The Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government has "called-in" the Coventry & Warwickshire Gateway planning application. He has written to Warwick District Council and Coventry City Council to indicate that he intends to decide the application himself.

A planning application (reference W/12/1143) for a major employment development including offices, industrial uses and warehousing on land to the north and south of the A45 (covering land in both Warwick District and Coventry City) was submitted to the two councils in September 2012. The majority of the application site is within Warwick District and is within Green Belt land around Coventry airport.

The application was considered by the planning committees of the two councils. Coventry City Council indicated that it was minded to grant approval in December 2012, and Warwick District also indicated its approval of the scheme in June 2013 (having deferred the application in December 2012 to request further information). 

Since this proposal is for development on Green Belt land, the local authorities were required to refer the application to the Secretary of State to ask whether he wishes to determine it himself. The Secretary of State has now written to the two councils on 29th July to indicate that he is of the opinion that he ought to decide the application himself.

The application has now been passed to the Planning Inspectorate and a local inquiry will be held. Further details of this will emerge from the Planning Inspectorate in due course.

Commenting on the decision, Councillor Michael Doody, the Leader of the Council, said: "We were disappointed to hear that the Gateway application has been called in but accept that this is a part of the Government’s planning procedures for certain major applications. We hope that the Secretary of State will see the massive economic benefits that will flow from allowing this development to go ahead, and look forward to hearing his decision."

Planning application details

Inquiry timetable

The inquiry is taking place at Leamington Town Hall. Download the inquiry timetable (PDF).