Work started on major £5.5 million Coventry scheme

Work has begun on a £5.5 million scheme which will bring new apartments to Coventry city centre and transform a landmark mid-century building

EDG Property, the firm behind the successful The Co-Operative and Hawkins developments in the city, is now creating 36 “new living” apartments at Ironmonger Row in the heart of the city.

The Sirius project will see two storeys added while the existing brick fins on the mid-century building will be clad in a bronze coloured metal to create an architecrual trophy at the top of The Burges and Cross Cheaping.

There will be 28 one-bedroom apartments and eight two-bedroom duplex apartments on the top two floors, overlooking the adjacent square.  The building will feature exclusive office space allowing residents to “work from home” but away from their apartments if they wish.

The apartments – which are being offered for sale – will be marketed before the summer with the overall development being completed in summer 2022.

Neil Edington, of EDG Property, said: “Sirius is a really exciting development that very much reflects new ways of living and working. The building sits on a key site in the heart of the city centre amongst all of the amenity, and will be totally transformed and very much be given the prominence it deserves for such a prime location.

“The apartments will allow people to live right in the heart of the city which, as everyone is aware, is being transformed ahead of UK City of Culture and is seeing more people opt to make it their home.

“The pandemic is set to have a lasting impact on the way we live and work, and not only will residents at Sirius be able to work effectively and efficiently from their homes, they can also escape their own four walls and choose to work in resident’s private office space without having to leave the building.

“The city is making great strides in sustainable travel with the development of the VLR system and increased public cycling amenities, and Sirius will include a resident’s gym and exercise area and ample cycle storage.

“We have also taken on board Government desire to see the phasing out of ground rents, and Sirius is championing that desire by offering some of the first apartments in the region with zero ground rent .”

The scheme follows hot on the heels of The Co-Operative, which successfully transformed the city’s former department store into a mid-century styled apartment development with the region’s first internal park, a private members’ lounge and exercise area.

The Co-Operative has played a major role in the transformation of Corporation Street – which now includes the Telegraph Hotel and a newly reworked Belgrade Theatre Café – and features leisure and dining businesses.

Edginton is confident Sirius will have a similar impact on The Burges and Cross Cheaping area of the city.

“Historic Coventry Trust has already done some great work by transforming The Burges and very much bringing its history and heritage to life, while the Precinct is being totally reworked and restored so this is a very exciting time for the city centre.

“We very much see Sirius as a part of those overall improvements to the city.”

Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration at Coventry City Council, said: “We have attracted record levels of investment for regeneration in and around the city centre and we are delighted that EDG Property is once again investing in Coventry.  It is vital that the private sector plays its part in the continued evolution of the city.

“It is great to see an existing building being brought back to life and we are very keen to see more and more people living in the heart of our city and taking advantage of all it has to offer.”