Coventry homes plan starts changing Spon End

demoduck.co.uk editorial team 2026-07-14 12:14 4 min read

Evening view of a modern urban construction site with towering cranes in London.

The first 257 affordable homes in Spon End’s regeneration are now under construction, setting in motion a Coventry housing programme expected to replace ageing blocks with around 750 new homes over the next decade.

The first phase is being led by Citizen with The Hill Group, with support from Coventry City Council, Homes England and the West Midlands Combined Authority. Of the 257 homes in this stage, 209 are planned for social rent, the lowest-cost form of rented affordable housing.

For residents, the immediate change is visible on the former Kerry House, Milestone House and Trafalgar House site, where 158 homes have already been demolished. The new homes planned there will be a mix of one and two-bedroom flats, with completion for customers expected between late 2028 and mid 2029.

209 social rent homes in the first construction phase

The housing numbers matter because Spon End is not just getting replacement buildings. The first stage is weighted heavily towards social rent homes, which are typically let at rents below other affordable rent products and are aimed at households with the greatest housing need.

Citizen and The Hill Group are delivering 257 affordable homes in phase one. The wider Spon End programme is expected to deliver about 750 homes across 10 years, with later phases still to be sequenced.

That does not mean 750 homes will appear at once, or that every later home will follow the same tenure mix as phase one. Citizen is still due to decide which part of the estate moves forward next over the next 12 to 18 months.

Coventry’s scheme sits within a wider pressure on councils and housing providers to increase supply. Similar debates over where and how to build are already shaping new homes planning in Derby, showing how housing growth is becoming a practical local issue across Midlands cities.

Lower bills and more green space promised for residents

The source material points to two local benefits beyond the number of homes: better energy performance and improved public space.

Councillor Naeem Akhtar, Coventry City Council’s cabinet member for housing and communities, said the new homes would be “affordable, well-built and energy efficient” and described them as a boost to the neighbourhood.

Councillor Lynnette Kelly, cabinet member for regeneration, said she had lived near the site as a child and remembered the original flats being built. She said the replacement homes would be insulated, avoid overheating in summer and help people face lower electricity bills.

The regeneration is also expected to increase the amount and quality of green space and open up the area around the River Sherbourne. For Spon End, that could make the redevelopment more than a housing swap if the public realm changes are delivered alongside the flats.

Almost £40m backs the Spon End phase

Homes England and the West Midlands Combined Authority have together invested almost £40m into this first phase. That funding is intended to help make the affordable housing element viable and accelerate delivery in the area.

Mayor Richard Parker said more “truly affordable” homes were needed and linked the funding to the wider housing crisis. He also announced a further £2m investment into Citizen’s redevelopment of the Wyken estate in Coventry, where 63 more social rent homes are planned.

Kate Collins, head of affordable housing delivery at Homes England, said the Spon End project showed how public and private partners can work together to build new communities. Her comments place the scheme within the agency’s broader objective of increasing quality affordable housing supply.

The Hill Group’s regional director, Stuart Bale, said construction starting marked a new chapter for Spon End, with the company focused on homes that give residents comfort, security and a place they are proud to call home.

Next phases still depend on sequencing decisions

The redevelopment is planned in phases, and the next construction area has not yet been confirmed.

Area three would involve demolitions in Wellington Gardens, Sherbourne Street and Upper Spon Street, making way for 493 new homes. Area two would involve Spon Gate House, George Poole House, Givens House and low-rise flats, with around 500 homes planned on that site.

Those later figures show the scale of the estate renewal, but they also underline why residents will be watching the timetable closely. Citizen is expected to look at which phase to develop next over the next 12 to 18 months, while the first new one and two-bedroom flats are due to be completed between late 2028 and mid 2029.

Source: Coventry City Council

Context & actions About this article

Source check Source trail

This article is based on Coventry City Council’s published notice and separates confirmed phase-one details from later-stage plans.

Checks

Confirmed the phase-one total of 257 affordable homes and 209 social rent homes.
Checked the named delivery partners: Citizen, The Hill Group, Coventry City Council, Homes...
Verified the stated completion window of late 2028 to mid 2029 for the first new homes.
Kept later phase figures conditional because Citizen has not yet chosen the next phase.

Coventry City Council Check wider coverage