250 homes can be built on Coventry's historic Daimler car factory site

The go-ahead has been given for up to 250 homes to be built on the site of Britain’s first car factory at Sandy Lane Business Park in Coventry.

Most of the existing buildings on the land in Radford ward, between Electric Wharf, Coventry Canal and Sandy Lane, would be demolished to make way for the development.

The Daimler Powerhouse, virtually all that remains of the former car factory, is to be retained as a focus for the housing scheme.

Coventry City Council has granted outline permission to developers Dandara Central Limited.

Similar plans for the same number of homes had been submitted in October 2024 by Rainier Real Estate to create what it had called Daimler Wharf. That was a year after proposals by earlier developer Wigley Group for 480 homes on the same land were shelved.

The green light has now been given to this latest version of the proposed development, subject to a list of requirements including provision of a public plaza next to the Daimler Powerhouse, which has been turned into a £2.5m arts and culture hub.

The land was originally the location of Widdrington Mill before being redeveloped for motor manufacturing.

According to the Coventry Society: “After the collapse of the ribbon weaving industry in the city in 1860, some northern entrepreneurs searched for a site to establish a factory that could use the skills of the unemployed weavers.

“The cheap labour of Coventry’s unemployed weavers led to a cotton mill being established on Drapers Fields, which was destroyed in a fire in 1890.

“The site remained empty until it was taken up by Harry Lawson in 1896 to establish a number of Coventry’s first car factories on the site. The building was now known as the Motor Mills, and amongst the firms established there was the Daimler Motor Company.”

This is widely regarded as Britain’s first car factory and was where car company Daimler – later purchased by Jaguar – had its HQ and set in motion the UK automotive industry. But much of the site was destroyed during the Blitz of the Second World War.

All that remains is the historic Daimler Building, also known as the Daimler Powerhouse, and adjoining Daimler offices.

The Daimler Building itself is said to have been built in 1907 as a power station for the factory units and foundries on site.

Southam-based door and staircase manufacturer Stairways, which was among the firms refitting the Powerhouse when it reopened as a new creative centre, noted: “The Daimler Building has a long-standing reputation as a centre of excellence from the manufacture of the first bicycle, the location of the first car factory in Britain to the creators of the first forklift and as a specialist factory for high-performance engines powering four F1 World Champions.”

As part of the housing scheme, the council says a play area with a car and industrial theme must be created for children aged four to eight, to reflect the history of the site.

The plans must also include green space, a pedestrian/cycle link from Sandy Lane to the canal towpath, and a sustainable transport hub with electric vehicle charging points, car club parking spaces and information boards. In all, there are 30 conditions attached to the approval of the development.

The city council said: “In determining the application Coventry City Council have made the decision in a positive way to foster the delivery of sustainable development, working proactively with applicants to secure developments that improve the economic, social and environmental conditions of the area.”

Detailed plans will be submitted at a future date to show the appearance, layout, scale and landscaping of the development.