Official Birmingham Development Thread 38!

[Nacho]

Yes, I'm sure they just rounded the figure.

[morestoreysplease]

As always though - the confusion reigns because we have a "region" called the same name as our conurbation or "city region". When it becomes Greater Birmingham then it will be as clear as day.

[nigeman]

Originally Posted by feltip

There's a couple of prospective threads but as it's been discussed on here above here are some images from the planning app for the aparthotel proposal for Newhall Square.

http://birminghamcentral.blogspot.co...ll-square.html

I'm really trying to see the heritage value of the old warehouse in the middle of this proposal.
I have been up close and can't see any architectural merit or interest that grabs me one bit. I'm sure someone will be happy to correct me..
I assume its being incorporated into the hotel in some way, but you won't find me staying in a room facing its boring walls.
I would have much preferred removing it and replacing it with some type of square or gardens in the space in between.

[mikey23]

Listed buildings are designated based on a number of different considerations, in the same way conservation areas are. These include age, architectural features, historic interest, historical association, and group value. The more evidence of each of these there is available, the higher the listing designation.

Some are obvious and fulfill more than one criteria - take the Town Hall. It was built in 1834 (Pre-1840 buildings are very likely to be listed), has interesting architectural detailing and is an important example of classicism, and features the work of several prominent architects such as Joesph Hansom and Charles Edge. Moreover, it has associations with Dickens, Elgar, Mendelssohn, and a whole host of more recent musicians and politicians, and with the grouping of the later Council House, BMAG and the Central Library, forms a very important collection of civic buildings. It's hardly surprising that it's one of only eight grade I listed buildings in the city centre (including those in the Jewellery Quarter and Curzon Street).

Grade One buildings are very rare. What's more likely is that a listed building will have a strong claim to one or two of the listing criteria, as with the Whitmore warehouse, which is grade II, the lowest of the nationally listed classifications. Whilst architecturally it isn't ornate, it is a rare example of warehousing in the Jewellery Quarter which is directly linked to the canal system, and therefore illustrates the history of the Jewellery Quarter's development. It has further added resonance since it is one of the remaining parts of the Elkington Works where the first electroplating process in the world was patented.

If a building has been left to rot then this shouldn't go against it's listing designation, for instance the Back to Backs were listed in 1988, and they were in a dreadful condition. Significant alterations may impact on the designation however - the Warehouse was remodelled for the Science Museum so I'm not sure how much internally is original.

I hope that helps Nigeman.

In my opinion it's worthy of its listed status, and I'm very much of the view than new development should respond to its surroundings, rather than the other way around.

[Anup24]

Has anyone seen these ads vandalised around Birmingham?


Guerrilla 'Brandalism' art group sabotages outdoor ads

By Loulla-Mae Eleftheriou-Smith, campaignlive.co.uk, Tuesday, 17 July 2012 10:50AM Be the first to comment

A guerrilla campaign led by six international artists, including Banksy collaborator Paul Insect, have postered their own work over existing outdoor campaigns in the lead-up to the Olympics up to "challenge the destructive impacts of the advertising industry".



Brandalism parodies a Nike ad featuring Wayne Rooney

The 'Brandalism' campaign has been postering over Clear Channel, JCDecaux and Primesight outdoor spaces with their guerrilla art, which incorporates brands Nike, Footlocker, JD Sports, McDonald's and Locog, among others, into the replacement work.

The group claims the strict enforcement of branding regulations for the London 2012 Olympics for commercial interests has been a strong part of provoking their reaction.

The group have completed a postering road-trip of five cities over five days, ending in London this week. They have installed 35 anti-advertising artworks across Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and the capital.

Their images include a parody of Nike's ads, in which Wayne Rooney holds up a Footlocker bag underneath the strapline: "Just loot it".

The work comments on a range of social issues including debt, the environment, body image, consumerism, cultural values and the UK riots from last summer.

The group also cited Government reports on the 2011 riots and think tank reports on the ethical debates surrounding advertising and its impact on cultural values as further references.

Robert Graysford, a member of the group, said, "We’ve taken over these billboards because the advertising industry takes no responsibility for the messages they force-feed us every day. They claim to give us choice but we have no choice to 'opt out' from these intrusions into our public and personal spaces.

"We're lab rats for ad execs who exploit our fears and insecurities through consumerism. I’m a human being, not a consumer. So by taking these billboards, we are taking these spaces back. If Sao Paolo in Brazil can ban all outdoor advertising, so can we."

