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New planning application for part-demolished bank

Hannah Griffithsin Coventry
News imageBBC A brick terrace with a large gap in the terrace where the former bank used to be. The former bank metal and glass doors can still be seen at the front with wood boardings over the rest of the front of the building site. BBC
The scaffolding has been removed from the building site on Earlsdon Street, allowing the scale of the demolition to be seen

A new planning application has been submitted for the site of a former a bank that was partially demolished without planning permission.

The demolition of the former NatWest bank in Earlsdon Street, Coventry, began over Christmas 2024, before a temporary stop notice (TSN) was put on the works by Coventry City Council.

The building falls within a conservation area and an appeal by the building's owner against the TSN is currently with the Planning Inspectorate.

According to the latest planning application, the site's owners intend to construct a new frontage for the two storey building, which will be used as a restaurant.

In February, a government minister blamed a "significant backlog" for delays in decision making over the appeal against the TSN.

News imageMetal doors with glass windows in them. Through the glass piles of bricks and building bags can be seen. On the wall next to the door is the old night safe hatch.
Piles of bricks from the original building can be seen through the glass doors of the former bank

The scaffolding that has covered the building for 18 months has now been removed, allowing the extent of the demolition to become clear, as piles of bricks can be seen inside the glass doors of the former bank.

Traders, shoppers and residents have also raised concerns about the safety of the building, with several reporting parts of the frontage falling into the street.

Earlsdon councillor Kindy Sandhu said: "Local people are absolutely on the ball. As soon as anything happens, they do raise it and they do let us know.

"That is really helpful to us, because then we can go and ask officers to go an investigate, and make sure that it is still within the bounds of the planning process and stop notice."

The developers told the BBC that the building was secured, adding: "In the best of interest of my client and local community, we want to get this site back to its original design and original building features, but without the UPVC panels."

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