Longbridge, The Technology Park and the former (& hopefully future) Rover works

[Elizabeth Kinoke]

Originally Posted by sefton66

Some pics I got from the other day of the park view housing on lickey/lowhill road

image hosted on flickr

IMG_0253 by sefton 66, on Flickr

Solar panels on some of the roofs
image hosted on flickr

IMG_0251 by sefton 66, on Flickr


image hosted on flickr

IMG_0247 by sefton 66, on Flickr

FFS once again, went past these other day and they appear low grade housing keeping in theme for the council estate over the road... well... that's really going to attract people to live in Longbridge.

In fact wondering around Brum centre last night the new resi buildings in the main seem to be the lowest design and build quality, just can't understand how these designs get through planning?

[sefton66]

The ones on the old powertrain land opposite cofton park will be more upmarket, although that land is under bromsgrove district council.....

[Erebus555]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Kinoke

In fact wondering around Brum centre last night the new resi buildings in the main seem to be the lowest design and build quality, just can't understand how these designs get through planning?

As long as this country or city needs housing, it'll be easier for rather grim housing schemes to get through planning.

[Mr Glide]

Nothing much on the Longbridge site so far has excited me. All very bland, bog standard and cheap looking.
The college, whilst 'different', could be in danger of looking like a large wedge of mouldy cheese in an otherwise uninspiring landscape.
Even the Sainsbury's, soon to be one of many already in South Brum, is a disappointing non-event.
I worry that our own Chelmsley Wood beckons - an inadequate anchor store supporting the usual pound and charity shops, Greggs, fast food and cheap clothes, indispersed with empty units.

You know how tragic it all feels when the only thing I'm genuinly excited about, is the station park 'n' ride - if that ever happens.

Just sayin'. Like.

[sefton66]

Whilst I agree some of the designs are bland and could be better I disagree with the empty units and charity/poundshops bit

There is planned to be over 2000 new homes in the area, the college caters for 15,000 students and buses are being rerouted to cater for the college aswel as proposed increases to train services through redditch in the long run aswel as there is a lot of employment planned for the area. Theres no immediate competition, Northfield is a shithole and rubery isnt much better. With the houses planned for the Powertrain - all upmarket housing there is a demand for something more upmarket as there isnt really anything in the area, I think it will be quite popular and there is a strong demand.

This is taken from the planning app:

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.

I think the poundshops/cheap shops and charity shops etc. will locate on the bristol road on cheaper rents

[Mr Glide]

I think it'll take a lot more than a TKMaxx (aren't they now in deep doodoo?), Argos (already in Northfield), Netto (defunct I thought), Iceland (please God, no) WHSmith (yawn) to get people's shopping habits away from Merry Hill and Redditch in any significant critical mass.
Northfield being a shithole I kind of see your point, but then why transfer half the stores already there to Longbridge. All we'll end up with is an empty shithole, and another bland town centre.

[Erebus555]

TK Maxx isn't doing as great as a year or 2 ago at all but it's not in any serious trouble. I think W H Smith are entering a more difficult phase - sales dropping but profits rising ever so slightly.

[sefton66]

I'm not expecting it to be a rival to a shopping centre it never will be, all I'm saying is there has been a lot of interest and given the numbers of potential customers, I can't see it being filled with empty units, poundshops and charity shops.

[Mr Glide]

I hope not Sefton.
The point I'm trying to make, albeit in a convoluted way, is that why would I want to go to Longbridge shopping, in say 3 years, when, what I buy there I could get the same stuff from the same shops in Northfield now.
In other words, I hope this isn't seen as an oppportunity by retailers to simply upsticks from Northfield, and transplant themselves to shiney new units in Longbridge.
I want to see new retail offer that encourages me not to either, jump in the car to Redditch or reluctantly drag myself to Northfield

[sefton66]

Originally Posted by Mr Glide

You know how tragic it all feels when the only thing I'm genuinly excited about, is the station park 'n' ride - if that ever happens.

Just sayin'. Like.

Not too sure your gonna be excited when you see the plans......

The original idea has gone from a QE hospital style multi storey car park and been turned into the most basic surface car park im afraid......

Application Details
Application Number 2011/03955/PA
Application Type Full Planning
Site Address 78-92 Longbridge Lane (site of) Longbridge Birmingham B31 2TW
Proposal Demolition of 82 and 84 Longbridge Lane, development of site as a park and ride for Longbridge Rail Station and erection of bat wall measuring 3 metre in height and 5 metre in length.

http://eplanning.birmingham.gov.uk/N...DAURI=PLANNING

[ReissOmari]

They have started to put the new traffic lights up at the junction and its now starting take shape.

[sefton66]

App has gone in for the Powertrain site housing...

11/0750

Longbridge East And River Arrow Development Site
Groveley Lane
Cofton Hackett
Worcestershire

Erection of 229 residential dwellings conprising 110x4 bed units, 82x3 bed units and 37x2 bed units. Neighbourhood park, childrens play area, associated landscaping and access works.

http://appuview.bromsgrove.gov.uk/Pu...=LQDZLQDP00Z00

[woodhousen]

St Mods/Persimmon submit Longbridge plans
Lisa Pilkington 01/09/2011 08:05



A joint venture between St Modwen and Persimmon Homes has submitted detailed plans for the first phase of a residential development on the 52-acre former Longbridge East works site in Worcestershire.

