Thanks to the around 140 local people who came along to the Longbridge Ward Forum.
As well as receiving a regular update report on policing issues in the Longbridge area, the two main items on the agenda concerned Parking issues in the roads near the Meadows School and Bloor Homes proposal to build on the North Worcestershire Golf Course site.
I thought it may be useful to give residents a quick update via Facebook on some of the actions that were agreed at the meeting.
1. Parking issues near the Meadows School
A representative of Birmingham City Council Highways department was present and gave an update on a consultation exercise that they had completed in early February to look at possible actions to deter inconsiderate parking on roads near the Meadows School, particularly at school drop-off and pick up times. It was reported that a budget of approximately £200k may be available to help.
The consultation had revealed considerable support amongst residents for a range of physical measures to deter inconsiderate parking – eg the installation of double kerbs in places and concrete “planters”. However, the meeting also asked for more information on other initiatives that has been suggested previously – eg the possible creation of a car park across the other side of Bristol Road South road from the school or encouraging parents to drop children at designated new or existing nearby car park with “walking buses” being organised for children to walk to and from these car parks.
The City Council Highways representatives agreed to arrange for all these suggestions to be followed up with an update to be made available in the coming weeks detailing what follow up has been undertaken on the consultation proposals and the other suggestions, letting residents know how and when decisions will be taken and relevant timescales
2. North Worcestershire Golf Course.
Longbridge Ward Forum Chair, Cllr Andy Cartwright, had invited representatives of Bloor Homes to the meeting to give more details of their proposal to redevelop North Worcestershire Golf Course, and to answer residents’ questions. A copy of the display boards which Bloor had available at the meeting can be seen here http://
Once again residents views expressed at the meeting were overwhelmingly opposed to redevelopment of the Golf Course. No Planning application has, however, yet been submitted by Bloor and Councillors again confirmed that the City Council’s current planning framework precludes building on the site (see recent article in Birmingham Post here http://
Residents also expressed concerned about the security of the site following reports that the Golf Club had decided to stop its use for golf within the next month or so. In answer to questions by me and others at the meeting, Bloor representatives confirmed that although the site would cease to be used as a golf course in the near future, the Golf Club will remain in existence as the legal owner of the site and would retain responsibility for it. They undertook to raise residents’ concerns about security of the site and to report back both to the City Council Ward Chair, Cllr Cartwright, and to me as the local MP, about what security arrangements are to be put in place once the site closes for golf. It was also emphasised to Bloor representatives that, as well as knowing that security arrangements are in place, residents will need to have clear contact details of who to contact with enquiries or in the event of a problem.
