Environment
Localities and neighbourhoods
Why is this important?
The quality of the built and natural environment, such as the local neighbourhoods, access to local shops, services, parks, and green spaces, affect the health and wellbeing of everyone.
What is the local picture? How does it compare?
Coventry is the fourth most densely populated of the West Midlands’ 30 authorities, only Birmingham, Sandwell and Wolverhampton are more densely populated. Coventry has around 25 people living on each football pitch-sized area of land (3,501 people per square kilometre). Only Birmingham (4,275), Sandwell (3,995) and Wolverhampton (3,798) are more densely populated.
In Coventry, the least densely populated area is Brownshill Green with 426 people per square kilometre, over 20 times fewer people per square kilometre than the most densely populated area, which is Hillfields with 10,867 people per square kilometre.
Coventry has good access to services which is generally considered an asset that is enjoyed by residents in the city; However, residents’ satisfaction with their area is lower than the national average. Coventry residents live within a 20-minute walk of a general or grocery shop, public transport links, parks, pubs, GP surgery, health centre and a place of worship. In the 2022, the Coventry Household Survey found that 66% of Coventry residents were satisfied with their local area compared with 81% nationally. There has been a reduction in satisfaction from 70% in 2021 and 84% in 2018. Despite this, half of residents (51%) did not think their area had changed much in the last two years, 28% felt it had got worse and 10% suggested their local area had got better.
There are 2,000 hectares of green spaces in the city which is over 20% of Coventry’s total area. There are 430 green spaces that have no entry restrictions. Many of the parks in Coventry received Green Flag Awards in 2021, with Allesley Park, Caludon Castle Park, Coombe Abbey Park, Longford Park and The War Memorial Park all continuing their long run of inclusion in the scheme. However, Coventry trails behind the regional average for green space provision by population and there is considerable variation across the city.
Whilst many areas of the city overall benefit from a good supply of green spaces, some residents have no access to nearby green spaces or outdoor sports facilities. Residents in Henley and Wainbody enjoy access to over 100 hectares of green space contrasting with Upper Stoke, Lower Stoke, Radford, and Foleshill who have access to levels below the average of 62.3 hectares.
Air pollution is the largest environmental risk to the public’s health and has a harmful impact on the health of people living, working, and studying within Coventry. Met Office data, quoted by the Centre for Cities, counted 24 days in the year November 2021 – November 2022 that had poor air quality in Coventry, this ranks 17th highest out of 63 UK cities. Air quality particularly affects the most vulnerable, having a disproportionate impact on the elderly, pregnant, children, and those with cardiovascular and/or respiratory disease. Research suggests that long-term exposure to particulate air pollution contributes to death rates at a similar level as obesity and alcohol.
Like many towns and cities throughout the UK, roadside pollution levels, especially those resulting from Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) emissions from traffic and Particulate Matter (PM), are a concern. NO2 levels measured across various roadside locations in Coventry have been improving. However, poor air quality affects different communities disproportionately, some areas in Coventry do not achieve the EU and international standards.
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is one of the pollutants of concern, and ‘diffusion tubes’ are deployed to measure levels at various roadside locations in Coventry, in 2022 75 locations were measured. Most locations of measurement in Coventry did not exceed the limit of an annual mean concentration of 40 µg/m3; only two did, both located near to each other on Holyhead Road; this area has often been where the highest measurement have been made over the last 10 years. In general, across all locations that have taken measurements, including the areas that have consistently seen the highest levels, annual mean levels of NO2 have been falling as a trend.
In 2019 there was a spike with most locations experiencing an increase even though it had been falling annually up to then. Levels then fell significantly in 2020, likely related to reductions in activity and traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic. Levels increased again across all sites in 2021 but dropped a little again overall in 2022. So, while the pandemic was likely a big factor behind reducing levels in 2020 and 2021, the 2022 data reveals an underlying downward trend, levels in 2022 were lower than in 2019 and in previous years measured.
The World Health Organizations' former guideline level for annual nitrogen dioxide up to September 2021 was 40 µg/m3. A more stringent 10 µg/m3 limit has since been introduced with the increasing recognition of the hazards of air pollution, and this will be reflected in future reports. None of the 75 sites measured in 2022 had an annual mean of less than 10 µg/m3, no location of measurement in Coventry meets these standards. Maps below show mean annual NO2 levels across Coventry’s diffusion tube sites in 2019 (left) and 2022 (right). They show green sites that have annual mean concentration of nitrogen dioxide of less than 30 microgram per cubic metre (µg/m3); amber sites between 30-39 µg/m3; and red sites with 40 µg/m3 or above.
