Coventry City unveiled plans for a new ‘eco-park’ stadium in 2013, but years of ground sharing, rent sagas and controversial ownership have seen the project put on the back burner.

The Championship side currently play their games at the Coventry Building Society, formerly known as the Ricoh Arena.

Coventry could have had this as their third permanent home in less than two decadesStadium DB

The stadium would have had an eco park nearby on the 118-acre schemeStadium DB

The site also has a casino and hotel built into it and also hosted concerts.

But in 2013, the club partnered with Warwick University to plan a new home close to the student campus.

The 23,000-seater was set to have a capacity 10,609 lower than the CBS.

A 100-seat restaurant overlooking the pitch will have been built in, as well as a 430-seat banqueting hall behind the main stand.

It was also set to include detailed transport infrastructure, a rail link, cycling paths, and an eco park.

However, 11 years on, and construction of the ground is yet to begin.

Speaking to the BBC a year ago, owner Doug King said: “I believe the club should be at the [CBS] for the foreseeable future. In today’s world, a new stadium is a long way off.

“There’s a lot of work that’s been done on that project. It’s not top of my radar right now.

“The reality is that it’s something for the future, and the priority is the discussions we have with the Frasers Group.”

Coventry are currently tied into a lease at the CBS until 2028.

The Coventry Building Society Arena is the club’s current homeGetty

The Sky Blues have had a roller coaster relationship with their current stadium to say the least.

After playing there since 2005, in 2013 they were forced to play at Northampton’s Sixfields with the club arguing Arena Coventry Limited, who managed the stadium, were unwilling to negotiate to agree to a new lease.

This was around the time the plans for the eco-park were announced, with the proposal being the Sky Blues were to ground share in the interim while it was being built.

However, Coventry returned to the CBS in 2014, the year it was sold to rugby league side Wasps.

In 2019, they left again for Birmingham’s St Andrew’s after Coventry City’s then owners, Sisu, were unable to reach a deal with Wasps to stay. In 2021 they penned at 10-year rental agreement with Wasps.

However, Wasps were forced to sell the arena after financial problems led to bankruptcy in 2022, with former Newcastle owner Mike Ashley taking over the ground as a result.

His Frasers Group issued the football club with a notice of eviction, should they not agree to a deal running until May 2023.

King became sole owner of Championship club in January 2023, buying out controversial owners Sisu.

The club and Fraser Group have since agreed a further five-year lease running until 2028.

Coventry have had an incredible rise back from the ashes despite their stadium trouble, reaching the FA Cup final last season

And King has previously reiterated his desire to finally stop renting and buy the keys to the CBS on numerous occasions.

This would suggest plans for the eco-stadium are likely to be well and truly out the window – for now at least.

Local councillor Peter Jones hinted plans have been ditched altogether when discussing the university eco-park in a town council meeting earlier this year.

He said: “They didn’t mention the new football stadium they were talking about a few years ago, which appears to have been dropped.”