An innovative, eco-friendly, affordable residential and retail premises will be coming to Stirchley next year, with the Stirchley Co-operative Development (SCD) breaking ground on their Pershore Road site.
SCD is a group of local people in housing and worker co-operatives who are developing land on Pershore Road (next to the British Oak) to house local businesses along with 39 apartments where residents will be charged affordable rent. Loaf bakery and cookery school, Birmingham Bike Foundry, and Artefact will all move into the building once it is completed, which is expected to be autumn 2024.
Members of the SCD were joined by Selly Oak MP Steve McCabe, Stirchley councillor Mary Locke, members of the Forum Committee, and a host of other guests to mark the breaking ground.
For more information on the Stirchley Co-operative Development, including registering your interest in joining the coop, visit https://www.stirchley.coop/
Councillor Mary Locke’s ward forum meeting agenda has been released. The meeting, which takes place on Tuesday 20th June, will include updates from Stuart Cross from Kier Highways and Councillor Majid Mahmood, Cabinet Member for the Environment to talk about his role and responsibilities.
The meeting takes place at 6.30pm at Stirchley Community Baths on the corner of Hazelwell Street and Bournville Lane. All those with an interest in Stirchley are welcome. Please note this is NOT a Neighbourhood Forum meeting, and the July meeting will take place as normal on Monday 10th July.
Councillor Locke has arranged her next Stirchley Ward meeting and it will be taking place on Tuesday 20th June 6.30pm at Stirchley Baths Community Hub, Bournville Lane B30 2JT.
You do not need to register to attend, just turn up to the meeting. However if you have any questions please contact Kay Thomas, Community Governance Manager, on kay.thomas@birmingham.gov.uk
Please note these are NOT the Stirchley Neighbourhood Forum meeting; the next one of those takes place on Monday 12th June, 7.30pm at Stirchley Community Church, as normal.
Over the last few days there has been reports about a planned ‘Bournville Eco Village’ on the site of the woodlands on Sparrey Drive and behind houses on Oxford Street.
Although this site is not in Stirchley ward, it boarders it and backs on to houses in the ward. So, it felt appropriate to inform Stirchley residents of additional information to clear up some confusion. Most of the information from the article has come from the developers’ website bournvilleecovillage.co.uk and as yet there have been no plans submitted to the council for approval, meaning that this is still very much in the pre-planning stages.
Ian MacLeod, director of planning, transport & sustainability for Birmingham City Council, wrote that he discussed these proposals with the developer in early February. He has also clarified “The site is of local importance to nature conservation and is also subject to a Tree Protection Order. Development on the site would not be supported.”
The article from the Daily Mail quotes the councillor for Stirchley, Councillor Mary Locke, but the woodlands are in fact in the Bournbrook & Selly Park ward.
A petition to save the Bournbrook Historic Woodlands has been set up by local residents who are concerned about the ecological and environmental impact of removing trees and disruption an eco community centre would have on residents, especially with an existing community centre a few meters away.
Since the national interest in the development, Bournville Eco Village’s website has a new notice that reads, in part; “We have not yet decided on the best way to move forward, as we are waiting on various assessments focused on the ecological impact on the woods. We hope you can see that we care about the environment from the people that we have chosen to work with on this project.” They have also said they intend to hold a public meeting to discuss their ideas with local residents in a few months’ time.