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is another pollutant that has a significant effect on health. In Coventry overall the 2021 concentration of PM2.5 is estimated at 7.6 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3), slightly higher than the regional average (7.3) and national average (7.4). Related to this measure, the UK Health Security Agency estimates the fraction of annual deaths that can be attributable to particulate air pollution; for Coventry in 2021 this is estimated at 5.7%, slightly higher than the regional average (5.5%) and national average (5.5%).
What is happening in the city? What else can be done?
‘Green exercise’, or taking physical activity in green or natural environments, may provide additional benefits to people’s overall wellbeing. Increasing scope for physical activity through active travel and easier access to high-quality green spaces, improving air quality and housing (warming, cooling, and ventilation) and making healthy food more readily available locally will potentially help mitigate the risks of a range of health issues, including obesity, cardiovascular and respiratory disease, some cancers and diabetes and poor mental health, whilst also reducing Coventry’s greenhouse emissions.
Green spaces can also bring communities together, reduce loneliness and mitigate the negative effects of air pollution, excessive noise, heat, and flooding. There is opportunity to work with communities to protect and improve existing green space and create new ones in areas most in need, and to implement nature-based interventions for health, such as green walking or green social prescribing.
Coventry has a strong history of supporting “Friends of” groups and community-based organisations in maintaining, developing, and improving green spaces. As well as site-specific friends of groups and the Coventry Tree Wardens, there are several sports clubs and the city’s allotments are self-managed by Coventry and District Allotment and Gardens Council.
Green corridors form an important element of the landscape within Coventry, however there are some barriers to accessing these spaces that need to be addressed. Further work is required to address perceptions of anti-social behaviour, personal safety, dog fouling and access issues relating to volumes of traffic, busy roads, and safety concerns for cyclists. Further investment is also required to improve the quality and facilities of some green spaces.
The Council is committed to an ambitious plan to plant 360,000 trees one for every member of Coventry’s population over the life of the strategy: a tree for every citizen. Coventry has membership of the Trees for Streets National Street Tree Sponsorship Scheme, from the urban tree charity Trees for Cities, funded by the government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund and City Bridge Trust.
Cleanliness of the city is important to residents. A large proportion of the responses to One Coventry engagement placed a focus on the need for Coventry to become a “greener city” and a “tidier/cleaner” city. “Clean city of Coventry - littering is the main issue. to build the economy and green city. The city should start from a clean platform.”
A more holistic approach to health could be used by identifying food growing spaces in the city – both active and those with potential to deliver environmental, social and health benefits. This would support future demand for allotment provision, community gardening and urban forestry and food production which has proven health benefits.
Initiatives to reduce air pollution and facilitate more active transport overlap considerably as they are both functions of mobility and there is opportunity for closer working across health, air quality improvement initiatives and transport to better meet the needs of Coventry residents. In Coventry, the main air quality issues identified and being addressed by the Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) process relate to residential properties that are near major arterial routes in the city, which experience high levels of congestion. Currently identified hotspots include sections of Holyhead Road, Walsgrave Road, Foleshill/Longford Road, Stoney Stanton Road and at certain junctions along the A45.
Change is needed in how people and goods travel to, from and around Coventry. Current levels of car travel will simply not be sustainable in the future; Therefore, the Coventry Transport Strategy sets out plans to create a city where it is easy, convenient, and safe to walk, cycle and travel on public transport, and where most people do not need to use a car to access the services that they need for day-to-day life. focuses upon encouraging local trips to be made by walking and cycling rather than the car, with significant investment in a new high-quality cycle route between Coundon and the city centre, and on an engagement programme with schools, businesses and local communities building on the successful work already done in the Walsgrave corridor.
Coventry City Council is working with the West Midlands Combined Authority, the UK Government and National Express West Midlands on a pilot project to make Coventry the UK’s first all-electric bus city. Funding has been provided by the UK government, and Coventry City Council is working closely with National Express to ensure the necessary infrastructure is installed by 2025.
