The announcement was made in the Midlands UK Pavilion at global property exhibition MIPIM.

Sir Edward Lister, Chair of Homes England, said:

“Homes England is committed to a place based approach, working with local experts to accelerate the delivery of homes across England. The co-location that we are now trialling in Coventry is a way of cementing that collaborative approach as teams work side by side.”

The news follows Homes England’s commitment to collaborate with regional partners, ensuring its experts can work hand-in-hand with local specialists.

Martin Reeves, Chief Executive of Coventry City Council, said:

“This is a statement of confidence not only in Coventry, but in Coventry and Warwickshire and the wider region. It is also vote of confidence in our Friargate scheme next to the fast-growing West Coast station.

“We use the words collaboration and partnership a great deal at MIPIM and this is a great example of how we can collaborate to deliver opportunities for our communities and for us to be at the centre of this has been hard earned but deserved.”

Coventry and Warwickshire – which has a long-standing presence at MIPIM – also showcased mixed-use schemes in Leamington, Coventry and Nuneaton at the event.

Nick Abell, vice chair of the Coventry & Warwickshire LEP, said: 

“The Homes England announcement topped what proved to be a highly successful MIPIM for our area, and was among the outstanding announcements of the week.”

Following this announcement, the West Midlands Growth Company’s business attraction team is leading on bringing further major public sector companies to the area, creating new jobs and opportunities for people in the wider region.

Image caption: One Friargate Coventry.