MOORPOOL CAMPAIGNERS GATHER STRENGTH

12-05-2007

Campaigners hoping to preserve the unique character of the historic Moorpool Estate in Birmingham are drawing up battle plans to combat proposalsto build up to 30 new homes.

As we revealed yesterday, the Oxford-baseddeveloper Grainger PLC has ended months of uncertainty by circulating plans to local residents for what they call a “low density” housing scheme - which involves building on garages and putting access roads across allotments (see the story here).

Moorpool was built in the early part of the 20th century, and like Bournville is a rare oasis of rural calm in the middle of the city; it is a pub-free "garden suburb"and has a quaint charm which many would argue sitsuneasily with new housing.

Local campaigner Alastair Moyes explains some of the background to the current campaign: “Developers bought up the estate 15 years ago; it changed hands recently and went to a national developer, Grainger Trust PLC.

“The conservation area status was raised last year (to a 4.2) and Graingers didn't object. However the conservation area only applies to the existing buildings - whereas residents thought the 4.2 regulations would protect the estate from inappropriate residential development.

“Some feel they've been conned, because while the 4.2 restricts what residents can do to their own property it allows Grainger to develop where they like.

“The estate is 100 years old about now and Grainger appear to want to profit from that with residential development while they've let the rented properties and open spaces around the estate run down.

“There's a lot of anger and mistrust amongst the residents that Grainger are planning to make millions more in profits from the estate by ruining the original planned 'Garden suburb' estate, developing on allotments and build new houses in a 100 year old estate.

“I understand they are offering to some 'sweetener' but mostly around updating the public facilities around the estate. As a landlord we would expect them to do that, so in general Grainger have nothing to offer the estate that we don't already have, except maybe better parking facilities around some sections of the estate.

“This wouldn’t be allowed in Bournville, a similar planned garden suburb, so why is it even being considered here!”

(Also check out http://savethemoorpoolestate.blogspot.com/)

Is it unrealistic to expect a century-old garden suburb not to change? Or should Moorpool be preserved? Leave a comment on our message board.