Green Space Strategy aims to protect the cities green spaces, from large parks and playing fields to allotments, churchyards, and riverbanks. The strategy has already seen success in investment in children’s play, more spaces being managed positively for wildlife, greater community involvement with 30 friends or volunteer groups now working with the park service, the achievement of five Green Flag Awards, the delivery of large-scale investment in War Memorial Park and Coombe Country Park supported by external funding and achieving a national award for the wildflower planting on key highways verges and within selected parks. These achievements, along with other factors, have led to a significant increase in the use of green spaces in Coventry, reflecting the national picture.
Housing and homelessness
Why is this important?
Historically, housing is only considered in relation to health in terms of support to help vulnerable people to live healthy, independent lives and reduce the pressure on families and carers. However, it is now recognised that good quality housing for all leads to better health and wellbeing, as it indirectly affects early years outcomes, educational achievement, economic prosperity, and community safety.
Conversely, rough sleeping and homelessness significantly impacts on a person’s mental and physical health, and the longer someone experiences rough sleeping, the more likely they will develop additional mental and physical health needs, develop substance misuse issues and have contact with the criminal justice system.
While average house prices are a little lower than the West Midlands regional average, rental prices appear to be slightly higher. Both rent and house prices in Coventry are increasing. The median house price in Coventry for the year ending September 2022 was £214,500, lower than the West Midlands regional average of £225,000 and the England average of £275,000; but comparable to the average for the West Midlands metropolitan area, £210,000.
Over the last year the median house prices in Coventry increased by £12,000 (6%) whereas they increased by £3,000 on average in the West Midlands metropolitan area; and fell regionally (-£5,000, -2%) and nationally (-10,000, -4%). Over the last five years Coventry house prices have increased by 6% a year on average, similar to the level of increase elsewhere.
Dividing median house price by median earnings from employment amongst Coventry residents gives us a measure of affordability, the ratio in 2022 was 6.2. This shows houses in Coventry to still be more affordable than other parts of the West Midlands metropolitan area, as well as the West Midlands region (7.1) and England (8.3). While this statistic indicates that houses have become less affordable over the last 10 years, the ratio reduced in the last year, it was 6.5 in 2021.
The median monthly rent for all types of houses in the year ending September 2022 is estimated to be £725, lower than the national average (£800), the same as the average for the West Midlands metropolitan area, but higher than the average across the whole of the West Midlands region (£695). This has increased from £695 in a year, a 4% increase.
There has been an increase in private renting and a reduction in home ownership amongst Coventry residents over the last 10 years. Census 2021 data shows 24.7% of households are privately rented, up from 20.6% in 2011; and 57.4% of households are owner-occupied, down from 60.6% in 2011. 17% of Coventry households are socially rented, the same as in 2011. More households in Coventry privately rent compared to national (20.5%) and regional averages (17.9%) and less are owner-occupied compared to England (61.3%) and West Midlands (62.8%). The changes in tenure are similar to the trends across the region and the country overall.
Household overcrowding is more prevalent in Coventry than national and regional averages. Census 2021 counts 10,196 Coventry households as overcrowded, having fewer rooms than a minimum standard for the number of occupants. This amounts to 7.7% of all households, so overcrowding rates in Coventry are higher than West Midlands (5.4%) and England overall (6.4%). However, overcrowding has reduced since 2011 when it was at 9.5% of households.
Threats to health and wellbeing are exacerbated by the increased costs associated with keeping homes warm, dry, and ventilated sufficiently over the colder months of the year and potential intermittent shortages in energy supply. Cold homes are recognised as a source of both physical and mental ill health, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke, respiratory illness, falls and accidents. The percentage number of inadequately energy efficient homes in Coventry (based on an EPC rating of less than C, i.e. D - G), is estimated to be around 60% compared with 60% nationally, ranging from 37% of households in areas in Woodend, Henley and Manor Farm to up to 84% in Upper Stoke Central (Barras Heath) and along Hipswell Highway and Ansty Road (Ravensdale).
For Coventry, this equates to around 12,000 social rented homes and between 70,000 owners occupied or privately rented homes in need of improvements / retrofits to make them energy efficient to an EPC C rating standard. Whilst there are programmes running regionally and locally to meet this aim, core funding levels constrain the scale and pace of delivery. There is opportunity to incorporate other needs such as health within the process, to better understand the scale and format in which this programme could be delivered across Coventry equitably and what public health and community schemes could be delivered to raise greater awareness of how to stay warm or cool and increase community resilience.