The artists include Ron English, Robert Montgomery, Broken Fingaz, Know Hope and Paul Insect.

This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk

Not sure you will have access to the article but here is the link- http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/bullet...mpaignDailyFix

[nigeman]

Originally Posted by Nacho

Yes, I'm sure they just rounded the figure.

Well the census was over a year ago so at the same rate of increase its probably near the 1.1 million now.
That figure is only based on the official data though. A good number of people wouldn't have wanted to be counted. Illegal immigrants, refugees or asylum seekers trying to stay out of the limelight, not to mention people trying to avoid the authorities for any number of reasons, debt, criminal activity people just wanting to drop off the radar etc.
I would reckon you can add tens of thousands in the bigger cities for the "actual" true population figure.
I would estimate Birmingham's true population is nearer 1.2 million

[LNGCats]

Originally Posted by nigeman

Well the census was over a year ago so at the same rate of increase its probably near the 1.1 million now.
That figure is only based on the official data though. A good number of people wouldn't have wanted to be counted. Illegal immigrants, refugees or asylum seekers trying to stay out of the limelight, not to mention people trying to avoid the authorities for any number of reasons, debt, criminal activity people just wanting to drop off the radar etc.
I would reckon you can add tens of thousands in the bigger cities for the "actual" true population figure.
I would estimate Birmingham's true population is nearer 1.2 million

only about 90% of people complete the form, they are able to give accurate figures just as people are able to count fish in a lake. Nerd have an excellent explanation on the Manchester forum.

[daumal]

Originally Posted by LNGCats

only about 90% of people complete the form, they are able to give accurate figures just as people are able to count fish in a lake. Nerd have an excellent explanation on the Manchester forum.

Could you link to it? Couldn't find it when I took a quick look in the likely threads

I vaguely remember a supermarket or some sort of big food organisation saying that their studies showed a population a few years ago that was actually above 70m. Surely when you're talking about populations against samples your initial estimate of the population has to be fairly close, otherwise your calculated figures go way out very quickly. If they use the previous population plus a certain percentage as their initial estimate it's not out of the question that they could have been 5-10 million out, which could impact on the confidence interval.

[feltip]

Don't think i've spotted it being mentioned but another bonus to our legal sector here.

Manchester's Kings Chambers to open in Birmingham with No 5 hires

Manchester-headquartered Kings Chambers is set for significant expansion with the launch of a new base in Birmingham.


The set has hired senior clerk Gary Smith from No 5 Chambers to lead the venture with Anthony Crean QC and Sarah Clover, both formerly members of No 5 Chambers in Birmingham, joining the set.

Head of chambers Nick Braslavsky QC said demand for a set that focuses purely on civil work was on the rise in the city.
...

http://www.thelawyer.com/manchesters...013520.article

[Brum X]

Good to see Brum in the top 10

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travelers...s-cTop-g186216

[markmcd1976]

Great for Brum. I'm amazed Blackpool gets in there though. I can't think of a city in the country that is more depressing, dirty or run down.

[Typhoon2000]

Originally Posted by markmcd1976

Great for Brum. I'm amazed Blackpool gets in there though. I can't think of a city in the country that is more depressing, dirty or run down.

Rhyl

[Victorian]

Originally Posted by Brum X

Good to see Brum in the top 10

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travelers...s-cTop-g186216

No Bristol, no Bath, no York, no Oxford, no Cambridge. Who compiled this list?

[DBadger]

It's a top 10, they can't mention everywhere. Plus we all know #11 is wolvo

[Nacho]

I hadn't seen the building in the following link before . It is to make way for a new development :http://www.birminghampost.net/news/n...name_page.html

[blahblahv2]

Anyone spot the population inaccuracies?

Manchester is referred to as

cosmopolitan city of well over two million.

Brum referred to as

this city of over a million

Good that Brum is on there, but they could have got these simple facts correct.

[woodhousen]

well that is the former harborne hill school... a horrifically rough school by all accounts!

[smysticed]

Also, two of the three suggested attractions aren't even in the city! I know Baddesley Clinton and Coughton Court are nice, but not what I would consider as attractions in Birmingham!

[feltip]

Greater Birmingham in the greater sense. There is a wider geography for locations generally when it comes to tourist descriptions and zones.

[woodhousen]

i dont know if this is because im in the machester office also, but the frustrating thing is that when i click on the birmingham tripadviser page, adverts for manchester airport appear on the righthand side of the screen!