Housing and 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?

Satisfaction with the local area is lower than the city average. According to the Household Survey 2022, 55% of those surveyed in Bell Green and WEHM were satisfied with their local area as a place to live compared with 66% of Coventry as a whole. This is 21 percentage points lower than the satisfaction rate of 76% recorded in the 2018 survey. 19% of respondents indicated that their local area had got worse to live in over the last two years, though this was less than the city average of 28% when asked the same question.

Accessibility to green space for residents of Bell Green and WEHM is relatively good. Although the spread of the area is across different neighbourhoods and wards and access is a mixed picture depending on where in the area people live. Those living in the south and west of Bell Green have further to travel to accessible green spaces. The Coventry Green Space Strategy 2019 -2024 measures the amount of green space by each of the city’s 18 wards, and Henley ward, where the WEHM area is located, is shown to have some of the highest quantities of green space in the city; also, Longford ward, where Bell Green is located, is shown to have higher than average coverage. However, this does not give a clear picture for Bell Green and WEHM because they only make up part of their respective wards, but the strategy data does indicate that access for residents of Bell Green and WEHM is better than average for a Coventry resident, and it shows that all areas of the Bell Green and WEHM are within 400 metres of some unrestricted green space. There is access to a good mixture of types of green space: parks and gardens, amenity greenspace, natural and semi-natural greenspace, green corridor, and outdoor sport facilities distribution in the Bell Green and WEHM area.

Table: Green space quantity by primary type and Coventry ward, hectares per 1,000 population

Green space table

Comparing air pollution levels in this area to other Coventry neighbourhoods gives a mixed picture. 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. 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. 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. In 2022, 3 of the 'diffusion tubes' were in Bell Green and WEHM, all 3 had levels below the then recommended 40 µg/m3 of NO2. A more stringent 10 µg/m3 guideline level was introduced recently. None of the sites measured in this area, or any other area in the city, have met this standard, all are measured at an average above 10. As with all other sites measured across the city, the levels measured reduced between 2019 and 2022.  Compared to the other locations measured across Coventry, 2 of the 3 in this area ranked in the middle of the 75 ‘diffusion tubes’ measurements, these were to the south of area at the junction of Hall Green Road and Bell Green Road. The measurement for the other, located further to the north on Alderman’s Green Road, was amongst the lower of all locations measured across the city.

The 'Shape Atlas' tool from the Department of Health and Social Care, shows estimated annual NO2 levels by all neighbourhoods. It shows a similar picture to the ‘diffusion tube’ data, NO2 levels in the area are estimated to be around average for the city. However, this source shows that NO2 levels are higher than the national average across the whole city, and each neighbourhood in Bell Green and WEHM is estimated to have levels among the highest 20% in the country. The same source also estimates Particulate Matter (PM), to be among the highest in the city in parts of Bell Green and WEHM. The 'Shape Atlas' tool also shows that the populations of the Bell Green and WEHM area are estimated to have relatively vulnerability to NO2 and PM pollution, this uses a model to score vulnerability based on the population characteristics of the area, levels of deprivation, location of vulnerable populations and estimated concentration of air pollution in the area.

Residents are less likely to have access to a car. The Census 2021 recorded that 64.4% of households in Bell Green and WEHM have access to a car or a van, so more than a third (35.6%) of households have no access to a car or van, higher than the rest of Coventry (27.6%) and significantly higher than England (23.5%).  

Comparing this insight to the Air Pollution Vulnerability Indicator data summarised above indicates an inequality, Bell Green and WEHM has relatively many people who don’t use cars regularly but also has many neighbourhoods where the population is considered relatively highly vulnerable to air pollution, which often comes from traffic.  

What else is happening? What else can be done?

Residents raised concerns over safety and traffic congestion. To address parking congestion, participants suggested implementing parking permits, similar to systems in other cities. Increasing the number of cycle routes to make cyclists feel safer on the roads and encouraging public transport was also suggested, implementing family travel cards acting as an incentive for people to utilise public transport more often.

Ensuring Public Spaces are accessible for all were highlighted as a concern. Residents reported difficulties for wheelchair users and those with mobility scooters, citing a lack of knowledge about accessible routes and facilities. They called for better signage and infrastructure to support all residents.

“Traffic -make cycling feel safer by  increasing the number of  cycle routes. Encourage use of public transport -perhaps a family travel card.”

