Coventry City Centre Cultural Gateway
The City Centre Cultural Gateway (CCCG) is the transformation of the former IKEA building in Coventry, to become a landmark destination that will be home to nationally significant collections, bringing together multiple partners and investors across creative, cultural and technology sectors to engage local people.
OPPORTUNITY
The CCCG provides the opportunity to invest in the development and delivery of a project that will lead the way in cultural regeneration and ultimately realise the huge potential of this truly unique facility. The site will become home to some of the UK’s most significant arts, cultural and heritage items. Space is also available for investor occupiers to establish like-minded business activities as part of this exciting project.
Promoter: Coventry City Council, Arts Council England, Arts Council Collection, British Council, Coventry University and CV Life
Scale: £150m+ GDV
Sector: Transport, Technology, Creative and Cultural
Location: Coventry City Centre
Investment Type: Investor Occupiers and Financiers
Programme: Pre-planning, operational 2026 onwards
Planning Status: Base scheme planning submitted March 2023
Website: https://www.coventry.gov.uk/culturalgateway
BACKGROUND
In 2020 IKEA announced the closure of its store in the centre of Coventry. The standalone building spans some 26,000m2 of prime city centre space across 6 floors with significant on-site parking.
The closure coincided with detailed discussions that were ongoing between Coventry City Council and partners as to the feasibility of developing a Collections Centre of national significance at a city centre location in Coventry.
In February 2021, Coventry City Council approved the acquisition of the former IKEA building. The resulting project is now known as the “City Centre Cultural Gateway” and constitutes three phases of activity.
- Phase 1 – involves the conversion of some floors into bespoke facilities for the storage, care and management of nationally significant arts, cultural and heritage collections.
- Phase 2 – the Cultural Hub phase is proposed by Coventry University, to provide a range of cultural educational, engagement, training, and professional development opportunities.
- Phase 3 – constitutes ‘shell and core’ works to the remaining floors that will enable future lettings to investor occupiers.
DESCRIPTION
The City Centre Cultural Gateway is an exploration space and this new landmark destination will bring together multiple partners across transport, technology and the creative and cultural sectors.
CCCG will provide a new home for nationally recognised collections managed by Arts Council England, Arts Council Collection, CV Life and the British Council, as well as creating a cultural hub for Coventry University with a range of facilities benefiting students, visitors, and the community.
The University will occupy two floors and house a student gallery, café, library and exhibition space, dance studio, conference area, artists’ studios, post-production filming facilities and a shop to sell students’ artwork, with some of these facilities being accessible to the public.
PROMOTER AND PARTNERSHIPS
Coventry City Council is leading the development and delivery of the CCCG supported by partners Arts Council England, Arts Council Collection, British Council, Coventry University and CV Life.
LOCATION
The City Centre Cultural Gateway is located in Coventry City Centre close to Junction 7 of Coventry’s ring road and immediately adjacent to the City Centre South scheme. The site is 10 minutes’ walk from Coventry Railway Station making Birmingham accessible in 20 minutes and London in less than an hour.