For today’s Memory Monday we aren’t going back too far - just to the 1980s when Coventry City Council was looking to find a suitable location for a business park. The intention was to attract new industry to the city and to create much-needed employment.
Initially, the Council’s plan was to establish such a park on the site of the former Talbot Plant at Whitley. This idea was abandoned in 1985, when Jaguar declared an interest in it for the development of a design, engineering and research centre.
The favoured location then became Westwood Heath, to a site earmarked for a possible housing development. The Coventry Society expressed its concern about this in a magazine article: “One of the Society’s special concerns is the way green belt land on the urban fringe is being slowly eroded away. It is important that this type of development is tightly controlled and the Society investigate all such cases in depth”.
However, the plans were approved and building commenced in 1987, following a boost of £2.5m towards the project. More funding was received the following year, when the scheme benefited from half of a £1m European Union grant to the City of Coventry for job creation.
Barclays Bank chose Westwood Business Park as a place to establish a new satellite H.Q., much reported in the press at the time. In 1988, the 74 - acre Westwood Business Park was opened, all but 2 of the 22 units having been claimed.
As ever, the History Group would love to hear any memories or stories you might have about the area, as well as what you are interested in about our history. Please do get in touch. We would also love to hear from anyone who might have old photos of the area.
westwoodheathhistory@gmail.com
Sources:
Coventry Society Magazine, “The Peeping Tom”, Winter 1985/6 No.2
Coventry Archives file held at Tile Hill Library
Image:
Westwood Business Park (Wikimedia Commons)
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