Residents of Bell Green and WEHM see significant opportunities to collaborate on initiatives promoting gardening, local food production, and reducing food waste. Many believe that encouraging community-led projects, such as planting fruit trees and providing compost bins, would not only enhance green spaces but also foster greater community engagement and self-sufficiency. These projects are viewed as a way to promote sustainable living, improve access to fresh food, and strengthen the local food system.

Encouraging local businesses, especially supermarkets and food retailers, to donate surplus fresh food to those in need rather than discarding it could be used as a way to reduce waste. Surplus food donation programs could be developed in partnership with the social supermarkets across the city to ensure that excess fresh food reaches those who need it most. This initiative would reduce food waste while simultaneously addressing food insecurity and improve access to nutritious food.

"Make sure that more Recycling is done, especially on wrappers, and plastic on the outside of bottles, can be recycled, which at present it can not."

Go parks are active in Moat House Park, Go Parks is a project delivered by Positive Youth Foundation which gives residents of Coventry new and exciting ways to use parks and green spaces in the city. 

With an increasing number of people using parks and green spaces for activity, they are promoting ways to be active in parks that are fun, simple and exciting. Go Parks bring everything from sport and physical activity to wellbeing and cultural elements into local parks to :

  • Increase physical activity for young people in the city
  • Encourage and increase park usage across the city
  • To reduce isolation and loneliness
  • Housing and Homelessness

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.

What is the local picture? How does it compare?

Homeownership in Bell Green and WEHM is significantly lower, and social renting is much higher than the Coventry average. According to the 2021 Census, 42.3% of households are socially rented, far above the city average of 17.0%. Owner-occupied homes account for 40.9%, compared to 57.4% in Coventry, and 15.3% are privately rented, below the city’s 24.7%.

Over the last decade, there was a 2.3 percentage point increase in owner-occupied households and a 2.5-point rise in private rentals, while social renting decreased by 4.7 points. Despite this decline, the total number of socially rented households increased by 45, reflecting overall growth in households, particularly in owner-occupied and privately rented homes.

Bell Green and WEHM’s housing is mostly made up of semi-detached (36.4%) and terraced (33.6%) houses, followed by purpose-built flats or tenements (21.1%). This is like Coventry overall, where 39.9% of houses are terraced, 30.0 % are semi-detached and 15.7% are purpose-built flats or tenements. Semi-detached houses and flats are a little more common in this area. Bell Green and WEHM has a lower percentage of detached houses than Coventry as a whole (7.7% vs. 11.6%).

The 2021 Census showed that households in Bell Green and WEHM are more likely to be overcrowded than the rest of Coventry. It revealed that 12.0% of households were overcrowded in Bell Green and WEHM compared to 7.7% in Coventry. A house is defined as overcrowded if there are too few rooms for the number of occupants based on standards of a minimum number of common rooms and bedrooms needed for the size and composition of the household. Overcrowding is more common in Wood End, Henley Green & Manor Farm (WEHM), at 13.7% than in Bell Green at 9.9% of all households.

The population density for Bell Green and WEHM is 3,938 residents per square kilometre. It is not the highest in the city but is higher than the population density of Coventry overall at 3,500 people per square kilometre.

House prices in Bell Green and WEHM are lower than the Coventry average. The House Price Statistics for Small Areas, produced by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) shows that in the year up to September 2022 the mean average price of houses sold across the whole area was £184,900, lower than the Coventry average of £235,700. Recent house price increases have generally been lower in Bell Green and WEHM than average. Over a four years period, since the year ending September 2018, mean average prices of houses sold in the area increased by 12% compared to a 20% increase across Coventry overall. The type and size of households that were sold in the area will be a factor in the change and the difference. 

We can use a difference measure of average, the median price of houses sold, to compare average house prices between neighbourhoods within the area. The median price of houses sold in Bell Green in the year up to September 2022 was £171,000 compared to £180,000 in Wood End, Henley Green & Manor Farm (WEHM), lower than the city median average at £214,500.

Fuel poverty, which is influenced by energy prices, incomes, and housing quality, is higher than the Coventry and national average. This is measured using 2021 data, a time before the significant increase in energy bills impacted on households - the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on communities across the city is yet to be fully realised, as people face rapidly rising energy, fuel, food, and housing costs. In 2021 fuel poverty rates in the area was estimated at 23.7% of all households being in fuel poverty, more prevalent than across Coventry overall, the Coventry average was 20.8% and the England average was 13.1%.  

