Longbridge Town Centre | Former MG Rover Site | U/C

[sefton66]

Application Details

Application Number 2011/00773/PA
Application Type Full Planning
Site Address Former MG Rovers works, south of Longbridge Lane, East of Bristol Road South and Lickey Road Longbridge Birmingham
Proposal Mixed use development comprising new superstore, shops (A1), Financial and Professional (A2), Restaurants/Cafes (A3), Public Houses (A4) and Hot Food Takeaways (A5), Offices (B1a), 40 residential apartments, hotel, new public park, associated parking and service infrastructure and new highway access from Longbridge Lane and Lickey Road.

St. Modwen receives green light for £70 million Longbridge Town Centre
Thursday 23 June, 2011
St. Modwen and its partner Advantage West Midlands have today received unanimous planning approval from Birmingham City Council for the new £70 million Longbridge town centre, which will create over 1,000 jobs.

The new Longbridge town centre will be delivered in three phases, with an 85,000 sq ft (50,000 sq ft net sales area) Sainsbury’s store, car park, two acre urban park and elements of the new high street delivered in the first phase. Phases two and three will comprise an 80-bed hotel, 40 apartments, further retail space and car parking, with a total of 80,000 sq ft of retail space and restaurants being delivered in addition to the Sainsbury’s store.

The new two acre Austin Park will lead to the opening up of the river Rea for the first time in 100 years. The Longbridge town centre development will also create new access roads and continued local road improvements for the £1 billion flagship regeneration scheme.

Bill Oliver, chief executive of St. Modwen, said: “We are delighted to have received planning permission for the new town centre at Longbridge. With Sainsbury’s already signed up to take the foodstore and many discussions taking place with other potential retailers and occupiers, we will now look to commence construction of the first phase before the end of the year.”

Cllr Timothy Huxtable, Cabinet Member for Transportation and Regeneration said: “Once complete, Longbridge town centre will establish a new heart for the local community and a focal point for the overall £1 billion regeneration of the former MG Rover works. The development will provide an important economic boost to the area and create a diverse range of employment opportunities, potentially creating over 1,000 jobs.”

Michael Adenmosun, Regional Development Executive for Sainsbury's Supermarket Ltd commented: "The regeneration of Longbridge and the landmark town centre scheme will transform the area and breathe a new lease of life into Longbridge. Sainsbury's is proud to be part of this vision and make a difference to this community."

The £66 million Bournville College, which is situated within the Longbridge town centre site, is nearing the end of its construction programme and will welcome its first students in September 2011. Elsewhere at Longbridge, the first two office buildings to be completed at the Technology Park are virtually fully let. Construction work is underway at Park View, the first new residential scheme at Longbridge, which will deliver 115 houses and apartments. A planning application is currently being prepared for up to 750 homes and a a new park at Longbridge East, while planning permission was recently granted for a new ‘myplace’ youth centre for 13-19 year olds, which will be developed with Birmingham City Council.

Prior to submission of the detailed planning application for the town centre, there was widespread community support for the development plans, with over 600 people attending the public consultation event. St. Modwen has continuously welcomed the input of local people, recognising the need for the regeneration to engender a sense of pride in the area. Creating a choice of retail, leisure and residential space that adequately meets the needs of Longbridge is helping to highlight the area as a thriving innovative community with a positive future.

The 468 acre Longbridge site is being transformed by St. Modwen and Advantage West Midlands as part of the £1 billion regeneration of the former MG Rover works, delivering a sustainable community with the creation of 10,000 new jobs and up to 2,000 new homes.

http://www.longbridgebirmingham.co.u...01returnid=150

[sefton66]

This is the main bulk of information taken from the Planning Application

There is good demand for a food superstore as part of the Longbridge Town Centre. The
big four supermarket chains have all shown a significant interest in the location and
detailed contract negotiations are in place with one of the big four supermarkets. Of the
smaller food retailers Waitrose, Marks and Spencer, Co-Op, Aldi Stores, Iceland Foods,
Lidl UK, Netto Foodstores have all expressed interest in representation.
Before any marketing has taken place the following comparison retailers have already
expressed interest in Longbridge, mainly WH Smiths, Next, TK Maxx, Argos and
Halfords. In our opinion the critical mass of the proposed scheme will also generate
demand from the banking and estate agency service sectors together with quality coffee
and sandwich retailers.

The town centre also incorporates elements of A3 restaurants and café uses and an 80 bedroomed hotel.

Offices
The proposals provide for new offices as part of an upper floor component on the east
side of the High Street.
6.1.3 Housing
The proposals include provision of 40 new apartments.