An increasing rate of house building within Coventry is planned, if these plans were to come to fruition it may facilitate further population growth with families and other households moving into these houses. Some of the house building is earmarked for areas outside the city boundary (given cooperation with neighbouring authorities); while this part of it wouldn’t directly add to population estimate of Coventry itself, it would still have an implication for local needs and services.
Despite improving local housing systems, the city still has high levels of homelessness; highlighting a need to work together with partners to improve the use of existing homes and empty dwellings.
The homelessness rate in the city rose higher in 2021/22 than in the previous year. This is projected to further increase in in 2022/2023, the cost-of-living crisis is a factor here. The number of households accepted under a main homelessness duty increased from 722 in 2020/21 to 800 in 2021/22. There was a 14% increase in case demand on homelessness prevention and relief services in 2021/2022 compared with 2020/2021, the Council, obtained secured accommodation for 1,167 households, compared with 1,083 in the previous year.
Rough sleepers tend to be complex cases, often requiring more than one specialist service involved in their support to relieve homelessness. It is difficult to understand the true extent of numbers rough sleeping in Coventry at any given time. The Council’s Rough Sleeping Outreach Team routinely report between 5 – 30 new cases per month (average of 15 per month). Currently, around 50% of cases known to the outreach team move on to secure long term accommodation and support, with a further 40% not engaging and around 10% being sectioned, passing away, imprisoned, or reconnected with another Local Authority. Approximately 25% of new cases are thought to be non-UK nationals and 10% thought to have no recourse to public funds.
What is happening in the city? What else can be done?
Community based interventions such as Green Doctors and Warm Banks have been set up to support vulnerable people during the winter months. A range of organisations have worked in partnership to provide support and advice in managing the rising energy bills and making homes more energy efficient.
Investment in additional frontline resources to support more residents facing homelessness is needed. Through the Housing & Homelessness Strategy 2019-24 the council worked with partners to improve the use of existing homes. The introduction of the “Let’s Rent” scheme, whereby the Council provides guarantees for making rent payments and supports the vetting of prospective tenants. The Council also introduced an improved Homefinder system in September 2021, to make applying, searching, and bidding for social / affordable housing easier for residents.
The council have revised and uplifted contracts for delivering additional support with providers, including The Salvation Army, St Basils, and P3 Charity, for households which are not eligible for a statutory homeless duty.
The Integrated Care System (ICS) commissions a GP service dedicated to providing healthcare to single people aged 18 or over who are experiencing homelessness and sex workers resident in the city. There are normally around 600 registered patients. The service works in partnership with a range of partners in the city to encourage patients to access healthcare in a timely manner and reaches out for support to enable a patient to complete treatment.
The Family Health and Lifestyle Service provides ongoing support from health visiting teams plus a range of local services that help with more complex issues. Supporting families facing homelessness, Drug and alcohol related problems, complex family circumstances and support with domestic violence
People with lived experiences have a unique and essential role to play in helping to prepare people to accept and receive support. Coventry has had success in working with people and volunteers with lived experiences of drug and alcohol misuse who are members of the city’s Multiple Complex Needs Boards. As experts by experience, these volunteers worked closely with the police and the Council to influence the city’s approach to working with a variety of people.
The Ayriss Recovery Coventry (The Arc CIC) is a drug and alcohol outreach/support service in Coventry. The Arc is made up of experts by experience – that is, people with first-hand, lived experiences of things such as rough sleeping or misusing drugs and alcohol. They understand on a deeper level what it is like for those accessing their services and can use their empathy and understanding to build connections between local services and people who are rough sleeping or misusing drugs and alcohol. The Arc CIC is one of the founding partners of the STEPS for Change Street homelessness hub in Coventry City Centre, a drop-in facility where rough sleepers and those at risk of homelessness can seek support from a variety of partner agencies.
Crime
Why is this important?
Being a victim of crime, and being worried about crime, impacts on a person’s perception of their quality of life in the neighbourhood and has a negative effect on a person’s mental and physical wellbeing.
What is the local picture? How does it compare?
The proportion of Coventry residents who feel safe during both the day and night remains significantly lower than the latest LGA national polling figure of 95%; and Coventry people feel less safe than four years ago. Over three quarters of residents feel safe during the day (77%) in their local area, with only 11% reporting feeling unsafe this remains unchanged from 2021. However, it is a significant reduction from 2018 when 94% reported feeling safe during the day. Safety during the day is significantly lower amongst those living in the Foleshill (55%), Henley (69%) and Upper Stoke (69%) wards when compared to the survey average.
