Plans to build 2,500 houses in Stoneleigh looked to have stalled, over two years after planning permission was granted for the development.

The scheme for Kings Hill Lane was given outline permission in December 2021, despite objections from locals.

However, a so-called reserved matters application - which would consider the designs of the homes - is yet to come forward, meaning building work is still a long way away.

And according to a planning inspector, the site owner is no longer planning to develop the site themselves, and wants to find a new housebuilder to take over the project.

"Outline permission was granted in December 2021," the report - which was part of the recent appeal for Woodcote House - said.

"No reserved matters applications have since been submitted. 

"The landowner no longer intends to build the site out themselves and is looking to market it to a developer. 

"This exercise has already been delayed and was not expected to start until March 2024. 

"No timescales have been provided for how long this might take or when a reserved matters application might be submitted."

The original application for Kings Hill Lane was actually considered by councillors in December 2019, but it then took Warwick District Council and developer Lioncourt Homes another two years to sign a section 106 agreement.

A section 106 agreement forces developers to invest in the local area's infrasturcture to offset the impact of building thousands of houses.

The plans also include a shopping centre, primary school and secondary school for Stoneleigh.

Six parish and town councils as well as hundreds of residents objected to the application.

And speaking at the December 2019 planning meeting Coventry City councillor Cllr Tim Sawdon said: "In peak hours the traffic queues all the way down Stoneleigh Road and back through Stoneleigh village leave traffic from the southern slip road of the A46 at a standstill.

"The proposed Stoneleigh junction scheme will make no difference and the expansion of the university will only make it worse.

"We all know that Coventry's housing needs have been grossly overestimated and that dumping the surplus on Kings Hill was a last minute act to get Warwick District Council's plan approved. 

"The infrastructure was hardly considered."

Since plans were signed off, Lioncourt has submitted a series of applications to change certain elements of the original planning permission.

"The fact there is already outline permission and the landowner is continuing to work on marketing and discharging conditions, provides some comfort that progress has not entirely stalled," the inspector's report added. 

"There is sufficient evidence to conclude there could be some delivery within five years. 

"Nevertheless, at best this would only be at the very end of the period."

Lioncourt Homes has been approached for comment.