The scheme has been divided into three construction phases, 1A, 1B and 1C.
Phase 1A is estimated to take 18 months construction with Phase 1B starting on
completion of the first phase and Phase 1C starting 18 months after the commencement
of Phase 1B.
It is assumed that the start date is 2011

Phase 1A
Description Sq m Gross Area Sq Ft
Food Store 9,659 103,969
Retail Units 7-13 476 5,124
Longbridge Lane Retail units 313 3,370
Commercial B1 2,118 22,798

Phase 1B
Description Sq m Gross Area Sq Ft
A3 Units 22-24 plus café/ bar 858 9,236
Retail Units – 18-21 427 4,597
Hotel A3 544 5,856
Additional hotel lobby 139 1,496
Hotel – 75 beds plus ground floor
reception and pub
75 beds

Phase 1C

Description Sq m Gross Area Sq Ft
Retail Units 14-17 4,223 45,456
Car park 242 spaces

 The opening up of the Rive Rea for the first time in 100 years.
 Create a new 2.37 acre Austin Park, the first new park in South West
Birmingham for 50 years.
 Realigned and widened Longbridge Lane with an improved signalised
junction and crossing facility with the A38.
 New secondary access from Lickey Road.
 Funds for the future realignment of the A38 and other road infrastructure as
defined by the AAP.
 A L.I.T. contribution of £600,000.

[sefton66]

Plan of the Town Centre
image hosted on flickr

plan by sefton 66, on Flickr

View from Longbridge Technology Park looking up the High St, Bournville college on the right Sainsburys on the left
image hosted on flickr

town centre 3 by sefton 66, on Flickr

On High St looking up towards the back of Bournville College
image hosted on flickr

town centre 5 by sefton 66, on Flickr

And looking from the back of Bournville College back towards High St
image hosted on flickr

town centre 6 by sefton 66, on Flickr

Further into the High St
image hosted on flickr

town centre 4 by sefton 66, on Flickr

Towards the larger retail units looking back towards Longbridge Lane
image hosted on flickr

longbridge town centre 2 by sefton 66, on Flickr

All above images from the Retail Brochure:
http://www.longbridgebirmingham.co.u...l-Brochure.pdf

View of Austin Park, Bournville college on the left with hotel restaurants and "island" the white apartment building
image hosted on flickr

Longbridge town centre 1 by sefton 66, on Flickr
Image from this article: http://www.longbridgebirmingham.co.u...01returnid=150

[sefton66]

Groundworks have started on site now....


not the greatest of pics, the cars and boards got in the way, they are currently excavating the ground behind here, for those who are unsure of their bearings this will be the "High St" inbetween the future Sainsburys and bournville college. Looking directly at the Sainsburys here
image hosted on flickr

IMG_0374 by sefton 66, on Flickrr

A JCB in action, this view is from the back of Bournville college looking up High St towards what will eventually have large retail units to the left and the hotel, austin centre, restaurants and apartments building to the right
image hosted on flickr

IMG_0371 by sefton 66, on Flickr

Another pic same view but looking more to the right, this is the land that will form the Austin Park and re instated River Rea, a lot of ground clearing going on in the far background which nothing has been announced for yet
image hosted on flickr

IMG_0372 by sefton 66, on Flickr

[sefton66]

and some more shots from today
image hosted on flickr

IMG_0375 by sefton 66, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

IMG_0376 by sefton 66, on Flickr

Not sure how clear it is on here, but where this mound of mud is it has actually been dug out and filled in with concrete
image hosted on flickr

IMG_0374 by sefton 66, on Flickr

[ellbrown]

Was wondering what was going on here back in June 2011

Couldn't get past or around so turned back to find an alternate route.

image hosted on flickr

Longbridge - HGV's - No Left Turn - sign by ell brown, on Flickr

[Brummyboy92]

Great news, going to be exciting to see under construction, been waiting for a very long time.

[Elizabeth Kinoke]

As suspected then, Longbridge, once an area of mass industry and several hundred highly skilled engineers (and a few thousand skilled assembly workers) will be replaced by an out of town style retail park with part time unskilled labour.

The designs are weak, the new housing going up already is very poorly designed, to match the 60s council housing on the other side of the road and the college design has come under criticism from many locals.

And as for the monstrosity on top of the shopping centre... bemused if that really is past planning?

[Elizabeth Kinoke]

Makes me laugh, with dispair, how you can get quality, desirable areas like Dickens Heath going up just out of Birmingham's boundaries, and yet Birmingham continues to build low quality, or bland characterless projects like this all over the city... I know so many people who still slag Brum off terribly who are from Brum and outside, projects like this just add to the lack of attraction making people on the verges want to distance themselves.

The park is nice, and opening up of the river is great, but what would it have taken to build something really special, a centre piece bit of architecture instead of that vile block.

The most aesthetically pleasing bit is the f*cking supermarket. Jesus H.

[djay]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Kinoke

but what would it have taken to build something really special, a centre piece bit of architecture instead of that vile block.

money???

[Elizabeth Kinoke]

Originally Posted by djay

money???

architect with flair?