When considering safety after dark in their local area, fewer than half (45%) of residents feel safe, a slight increase since 2021 (41%) – but a significant worsening on 2018 levels when 74% reported feeling safe at night. The sense of safety after dark expressed by Coventry residents is below that recorded nationally by LGA polling (76%). Residents living in Longford (34%), Henley (29%), Lower Stoke (29%) and Upper Stoke (25%) wards have a particularly low sense of safety after dark.
Recorded crime has been on an increasing trend in Coventry. Coventry’s total recorded crime rate in 2022 was 122 per 1,000 residents, compared to 93 for England overall. However, whilst it is increasing, Coventry’s overall crime rate and its violent crime rate does not rank particularly highly when compared amongst other local authorities in the West Midlands and groups of other similar places across the country.
A total of 42,021 crimes were recorded by the police during 2022, an increase of 8% since 38,990 cases recorded in 2021. This was after a much larger annual increase of 35% from 28,814 in 2020. It had been on a slowly increasing trend for a few years before 2020. Recorded crime has also been increasing recently for England overall, but the increase in Coventry has been greater.
While theft offences have continued to increase, in the last 3 months of 2022 the increasing trend in recorded crime has plateaued, albeit at a notably higher level than a few years ago. Total recorded crime in 2022 was 51% higher than levels in 2018 and violence against the person offences were at more than double 2018 levels (122% increase). This increase was driven by increases in ‘violence without injury’ offences and ‘stalking and harassment’ offences; ‘violence with injury’ offences increased at a slower rate, 34% higher. Total recorded crime in England dipped a little during 2020, perhaps due to the pandemic and lockdowns – whereas it increased a little in Coventry. While some types of crime, like theft-related offences, did dip during the pandemic, violent crime continued to increase.
Violence against the person offences have been increasing notably in Coventry since 2016; the violent crime rate was lower than the national average then but it is now higher, at 49 per 1,000 residents compared to England at 35. The top three of all offences in Coventry in 2021/22 were Common Assault and Battery (accounted for 11.6%), Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm (ABH) (6.0%) and Harassment (5.5%).
There has been a reduction in First-time entrants to Youth Justice System. Coventry has seen more of a marked decline compared to the current family group and national comparators. This has given the opportunity for the Service to have an earlier offer to children at risk of entering the youth justice system. The first-time entrants to youth justice system (rate per 100,000 young people aged 10-17) has reduced to 112 in 2021/22 from 230 in 2020/21.
What else is happening in the city? What else can be done?
Nationally, there is a focus on implementing a ‘public health approach’ to tackling violent crime. A ‘public health approach’ treats violence like an infectious disease. It suggests that policymakers should use scientific evidence to identify what causes violence and find interventions that work to prevent it from spreading. A ‘public health’ approach involves multiple public and social services working together to implement early interventions to prevent people from becoming involved in violent crime.
The police have a key role in the Coventry Serious Violence Reduction Partnership. Several key interventions aimed at reducing risks relating to serious violence involve the police as a key partner. The Community Initiative to Reduce Violence is designed to engage individuals and provide them with an exit pathway from gangs, violence, and county lines. Police are partners in Early Help services, Youth Justice Diversion, Horizons, and the Edge of Care Team.
There have been many interventions implemented by the youth justice service, for example the “Through Our Eyes initiative”. Through Our Eyes started in 2021/22, a quarterly feedback group led by a local charity, Guiding Young Minds, and the local Youth Commissioner. These sessions see children open to Coventry Youth Justice System give feedback on their experiences, self-assess the service, and discuss issues individually/collectively to improve the Service. The sessions are facilitated externally to encourage and facilitate more honest feedback.
The Council has been working with West Midlands Police as part of an effort to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in the Coventry area. An initiative led by West Midlands Police, Operation Advance as part of their commitment to working even more closely with communities, following the introduction of a new local policing model in 2023. During Operation Advance there were community clean-ups, knife sweeps, e-bike education, work with beggars and nighttime economy checks on pubs, clubs and hotels in the city where the Ask Angela Scheme is being highlighted to offer a way of supporting customers who feel vulnerable and who can discreetly ask for help. Elsewhere the Council has also been working in the St Michaels area of the city to cut back trees and shrubs to make it lighter and shrub beds have been planted with new colourful plants, and to work with residents to continue to improve our services.