We are sharing the following from the ‘Save Druids Heath’ Facebook page about the vote on Thursday 23 October on the Druids Heath Outline planning application, which had very poor community consultation, proposes unnecessary demolition, and has weak plans to build truly affordable and social homes. The plans were approved. All Labour Councillors and one Liberal Democrat voted to approve the outline planning application. All Independent and Conservative councillors, and another Liberal Democrat, voted against approving it. It is very concerning for Ladywood that these plans in Druids Heath were approved.

“It is hard to find the words to describe what happened today as the Forum attended the planning committee meeting that will determine the future of the people who live in Druids Heath. Residents who attended to represent themselves and their community have been left feeling unheard, sad, worried and even more disillusioned with Birmingham City Council because they are now set to lose their loved and hard-won homes.

The meeting was a charade of democracy.

With very little notice (less than a week) we did our best to object to the application. We were given three minutes to speak about the very complex and large planning application and why it isn’t in the interest of home-owners or tenants who live in Druids Heath. Obviously, this isn’t very much time to address the many flaws in what is a very flimsy and crude demolition plan that is weighted towards developer profit, rather than the people who live there.

The message Birmingham City Council put out is that they are regenerating the estate. They are not. They are gentrifying it. Yes they plan to increase the amount of homes there (by three times). Yes they intend to build warm and green homes – who wouldn’t want that? But make no mistake these homes are not for the people who live there.

Birmingham City Council have waived the £32 million that the developer (Lovell’s) is supposed to pay in contributions to mitigate all of the extra impact all of these new (built for profit) homes will make to health, sport & education.

Homeowners are being compulsory purchased – the value they are given for their homes is much less than the homes that will be for sale. Unless they take shared ownership – which they do not want – they will be priced out of the estate and the city.

Much discussion was given to the amount of social homes that will be delivered – none are specified in the plan. The plan specifies 400 affordable only. There are 1234 social homes that will be demolished. This leaves a shortfall of 834. Birmingham City Council did not appear too bothered by this.

Birmingham City Council actually used the condition of their own housing that they have failed to maintain as a reason for demolition.

There wasn’t time for us to raise other issues but we are keen to know how Active Travel England feel about their long list of concerns not being addressed in their objection to name but one more.

The most incredible part of the meeting was the vote. Six councillors voted against, and six councillors voted for. The Chair @CouncillorLeeMarsham then used his vote as the casting vote to push it through. We were surprised as Councillor Lee Marsham (Labour) has previously promoted Labour initiatives to tackle homelessness, but by approving this has now given the green light to create more and deepen the city’s very serious housing crisis.

As a result of the vote today the whole of the original Druids Heath estate will be demolished and only 400 affordable homes will be built. We are concerned that the pensioners and homeowners will end up taking the hit as Birmingham City Council Regeneration Team Officer Naomi Morris said they would on 3 December 2024, as well as the lack of social homes for existing council tenants.

There has been silence from the actual Cabinet member for housing @nickybrennan (Labour)who holds responsibility for the gentrification, signalling a complete lack of interest in the misery that this plan brings. Likewise for the local Labour MP Al Carns’ office @alistaircarns

We were disgusted by Councillor @SharonThompson’s (Labour) public follow up to the decision, which showed a complete lack of interest for the welfare of these Birmingham citizens and a brazen backing for the gentrification. It does not seem to register with her, or indeed with any of the councillors and council officers who have made this happen that they are literally taking away thousands of people’s homes against their will.

Birmingham City Council You can fool some people some of the time, but you can’t fool all the people all the time. You don’t fool us and we are not giving up the fight.
Lovell Homes @lenchertrust Really? Is this the kind of gentrification you do?

Thank you to the many people who came and stood in solidarity with us.”

druidsheath #activetravelengland #dontvotelabour2026 #lovells #gentrification #housing #homelessness #labourdontcare #compulsorypurchase #sociahousing #democracy #birmingham #poverty #shameonlabour

Press

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgk98921mlo

There was widespread anger about Naomi Morris,
Acting Director of Regulation & Strategy, who was quoted by residents as saying Someone has got to take the hit. In this case, it’s pensioners and homeowners. We question why anyone has to take the hit at all when there is plenty of space to build on in Druids Heath and Ladywood without unnecessary demolition.