Plans have been unveiled for a £70m residential scheme in Coventry, with the site also potentially becoming host to a gym, restaurant, coffee shop, florist and a convenience store.

Developers the Barberry Group have revealed their concept behind the long-awaited CV1 Bishop Gate scheme, which will see a Royal Mail sorting office demolished to make way for just over 400 luxury apartments.

The project is going to be the first build-to-rent scheme in the West Midlands, with Barberry having instructed property agent CBRE to find a forward funding partner for the project.

The site’s developers had originally planned to use the space for a retail area accompanied by a superstore, however it was unable to find a supportive supermarket to join its plans.

As a result, the 2011 designs have been scrapped as Barberry now seeks to create a luxury apartment development, with its offerings tailored to the demands of the local rental market.

The current designs for the building – generated by architects Assael – have gained written support from Coventry City Council.

The developer is hoping that builders can get on-site within a year of investors being found, with the project expected to take around two years to complete.