What questions do you want to ask the developers on 20 July?

Leave a comment to prioritise the question. We have identified over 30 questions about plans for us, plans generally, compulsory purchase, engagement and consultation, legal/finances/taxes, and welfare and wellbeing.

Plans for us. I understand phase 1 will be demolished first. For any residents who live in the phase 1 area and wish to stay in one of the new residences. Will new homes be built for them prior to demolition of phase 1 and if so, where will this location be?

Plans for us. Will the developers consider relocating us to their other properties?

Plans for us. It has been promised the regeneration will benefit local residents. How will the regeneration benefit residents in private properties such as Bellcroft The Courtyards and Ashton Croft, which are privately owned and high-quality housing that has never been council owned?

Plans for us. Will you commit now to keeping the new and high-quality housing in Bellcroft The Courtyards, Ashton Croft, Graston Close, and Shyltons Croft, re-assuring all residents and tenants in these properties that they can stay in their homes? If not, why not?

Plans for us. We have some residents who do not believe they are at risk of a compulsory purchase order. Can you please confirm, out loud, that Bellcroft The Courtyards, Ashton Croft, Graston Close and Shyltons Croft are at risk of a compulsory purchase order?

Plans for us. Many residents in Phase 1 live in new housing which are privately owned. Councillor Bore publicly promised that those residents who wished to stay in Central Ladywood could remain. This is welcoming. Taking into consideration such a grand gesture what are the details of this guarantee and what does this look like for private residents – including renters and owners? Are residents in private rented and owned accommodation going to be offered comparable accommodation in new Ladywood and during construction?

Plans for us. As indicated by a member of Birmingham City Council, is it true that a cap has been put on the value of individual properties in the regeneration area? 

Plans generally. The original plans stated that 35% of housing needed to be affordable. Therefore 20% below the local market prices. Why has this changed? Are proposals simply a backdoor for mass gentrification?

Plans generally. Are the council doing this because they are in such huge debt and throwing us under the bus because it is convenient for them? Has the council sold the rights to our private property to the developers because the council are in debt due to the equal pay scandal? We do not appreciate privately funding the government’s mistakes.

Plans generally. I think we should ask about timelines – when will we be finding out about the next steps? What are the timelines here – including when will the plan for the regeneration come out?

Plans generally. The last affordable housing project that took place in Ladywood was during the early/mid 90s. This project suggest that affordable housing will be in phase 4 which leaves a gap of 50 years! Surely in line with Labour policy affordable housing should be a priority? Why is this not the case?

Plans generally. Why do you think anyone will want to live in the new Ladywood private homes if you kicked out all the private owners who invested in the estate originally? Won’t new owners just think they will get kicked out again?

Compulsory purchase. If we receive a compulsory purchase order, what is the process – how will a fair price for compensating us be ensured and how will they accommodate us – will we be able to move into any new housing on Ladywood Estate? What about the challenges of finding a new property?

Compulsory purchase. What is the best thing we can do to avoid a compulsory purchase order on our home?

Compulsory purchase. When will the first compulsory purchase order be issued?

Engagement and consultation. Can you confirm that the consultative body who will act on behalf of residents is independent of either BCC or St Joseph to ensure impartiality?

Engagement and consultation. For Lee Bank and Attwood Green, which Councillor Bore referred to on BBC radio, were there any residents affected who lived in privately owned, good quality and new housing, that has never been council owned?

Engagement and consultation. How are you going to rebuild the broken trust that has occurred because our questions have been ignored for so long and the threat of compulsory purchase orders on our properties were issued without consulting all of those at risk of a compulsory purchase order?

Engagement and consultation. It doesn’t feel like a consultation if you can simply CPO us whenever you want. It feels like you are simply going to do what you want while pretending to listen to us.

Engagement and consultation. St Joseph will work in partnership with Birmingham City Council. As you are aware this is a Labour Council. How will St Joseph embrace labour values and labours New Deal on Housing particularly around Labour’s new deal for affordable housing? 

Engagement and consultation. Were any residents in the new and high quality housing in Bellcroft The Courtyards, Ashton Croft, Graston Close, and Shyltons Croft consulted before the risk of a compulsory purchase order was issued?

Engagement and consultation. Who will sit on the Ladywood Project Board and how will this be decided? The board appear to be at the top of the decision-making structure in the report Annexes, so it seems like they are the most important. Is that correct?

Engagement and consultation. Why does nobody in our neighbourhood recall getting the leaflet that was supposedly sent out in 2019? Did the Councillors purposely leave it vague or leave out quality and new housing so you could sell us to the developers? Will you provide proof of the flyer or letter about these plans supposedly sent to Ashcroft and Bellcroft The Courtyards in 2019? Nobody remembers getting this flyer or letter.

Engagement and consultation. Why have the Councillors and council stopped responding to our emails? Where can we direct our questions?

Legal, finances, taxes. For those of us that were in the process of selling our privately owned homes, when and how can we start issuing blight notices to you?

Legal, finances, taxes. In reference to selective licenses, which are for five years, are these now pointless for landlords with privately owned housing at risk of a compulsory purchase order?

Legal, finances, taxes. It’s upsetting that they voted through parliament without consulting residents. How is this legal? And can we challenge this legally?

Legal, finances, taxes. Our council taxes have been used to hire a highly trained legal team that provided you with the ability to issue compulsory purchase orders on our property. Will our legal and surveyor fees be paid for by the council or developers? If so, which ones and when?

Legal, finances, taxes. Since our human rights are being violated with the risk of a compulsory purchase order, can we stop the paying council tax which is contributing to your ability to violate our human rights?

Welfare and wellbeing. Our residents are experiencing extreme stress and anxiety because they have been issued with the risk of a compulsory purchase order on their private homes, and they have nobody who responds to their questions. This is causing safeguarding and mental health problems. What is being done to support their wellbeing right now?

Welfare and wellbeing. What about explaining the negative impact of all this on our wellbeing?