EXCLUSIVE

ENGLISH HERITAGE TARNISHES JEWELLERY QUARTER

17-08-2006

Our revelation earlier this week (see earlier article) that English Heritage was supporting a controversial redevelopment plan in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter has aroused anger among many of the people who work there.

Thes cheme would see the AE Harris engineering works in Northwood Streetmove out to be replaced by yet more yuppie flats.

English Heritage says that an important building would still be retained on the site, butthat spectacularly missesthe point - this is an industrial area and it needs to stay that way.

Here's the reaction of "The Queen of the Jewellery Quarter" 77 year old Marie Haddleton.

"I was personally very surprised and disappointed to learn that English Heritageis supportinga planning application which contravenes the Conservation Management Plan designed to stop inappropriate residential use in the Jewellery Quarter zones called the Golden Triangle and the Industrial Middle.

When an ‘Urban Village' scheme was launched around nine years ago it ‘lifted' all planning restrictions on housing within the Jewellery Quarter.

I was the first person to realise the serious implications this would have on the businesses as it would inevitably lead to increases in land/property values.

In desperation I went to see Sir Albert Bore who at that time was Council Leader.

I told him: “If we ‘lose' the Jewellery Quarter like we have ‘lost' the Gun Trade and we end up with just a blue plaque stating ‘This was Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter' I will hold you personally responsible”.

Sir Albert was quick to support my views and the Head of the Economic Development (Paul Spooner) was asked to form an action team.

The team comprised the Jewellery Industry Information Centre,Andy Munro, Advantage West Midlands, Princes Trust, ENGLISH HERITAGE, the council's Planning & Conservation department and of course myself (Jewellery Quarter Association).

The guidelines were laid down for the JQ Conservation Management Plan and the area was split into zones, the most important being the area where the ‘trade' has its small workshops (Golden Triangle and the Industrial Middle).

Any housing which can be seen within these zonesis the result of developers acting quickly before the legislation came into force.

The Jewellery Quarter was originally split into three separate conservation areas, with wide corridors between.

English Heritage gave us massive support by merging the area into one large conservation area and listing around 120 buildings. (I was invited to give two talks on ‘Surviving Regeneration!' to EH visitors from all parts of the country).

This is why I cannot understand why they now support an application which goes against everything we have achieved.

We also have a Jewellery Quarter Charter which fully supports the Management Plan and this is signed by - guess who? English Heritage.

Other signatoriesare Chair of the Jewellery Quarter Regeneration Partnership(Clive Wright), AWM, Barberry Estates, Cllr Mike Whitby, Cllr Ken Hardeman, Birmingham Forward, British Jewellers Association, Business Link, Community Web, Groundwork Birmingham, JQA, NEC Group, UCE, Cllr Albert Bore and witnessed by the Rt.Hon.David Miliband.

English Heritage have also published a wonderful book on history of The Jewellery Quarter.

Already businesses in close proximity to the A E Harris site are being threatened with eviction in anticipation of the lifting of the residential ban within the industrial middle and the market price of some empty premises are being increased dramatically."

Marie Haddleton

(Marie is president and Honorary Secretary of the Jewellery Quarter Association and edits The Hockley Flyer)