Official Solihull Thread

[U475 Foxtrot]

Originally Posted by Assa

There are now 7 roundabouts between the M42 and the start of Shirley highstreet, a distance of about 1.5 miles... Milton Keynes eat your heart out!

Between Five ways and Hockley Heath there are 48 sets of traffic lights

[feltip]

Controversial plans to transform Shirley go back to the drawing board
Mar 31 2009 by Emma McKinney, Birmingham Post

A £100 million project to transform a Midland town centre is going back to the drawing board after the recession has left developers fearing its viability.

The Parkgate development to transform Shirley, near Solihull, includes an Asda superstore, dozens of other shops, cafes and restaurants and 200-plus apartments, but developers Shirley Advance yesterday admitted plans were being revised in light of the economic downturn. Robert Birch, head of the scheme, said plans to build retail shops over two levels could be down-scaled to one level only.

Work, which was supposed to begin at the end of last year, will be put on hold until at least the summer of 2010.

Mr Birch said: “Many development schemes have suffered problems over the last few months with what’s going on in the global economy and we are looking at the viability issues towards Parkgate.”

He said the scheme would not change “fundamentally”, adding: “We haven’t spent the last five years and many millions of pounds just to ditch it because of a glitch in the economy”.

Solihull Council Leader Coun Ken Meeson said: “There’s certainly no intention of dropping or shelving it, instead we will need to look what is still viable about it. In light of the recession it’s vital we remain committed to it. Shirley high street was once known as the golden mile because it was so successful but now it is well down the retail rankings and something must be done to change this.”

The scheme, in the pipeline for more than five years, has been fiercely opposed by local residents, retailers and councillors. It was given planning permission by the council in September 2006 but was delayed after dozens of shops in Stratford Road appealed against Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs). A public inquiry in December 2008 upheld the CPOs, forcing the closure of the shops.

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/w...5233-23269691/

[Biosonic]

Ironically, if there hadn't have been such a fight to do it, it would be udnerway/done by now. I wonder whether this would have been the better outcome?

[Assa]

Originally Posted by Biosonic

Ironically, if there hadn't have been such a fight to do it, it would be udnerway/done by now. I wonder whether this would have been the better outcome?

Probably. With the closure of Woolys and Sevenoaks S&V there's nothing at the north end of the high street now. I have always supposrted some redevelopment but am not 100% convinced of the viability of a large retail scheme with the proximity of Touchwood. Scaling down that element might be a blessing to it's long term success.

Doesw anyone know if the new office being built next to J4 / Tesco has a tennant? It's gone up amazingly quickly and it's something of a surprise to see a big development there given the developments on the TRW site and office space available on Blythe Valley.

[Assa]

Originally Posted by U475 Foxtrot

Between Five ways and Hockley Heath there are 48 sets of traffic lights

Ironically I've just moved offices to Williams St just off Five Ways so have to pass through a good number of those lights every day now. It's a bloody pain but to compensate I have a great view of The Cube going up and the Regal development will be just across Broad Street (assuming I'm still here in a couple of years).

[feltip]

Solihull businesses launch £500,000 plan to boost town centre
Apr 15 2009

Businesses in Solihull plan to boost town centre trade with a £500,000-a-year business improvement district to stave off the threat from other towns in the region.

More than 650 traders in 18 streets in the town will vote on whether to establish a BID, which would see each company contribute an annual fee towards initiatives to improve the promotion, maintenance and security of the town centre. The improvement levy would see an additional £500,000 injected into the Solihull economy every year for five years.

Sue Yates, chair of Solihull pre-BID board, said the town needs to boost its competitiveness and attract more people through its doors. She said Solihull was losing shoppers to BID areas in towns like Leamington Spa, and businesses needed to act to promote the town as a shopping experience and a centre for thriving businesses.

“We have to address that problem by making the town centre the ‘must’ place to shop and work,” she said.

“The benefits to business of a successful BID are enormous. Performances are better, costs are driven down and the companies which work in the area have proper control and are accountable.

“There are now 85 successful established BIDs across the United Kingdom and there are many more in the pipeline. Solihull must not miss out.

“A detailed look at other BID areas reveals that they have all benefited in one way or another. I really do believe that Solihull will greatly benefit and that can only be good for the local economy.”

The pre-BID board are currently carrying out a period of consultation and plan to put the plans to the vote next February.

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/t...7319-23390286/

[joshwebb]

so next month?

[Erebus555]

What....?

[djay]

the article above erebus

[Guilbert53]

Originally Posted by Erebus555

What....?

I guess he means this (which was written in April 2009)

"The pre-BID board are currently carrying out a period of consultation and plan to put the plans to the vote next February"

[Erebus555]

Aaah got it, now, I scanned through that article as well.

[morestoreysplease]

Good spot Josh!

[joshwebb]

yeah so we will find out the result of the votes this month?

[Biosonic]

Allegedly.

[Guilbert53]

The Shirley Parkgate scheme is back up an running

An Asda, other shops, houses, apartments etc

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/w...5233-26636565/

Developers web site

http://www.parkgateshirley.com/

[ReissOmari]

Morrisons, Sainsburys, Tesco, Tesco Extra, Waitrose and now ASDA all on the same stretch of road, wow.

[Guilbert53]

Originally Posted by ReissOmari

Morrisons, Sainsburys, Tesco, Tesco Extra, Waitrose and now ASDA all on the same stretch of road, wow.

I live in this area and we are already surounded by supermarkets.

In Shirley high street itself we have a Morrisons, a Marks & Spencer food and an Aldi.

Just North of the high street is a mid-size Tesco. South of the high street is a large Sainsburys and South of that a large Tesco.

Nearby at the Maypole we have another large Sainsburys, and in Solihull town centre we have a large Morrisons.

Like most people we also have various "small" supermarkets nearby (Tesco Express etc).

We also have a large retail park nearby with a Homebase, B&Q, Comet, Currys, Boots, Toys R Us, Habitat, Halfords, and various other shops

And people wonder why Shirley high street is dying.

So the last thing we need is ANOTHER supermarket.

[ReissOmari]

You also have really nice Audi dealership down there

But the A34 is raided with a lot of supermarkets, but even thought this would be adding another one, i think its time for Asda to shine because theres none down south!

[morestoreysplease]

According the article Shirley is a "Midland town"!! How do these journalists make something that is joined to Hall Green sound so distant?

[Assa]

Originally Posted by ReissOmari

You also have really nice Audi dealership down there

Better than that there's now a Ferrari/Masserati dealer next to the BMW/Mini dealer and David Lloyd.

Originally Posted by ReissOmari

But the A34 is raided with a lot of supermarkets, but even thought this would be adding another one, i think its time for Asda to shine because theres none down south!

I personally like ASDA - always used to shop at the big one in Farnborough when I lived there. I do think there will be too many, though, if this one gets built. I suspect Morrisons might go which would be a shame as it's 2 minutes walk from my door.

What I find funny is that the developer thinks they have 'downsized' the plans in order to garner more local support. A 10% decrease in the size of the ASDA and 500 instead of 600 parking spaces does not seem like much of a change to me.

I'm a fan of this development on the whole. Some nice new retail space for some highstreet names to return would be very good for Shirley and surrounding areas if it was a viable alternative to Solihull. I do worry that the A34 will get easily gridlocked, though.