The plans were submitted alongside a second outline application from St Modwen for the overall site, which proposes as many as 725 new homes.

The first phase, which will be delivered by Persimmon, comprises 229 homes.

Subject to consent, work could start on site in early 2012.

The Longbridge Area Action Plan has identified the Longbridge East site primarily for new housing. St Modwen has invested more than £85m at Longbridge since acquiring the 468-acre site in 2003, including the £66m Bournville College, which opens this month, and the new, £70m Longbridge town centre, where work will start on site shortly.

The site forms part of wider plans between St Modwen and Persimmon to develop 2,000 homes on seven sites owned by St Modwen across the UK.

[Mr Glide]

What's the betting the Worcestershire side get all the executive 4/5 bedroom housing, whilst the Longbridge/Rednal side end up with all the crappy shoe boxes barely big enough to swing a cat it...

[sefton66]

Looks like ground works have started on the town centre development, new hoardings going up around the site and the old sub station building for the former factory are beginning to slowly come down, saw a piling rig being delivered early this morning too

[sefton66]

The old substation building has now been totally cleared, quite a bit of activity on site with a few jcbs and has been a mobile crane on site, not seen it in use as of yet, looks like they are preparing to start work on the town centre very soon. Over longbridge lane the houses have now been fenced around ready for demolition to create the surface park and ride for the train station. Wish I could get pictures but I'm always driving and there's nowhere to pull up. The roadworks are well advanced and I'd think would be coming up to completion in the next few months with most of the road surfaces now complete and lights up.

[ellbrown]

From yesterdays Birmingham Mail regarding the East Works and the war effort

Revealed: How Longbridge defied the Nazis to help Britain win World War Two



NOWADAYS there are few clues to the crucial Second World War role that Longbridge played in the defeat of the Nazis.

The former Longbridge East Works, once a working factory employing thousands, has been bulldozed to make way for more than 700 new houses, courtesy of developers St Modwen and Persimmon Homes.

But the families who move there to make new lives for themselves on the former East Works site will be following in the footsteps of historic events which helped to save Britain from invasion by Adolf Hitler’s Nazi hordes.

For over seven decades ago the East Works was the site of one of Britain’s “shadow factories,” built to save the nation from an unthinkable future under the command of Hitler’s murderous regime.

In their book, Making Cars at Longbridge, 100 Years In The Life Of A Factory, authors Gillian Bardsley and Colin Corke recall Longbridge’s vital part in keeping Britain free, and the car firm’s founder Lord Austin’s key role in the defence of the realm.

“Like the rest of British industry, motor manufacturers had to suspend normal production and turn themselves over to the military effort when war was declared on Germany in 1939.

“Because of the experience gained during one major conflict, Austin knew the importance of being well prepared as another war began to seem inevitable.

“It was therefore appropriate when, in 1936, he became chairman of the Shadow Aero Engine Committee.

“The remit of this Government body was to plan extra manufacturing capacity in locations which would be relatively safe from attack. As a result Longbridge itself gained several new facilities for aircraft manufacture.

“Flight Shed was distinctive for its interior space incorporating an impressive roof structure which minimised the use of pillars.

“Close by was a new Aero factory which would become known as East Works. The first aircraft built were Fairey Battles, a design which proved disappointing in service.

Read More http://www.birminghammail.net/news/b...#ixzz1Z0JRA62T

[sefton66]

Buyers snapping up new Midlands houses
Wednesday 28th September 2011, 12:59PM BST.


Homebuyers are snapping up new properties being built on three former major industrial sites in the Midlands, developer St Modwen said today.

St Modwen said development at the former Goodyear site in Wolverhampton was now under way, with “good levels” of initial sales.

And its scheme on the former Longbridge site in Birmingham – Park View – had seen an “excellent response”.

Meanwhile, a detailed planning application had already been submitted for another 229 homes at Longbridge, with building work expected to start in early 2012.

At the same time St Modwen – based on the Quinton Business Park in Birmingham – said it was making good progress with a new 85,000 sq ft supermarket for Sainsbury’s at Longbridge, and another for Tesco at Hednesford in Staffordshire.

Work has started on developing the Phoenix Retail Park at Longton, Stoke-on-Trent. Bill Oliver, chief executive, said:

“We continue to make good progress in the year to date. Even in this challenging market we have been able to drive income throughout our portfolio and I am particularly encouraged by the continued resilience of our retail assets.”

Read more: http://www.expressandstar.com/money/...#ixzz1ZHTvoifM

[sefton66]

shit pictures but ahh well, this is the far left side of the town centre facing onto longbridge lane this is where the Sainsburys will be, for those who know the area this used to have the old substation on it has recently come down and the land is being cleared by a few JCBs. the old footbridge that went over the river Rea in front of the factory fence but was fenced off with the path around it has now gone too

also for anyone who happens to be in the area I believe the area behind the bournville college is open at all times if anyone wants to grab photos of that and the future town centre location. looks like a nice kind of square behind it with paving plants trees and benches

image hosted on flickr

IMG_0360 by sefton 66, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

IMG_0359 by sefton 66, on Flickr

[Nacho]

Thanks for the update sefton .

Here is The Park View housing link .Some good images on it .

http://www.parkview-longbridge.co.uk...w-Brochure.pdf