small business units, parking, planting and established boundary trees, and was about one mile from the University of Warwick.

“The application site relates to Mercia Business Village, a scheme of 22 small business units totalling approximately 110 sq. m per individual unit, each of which occupy a two storey arrangement duplicated over all of the units. The buildings are arranged in an irregular perimeter block form with staggers in the building line to respond to the irregular shape of the site, the total area of the site extends to 1.17 hectares.”

“The location of the site is well connected to the University of Warwick which lies approximately 1 mile to the south east from the application site when taken to the library in the centre of the campus which equates to a 20 minute walk/5 minute cycle.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended delegated approval subject to conditions and a legal agreement because the proposal was acceptable in principle and would not adversely affect highways or neighbours.

“Planning Committee are recommended to delegate the grant of planning permission to the Strategic Lead for Planning subject to conditions and the completion of a s106 Legal Agreement to secure the contributions summarised in this report and for the Strategic Lead for Planning to agree any necessary amendments to the s106 Legal Agreement and Planning Conditions in consultation with the Chair.”

“The proposal is acceptable in principle. • The proposal will not adversely impact upon highway safety. • The proposal will not adversely impact upon the amenity of neighbours. • The proposal makes provision for necessary developer contributions.”

Officer report

Consultation responses

Most consultees raised no objection subject to conditions or contributions, while the tree officer’s outstanding objection concerned the missing CAVAT assessment.

“CONSULTATION Statutory No Objections received from: • Health and Safety Executive: No objection. Non-statutory No Objections, subject to conditions/contributions have been received from: • Ecology: No objection in principle, however Biodiversity impact assessment metric calculation required together with updated bat roost survey. • Economic Development: No objection, subject to local employment condition. • Environment Agency: No objection.”

“Environmental Protection: No objection, subject to conditions securing air quality measures, a CEMP and contamination monitoring. • Highways England: No objection. • Highways: Amendments requested in respect of parking provision and access. Financial contributions also requested for cycle improvements, mobility credits and travel plan monitoring. • Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA): No objection, subject to conditions. • Policy: No objection.”

Officer report

Who spoke

One registered speaker spoke at the meeting, another submitted an objection statement, and the agent spoke in support.

The decision

“that the grant of planning permission be delegated to the Strategic Lead for Planning subject to conditions and the completion of a s106 Legal Agreement to secure the contributions summarised in this report including the amended conditions (17 and 18) as set out in the Late Representation document and for the Strategic Lead for Planning to agree any necessary amendments to the s106 Legal Agreement and Planning Conditions in consultation with the Chair.”

Minutes, 31 Jul 2025