[15AVFC]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Kinoke

Makes me laugh, with dispair, how you can get quality, desirable areas like Dickens Heath going up just out of Birmingham's boundaries, and yet Birmingham continues to build low quality, or bland characterless projects like this all over the city...

How about Park Central? Doesn't seem too bad.

Housing developments in the UK seem to follow one brief - cram as many shit-boxes into as small a plot of land as is physically possible.

One thing can be said in Longbridge's defense, at least they aren't trying to create a false sense of grandeur like in Dickens Heath.

[Bureau des etrangers]

sorry to bring up the dickens heath discussion again. I really used to dislike it, its like some alien place that has landed and in places seems very artificial. However it does have a broad range of housing styles, handy shops, and a nice range or restaurants and bars. Residents praise the village green and play area where people feel safe with a great sense of community.

It does ofcourse have its own problems and i know a woman who lives in dickens heath and has her own small business, but could never afford to 'set up shop' in dickens heath and is instead located in shirley.

i've often thought of Dickens heath as a residntial version of Brindleyplace.

[Mr Glide]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Kinoke

...The most aesthetically pleasing bit is the f*cking supermarket. Jesus H.

I'm still baffled as to how the hell it ended up being yet another Sainsbury's?
The retail offer does not bode well based on this 'choice' so far.
Unless the other smaller food outlet is an M&S food.
But it'll probably be yet another Aldi. Or Co-op.

[Elizabeth Kinoke]

Originally Posted by Mr Glide

I'm still baffled as to how the hell it ended up being yet another Sainsbury's?
The retail offer does not bode well based on this 'choice' so far.
Unless the other smaller food outlet is an M&S food.
But it'll probably be yet another Aldi. Or Co-op.

Sainsbury's is the better option of a bad lot, I'd have preferred a large M&S or Waitrose would have been very useful and would have drawn people in from outside LB.

As for Dickens Heath, and other similar new build estates I also agree they cram too much in, I have thought for a very long time the government should impose regs on all new builds having x amount of garden space or communial land, this must surely be affecting wildlife, birds, insects, traditional wildlife like hedgehogs etc all are on descrease I believe and this must be partly to blame in some way, humans are not the only thing sharing this earth.

Water features as well, it's amazing how quickly wildlife would flourish but all these estates are just, as already said, cramming in so developers get maximum profit from the land, it is criminal and it also must affect the lives of those having to live on top of each other. A compromise should be sought.

Park Central does have some nice elements, I like bits, but much of it seems cheap, it's just small things that make the bug difference in my opinion, like railings, street layout, greenery, a bit of paint and maintenance. When I drive past there parts look really worn out already. At least with 60s and 70s estates they did offer some gardens and greenery... that seems to the last thing on the minds of developers these days, it's like the local planning have forgotten what actually keeps this planet alove. We can't complain about deforestation in South America, Africa and Asia when we can't even look after the wildlife w have here. Sorry for rant, it just really pisses me off and I really thought Brum would have capitalised on the very green streets we have been proud of for so long.

Nowadays I drive through Victorian streets in the city, and I am appalled by the amount of drives which were once front gardens, concreted or block paves without a single weed, all so that half a dozen status symbol cars can be crammed on with locked gates, although I think this is more a materialistic thing, rightly or wrongly, 6 cars per houshold does not bode well for Brum gardens.

[GrAfiK_248]

Thanks Sefton for the images.

Liz, is this one an actual park or simply a small garden?

[Elizabeth Kinoke]

Originally Posted by GrAfiK_248

Thanks Sefton for the images.

Liz, is this one an actual park or simply a small garden?

Lets just clear this up, please read this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park

A park represents a semi-rural habitat, imagine a small coppice of land, mixture of trees, rambling stream, shrubs, banks etc, somewhere with enough greenery for a bit of wildlife to habitate. A place which actually feels like an oasis of countryside within a town or city.

The above pic looks more like a small park, random, partly crafted by nature, with paths cut through for easier access by humans. Some parks have art and water features included.

Eastside garden looks like a series of small semi-urban gardens, great for skaters and getting from a-b, not conducive to a leasurely walk through a rural oasis... something which would be very simple to create. It looks over designed for designs sake, but the sad thing is the features look weedy and not random enough to represent true nature. Awkward small hedges which weill need lots of upkeep to look tidy, lack of large trees which offer shade and additional habitat.

[Erebus555]

Dickens Heath is fucking horrific, I don't know what you're on about there!

[Elizabeth Kinoke]

Originally Posted by Erebus555

Dickens Heath is fucking horrific, I don't know what you're on about there!

As a new build estate, and with the centre it's generally accepted as a very desirable place to live.

Really...



really...



quite nice for a new build estate.



It's not perfect and a lot of these developments need gardens but at least the design is more acceptable.

[Erebus555]

I'm just seeing heaps and heaps of conservative Utopian tat. Sure, the Longbridge houses are shit but Dickens Heath is not an example of where the design concept should be heading...