Pictured above: L to R: local resident Naveed Akhtar,
Bovale MD Charles Collier and MP Liam Byrne
Liam Byrne, Treasury Secretary and Labour MP for Birmingham
Hodge Hill backed efforts to provide more family housing in
Washwood Heath when he attended a residents' meeting arranged by
the housing developer, Bovale but reiterated his commitment to his
longstanding campaign for a new school on the Smith and Nephew site
on Alum Rock Road.
Local residents questioned Mr Byrne and Bovale Managing Director
Charles Collier about the type of housing, affordability and
overall landscaping arrangements on the 3.38ha former manufacturing
site off Alum Rock Road, which is located two miles east of
Birmingham City Centre.
Bovale are applying for planning permission for a scheme which
includes fourteen large family homes all of which are between 4 and
6 bedrooms, sixty-five 3 bedroom houses and fourteen 2 bedroom
houses as well as seventeen apartments with 1 or 2 bedrooms.
Alongside the residential element the scheme also provides for a
small number of start-up units for employment use, public open
spaces and a crèche for up to 60 pre-school children.
Liam Byrne, MP for Hodge Hill and Chief Secretary to the
Treasury said: "Bovale are experts in turning old industrial
sites into family homes. We need more houses, more homes for
families. But my top priority for this site is still to get a new
school. Washwood Heath is woefully short of school places and I
still believe that a deal can be struck to get a new school on this
site. This is a once in a life time opportunity and we mustn't
throw this away."
Mr Collier added: "We have undertaken extensive community
dialogue with the local residents since we first started to look at
the site two years ago. Local opinion was for a school on the
site so we did undertake extensive negotiations with the local
authority to provide this but these were unsuccessful. Our current
proposals provide a good balance of homes and employment for the
site.
"The crèche facilities will enhance the sense of
community for the site and provide jobs for local people."
Work could commence on the site later this year, subject to the
granting of planning permission.