The West Midlands is not entirely urban ; Coventry is separated from the Birmingham urban area , by stretch of green belt land roughly 15 miles across known as the `` Meriden Gap '' , which retains a strongly rural character . However , the West Midlands is not entirely urban ; Coventry is separated from the West Midlands conurbation by a stretch of green belt land roughly 15 m across , known as the `` Meriden Gap '' , which retains a strongly rural character .