A wrangle over Coventry City’s new arena is to go the High Court later this week following a row over the number of shops in the development.

The Sky Blues had won permission from Coventry City Council to increase the number of retail units in the shopping side of the development, which is due to open in 2001.

But the two companies which own the Upper and Lower Precinct are taking the city council to court over the decision.

They claim that by allowing more retail units to open at the stadium on the site of the former Foleshill gasworks the council is allowing a new out-of-town shopping centre – which contravenes national planning policy.

Daniel Carter, of Arrowcroft, the firm which is re-developing the Lower Precinct, said the council had not put the changes out to consultation.

He added that he was confident that this would lead to a successful legal challenge as the council had operated beyond its remit.

He said:

“The city council is too anxious to please everybody, forgetting important planning policies.

“We and Land Securities, who own the upper Precinct, are very concerned that this will have a serious detrimental impact on Coventry city centre to the extent that it could trigger a spiral of decline.”

Mr Carter said that the principle of the football stadium was supported by the two firms, but the changes allowing more big names to open had to be challenged.