Huge regeneration scheme for 'forgotten' Birmingham area approved amid angry outbursts from residents
Birmingham Council’s regeneration scheme for a “forgotten” area has been approved at a dramatic meeting which saw angry outbursts and protests from concerned residents.
The authority’s enormous project is set to transform Druids Heath and provide around 3,500 new homes.
Green spaces, new infrastructure and transport links are planned to be built while commercial and community spaces in the area would be revitalised.
There were also proposals for sports facilities and a “vibrant” high street, according to a planning application lodged earlier this year.
But there have been ongoing concerns from locals over the potential impact on the community, the levels of demolition and fears that existing residents would be priced out of the area.
Residents gathered outside Birmingham Council House on Thursday morning before attending the planning meeting to make their voices heard from the public gallery.
Before Thursday’s decision, Druids Heath local Clare Woodward told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “My dad is 76, he’s lived there 40 odd years.
“Are they going to kick him out of his house at his age? I’m worried about where my dad and I’ll go, I’ve got four children.”
She also feared for the community, saying: “We’ve known some of our neighbours all of my life, the sense of community there is lovely.”
Asked what her message to Birmingham City Council is, she said: “Don’t knock our homes down.
“Regenerate the area but you don’t need to demolish it all.”
Another resident echoed similar concerns, saying she was worried about the impact on the community and residents being priced out.
“It’s really not thought out from a residents’ perspective,” she argued.
Tensions simmered during the meeting as the plans were discussed, with residents chanting “let him speak” after an objector explaining his concerns was told his allotted time was up.
Councillor Lee Marsham, chair of the planning committee, said: “I don’t want to interrupt and appreciate your concerns, they have been listened to.
“We now need to let the next three minutes [for the applicant] begin, that’s to make sure this application is fair, just and done in the correct procedures.”
A number of councillors were applauded by those in the public gallery as they expressed concern over the scheme, with Coun Gareth Moore saying: “This needs to be reconsidered from the beginning.
“We need to provide more affordable homes and the infrastructure that the future people of Druids Heath will need.”
Coun Jane Jones said: “Something needs to be done with Druids Heath.
“But I’m very concerned that people […] will find themselves displaced.”
Summing up his thoughts, Coun Marsham said: “Druids Heath has gone decades without the investment you deserve, that’s not right, that’s not fair.
“We all want greener and warmer homes – and homes people can take pride in and can afford.
“Obviously we want to give the community first dibs on coming back.”
‘Shame on you’
A council report, published ahead of the meeting, noted that harm could arise from the ‘potential relocation of the existing population’.
It also highlighted how the planning application only details how 400 homes will be built as affordable homes in the area, which was previously described as “forgotten” by ward councillor Julien Pritchard.
The council has previously committed to building around 1,785 affordable homes as part of the scheme, which would represent 51 per cent of homes on the development.
The report said: “The applicant, BCC Housing, are committed to fulfilling the strategic goal of 51 per cent affordable housing on this site, with a right to return policy to the site which would be reliant on this level of affordable housing coming forward.”
A council officer told the meeting on Thursday that all social rented homes would be “reprovided”.
“It’s a build-first model,” she said. “The whole spurt of this is to cause minimal disruption to people on site.
“When the grant funding comes through, this means there will not be any displacement.”
Birmingham’s planning committee ultimately voted to approve the plans, prompting boos and chants of ‘you vote yes, we vote no’ from stunned locals in the public gallery.
The meeting was then brought to a halt, with residents chanting ‘shame on you’ and angrily questioning councillors before members of the committee left the room.
Following the meeting, Druids Heath councillor Julien Pritchard said there was “clear anger in the community about this”.
“The outline planning application had a massive reduction in genuinely affordable socially rented homes and more demolition than is needed,” he said.
“Replacing social homes shouldn’t be a vague aspiration. It’s something that should be guaranteed.”
“The application didn’t offer the written guarantees on social housing the community needed.”
“The fact the decision to approve was tied show there are real issues,” he said. “We need plans with less demolition, which replace all the socially rented homes that are demolished and ensures all residents, homeowners, private renters or council tenants can stay in Druids Heath and aren’t priced out.”
‘Significant benefits’
The council report listed several benefits the regeneration scheme would provide, including housing, a new sports hub, improved green spaces, additional community uses, the demolition of vacant tower blocks and a network of pedestrian and cycling facilities.
Coun Nicky Brennan, cabinet member for housing, said last month that the regeneration would deliver thousands of “high-quality, energy-efficient homes”.
“We are also committed to ensuring that more than half of them will be affordable – helping to meet the urgent housing needs of our residents,” she said.
The council has also previously insisted that it understood residents’ concerns about being priced out of the area.
“For this reason, the council is looking at how we can use different financial models to give residents an opportunity to remain on the estate,” it said earlier this year.
“We will let residents know more about these models as soon as we are able.
“It is really important to the council that everyone who wants to stay in Druids Heath can do so.”
The council report concluded that the Druids Heath plans would “generate significant benefits to the local area”.
“It would make a significant contribution to housing numbers and Birmingham City Council’s housing target of an additional 51,100 homes by 2031, as well as being able to provide for a variety of housing needs,” it said.
“Whilst the site currently benefits from existing on site open space, the proposal seeks to make significant improvements to open space, green infrastructure.
“[It] would also ensure a more permeable layout with greater natural surveillance and improved commercial and community uses.”