The rate of homelessness applications from Bell Green and WEHM is higher than the Coventry city average. In the financial year 2022/23 there were 155 homelessness applications made to Coventry City Council from people living in Bell Green and WEHM, as a rate this 20.9 per 1,000 households in the area compared, higher than the rate of 14.6 for the city overall.  These are people who made an application and were assessed as being homeless or at risk or being becoming homeless and assigned to the area based on their last settled address. The area has a higher rate over the five-year period from 2018/19 to 2022/23, with 104.3 per 1,000 households compared to 63.1 for Coventry. The number of applications from this area was higher in 2022/23 than it was 2018/19, when it was 121. In this area the annual rate had increased over this period, from a low of 16.4 in 2018/19 and a high of 25.4 in 2020/21 but fallen a little since then. The city's annual rate has grown steadily from 9.1 in 2018/19 to 14.6 in 2022/23. This indicates that more people are applying for homelessness status every year across the city, while the number in Bell Green and WEHM was increasing but has remained stable in the last two years.

What else is happening? What else can be done?

Affordable Housing, rising rent costs and availability of housing were all raised as a concern by residents. Residents were concerned that landlords are raising rents excessively, forcing businesses to relocate and leaving young people unable to afford their own homes.

“…1000s of young people wanting their own places to live but are having to stay at home because of the lack of affordable 1 bed homes…”
 

“stop rogue landlords from increasing rents…”

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 Council has been proactive in supporting the most vulnerable residents access support through a series of initiatives. Coventry City Council have commissioned local energy charity Act on Energy to deliver its Keeping Coventry Warm Scheme. Keeping Coventry Warm provides Coventry residents with free energy saving advice and information.

The household support fund is also a way to provide residents with support for essentials linked to energy and water in recognition that a range of costs may arise that directly affect a households’ ability to afford or access food energy and water.

Crime and community safety

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?

Bell Green and WEHM have higher crime rates than the Coventry average, with 2,597 crimes reported in 2022/23, a rate of 136.8 per 1,000 people compared to the city's 124.6. Like the rest of the city, the area has seen a trend in increasing crime. Crime in the area has risen 48% since 2017/18, though this is lower than the city's overall 65% increase. Most of the increase in crime over the last 5 years comes from more cases of ‘Violence and sexual offences’, which is the most common type of crime recorded. It is crimes recorded under this category that is the main reason why crime rates are higher than the city average in this area. 1,322 ‘Violence and sexual offences’ crimes were recorded in 2022/23, a rate of 69.7 per 1,0000 residents compared to the city average of 51.6. and (ASB) in the data, Bell green and WEHM has higher rates than the city average in five of them: ASB, criminal damage and arson, robbery, violence and sexual offences and other crime.

Most of the increase in crime over the last 5 years comes from more cases of “Violence and sexual offences,"  which is the most common type of crime recorded, with 1,322 incidents reported in 2022/23 (69.7 per 1,000 residents vs. 51.6 citywide). Out of the 14 types of crime Bell Green and WEHM have higher rates than the city average in 5 of them: ASB, criminal damage/arson, robbery, violence/sexual offences, and other crime. Both separate areas, Bell Green and Wood End, Henley Green and Manor Farm (WEHM), have higher than average crime rates, at 143.23 and 132.26 per 1,000 residents in 2022-23 respectively, but these are not the very highest crime rates amongst out of Coventry’s neighbourhoods.
Hate crimes are also higher, with 62 incidents reported from September 2022 to October 2023, a rate of 3.3 per 1,000 residents compared to 2.8 citywide.

In Bell Green and WEHM, fewer residents feel safe compared to the Coventry average, especially at night. In the 2022 Household Survey, 67% felt safe during the day (vs. 77% citywide), and only 27% felt safe at night (vs. 45% citywide). Feelings of safety have declined in recent years, with 87% feeling safe during the day and 72% at night in 2018. This trend mirrors a citywide drop in perceived safety, especially at night.

What else is happening? What else can be done?

Addressing anti-social behaviour though community support and volunteering. Addressing safety concerns, participants suggested tackling anti-social behaviour and violence through non-violent communication courses and mediation. They called for greater community support and volunteering initiatives, emphasising the importance of engaging citizens in cleaning up the city and reporting issues like fly-tipping.