Plans for 480 homes and hotel in Digbeth rejected
Plans to build 480 homes and a hotel in Digbeth have been rejected by city development chiefs over fears they would jeopardise huge railway expansion plans in Birmingham.
The Birmingham Council’s planning committee ruled there was not enough ‘certainty’ that the proposal to redevelop the Sulzer engineering site at Camp Hill would not prevent the future delivery of the Bordesley Chords.
That project, also referred to as the Camp Hill chords, is to construct new viaducts accommodating more rail services into Moor Street from the east of Birmingham as well as the Camp Hill line through Moseley, Kings Heath and Hazelwell where passenger trains are being reinstated.
Councillor Gareth Moore, on the committee, made reference to the Labour-run council’s Birmingham Transport Plan which proposes to stop cars driving through the city centre – albeit they will still be allowed to drive in and out of it via the ring road.
He said: “This council has taken an absurd and ludicrous direction whereby its banning cars which will make reliance on public transport even more important and to compromise a key investment into public transport in this city is something we cannot, cannot allow to happen.”
Transport for West Midlands, West Midlands Rail Executive and Midlands Connect have all objected.
Councillor Mike Ward said: “When the strategic authority for public transport, and transport in general, in this area is against the proposal I’m afraid I have to align myself with them.”
The scheme promised seven blocks ranging from three to 26 storeys in height featuring apartments, town houses, a 167-bed hotel, 15,9301sq ft of commercial space and under-croft car parking.
The committee deferred making a decision in December due to the concerns over the chords. Since then the objecting transport groups have met with Network Rail, which does not oppose the scheme.
It was agreed to request an additional technical assessment from applicants Eutopia Land.
The subsequent report, produced by consultants Aecom, suggested the chords could be accommodated alongside the proposed development.
However the transport groups maintained their objection because the final line for the chords has yet to be determined.
In light of the latest developments council planning officer Nick Jackson argued ‘the case for approval is even stronger than it was before’.
He warned a decision to refuse the scheme would be ‘unlikely to be successfully defended at appeal’.
The committee’s formal decision on January 30 was to ‘defer minded to refuse’ meaning final written reasons to reject the scheme will be drafted and brought back to a later meeting for consideration.