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Coventry City announce plans to build a new state-of-the-art stadium

  /  autty

Coventry City's long-term future looks likely to be away from the Ricoh Arena after the club announced plans to build a new state-of-the-art stadium in the south-west of the city.

The development, in partnership with the University of Warwick, is expected to take approximately five years to complete.

Details, including the size of the stadium have not been made public, but in a statement to Sky Sports News, City said fans will arrive at the stadium via a new light railway station.

Land adjacent to the university's boundaries is already subject to major infrastructure developments as part of the HS2 project - which potentially could link to the stadium.

For now, Coventry's owners SISU remain in negotiations with Wasps over a potential third return to the Ricoh Arena next season. Failure to agree a deal is expected to see Mark Robins' team return to Birmingham City's St Andrew's stadium.

City have struggled to find a permanent home after first leaving the Ricoh in 2013, playing matches 34 miles away in Northampton and more recently at St Andrew's, 22 miles away.

Land for the new project has been provided by the university at their main Gibbet Hill campus, while the club will pay for the cost of the building work as well as its operation.

Crucially, the club will receive all revenues generated at the ground - a critical factor in owners SISU choosing to build a new home stadium.

A consultation process with local planners is expected to begin shortly.