70 homes in Rubery

Social housing scheme on Rubery green space approved despite 'concrete jungle' claims

Tom Cramp - Local Democracy Reporter | Thursday 11th May 2023 10:07am

A housing scheme that would build 70 new homes on a patch of green recreation land in Rubery has been approved. The site on Boleyn Road will include 58 new houses and 12 apartments, with 61 per cent to be provided as social housing.

Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust, the city council's housebuilding arm, is behind the proposals. Alongside the new homes will be some public open space, a children's play area, and 98 car parking spaces.

Housing will be a mix of sizes with two, three and four-bedroom houses, bungalows, and apartments. Houses and bungalows will all have private gardens while apartments will have balconies.

The earmarked area of land is a former playing field with a single mature oak tree in the middle. Plans show the tree will not be harmed during the process and will remain in place.

The application was met with strong opposition from local residents with two separate petitions reaching over 100 signatures. One submitted by Conservative MP for Northfield Gary Sambrook garnered 169 signatures, while another one from Cllr Adrian Delaney (Cons, Rubery & Rednal) got 104.

38 individual letters of objection were also sent to Birmingham City Council, with many worried about the development of valued green space and the pollution construction and more cars would bring. One said the council was looking to turn the area into a 'concrete jungle'.

Residents' concerns were shared by some members of the council's planning committee last month (April 27). Cllr David Barrie (Cons, Sutton Walmley & Minworth) said he thought residents were being 'short-changed'.

Cllr Gareth Moore (Cons, Erdington) added: “I'm incredibly disappointed with this. Not only is it taking away valuable and treasured green space, but it's also failing to compensate the residents of Frankley for that. Quite frankly, it's shameful.”

Meanwhile, other members of the committee saw the scheme in a more favourable light. Cllr Lee Marsham (Lab, Nechells) said: “There is currently a national housing crisis which plays out across our city, so this is a welcomed development to provide much-needed council homes for Brummies.”

Cllr Jack Deakin (Lab, Allens Cross) said: “I do support this application and welcome the amount of affordable housing and the associated works and investment in the spaces around it. It recognises that our homes are not just for sleeping in, but actually, that space is for our communities to be built.”

Cllr Colin Green (Lib Dems, Sheldon) added: “This is a lovely little development. There is lots of affordable housing, adequate parking, and a children's play area. It's the sort of building scheme I welcome for the whole city.”

The scheme was approved with ten votes in favour and two against.

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