Consultations are due to take place to explore how floors one and two of the City Centre Cultural Gateway (CCCG) can be repurposed.
The CCCG, which is the city’s former IKEA building, already has plans in place for floors three and four which will be transformed into a collections centre of national significance, whilst floors five and six will be utilised by Coventry University to create a new city centre cultural hub.
The CCCG will soon be providing an opportunity to consider how the lower floors can be activated for further cultural activity. One potential use being considered for floors one and two will look at the possibility of a reimagined cultural destination venue for the Coventry Transport Museum.
The consideration of this offer would align the Transport Museum’s offsite car collection, which is relocating into the CCCG, and the visitor destination offer combined in one venue for the first time.
Internal and external stakeholders at both CV Life and Coventry City Council will be involved in consultations in mid-July, with wider public engagement currently being planned.
Councillor David Welsh, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities at Coventry City Council, said: “We are exploring potential uses for the first and second floors of our Cultural Gateway building, and one of these is exploring an expanded offer for the Coventry Transport Museum.
“Whilst we are consulting on this, we want to make it clear that the decision on how these floors are utilised has not yet been made.
“We’re speaking to the team members working on the ground at the transport museum and the council to capture their valuable knowledge and insight which is crucial to our decision-making process.”
Paul Breed, Chief executive at CV Life, added: “There is so much opportunity within the CCCG at this moment, with lots of ideas floating around as to how the cultural offer of the city can be grown.
“The idea of incorporating a consolidated and expanded transport museum offer into the developments has huge potential, especially if it brings with it new elements that focus on enhancing the interactive experience of the visitor.”
The transformation of the CCCG is led by Coventry City Council and will be delivered in three phases in partnership with CV Life, Arts Council England, British Council, Arts Council Collection and Coventry University.