Coventry Stadium planning inquiry: Timeline set for proceedings to resume on Monday

The delayed planning inquiry to decide the future of a once-iconic motorsport venue is set to conclude next week with details published on what comes next.

Coventry Stadium, home of the Coventry Bees speedway team and stock car racing until it was closed in 2016, is the subject of plans from site owners Brandon Estates to replace it with 124 homes, a 3G football pitch and pavilion.

Planning permission was unanimously refused by Rugby Borough Council’s planning committee in November 2022 with Brandon Estates exercising its right to appeal via a full inquiry – the most formal process by which such decisions are taken with legal representatives cross-examining parties and expert witnesses to investigate evidence.

The vast majority of the case has been heard but proceedings were paused so evidence could be prepared over a disagreement between the NHS and Rugby Borough Council.

It relates to whether a financial contribution towards healthcare should be made by the developer should the housing get the green light.

University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust has requested £133,754 of funding to cater for the increased number of residents but the council says the request does not comply with planning policies.

Irrespective of whether Brandon Estates would be willing to pay, the council’s argument is that waving through funding that does not meet criteria could set a precedent for future housing proposals in the borough, potentially causing problems or even making them unviable.

The NHS believes its request to be “necessary” and “directly related to the development”.

Those arguments will be thrashed out during formal evidence giving and cross examination on Monday (November 27). Starting at 9.30am, that is expected to last the whole day.

An hour-and-a-half has been set aside on Tuesday morning (November 28) for a round table discussion of the less contentious planning obligations followed by the all-important closing submissions from all parties.

That involves the legal representatives of Brandon Estates, Rugby Borough Council and campaign group Save Coventry Speedway and Stox, which hopes to revitalise the venue for motorsport, having up to one hour each to sum up their arguments based on all of the evidence already heard.

No fresh evidence on matters already discussed, such as the need for the housing or use as a stadium, or the viability of bringing back motorsport at Coventry Stadium, can be used.

From there, Ms Hockenhull will consider her decision with the final call coming in writing, perhaps weeks after the closure of the inquiry.