People are being asked to give their views on the future of Lichfield’s Birmingham Road site.
The land – incorporating land including the bus station, the former police station and the hoardings site where Tempest Ford once stood – has been earmarked for redevelopment since the failure of the long-awaited Friarsgate site.
Now urban design company Create Streets is asking visitors to a city centre Christmas Fayre are being asked to share their thoughts how the area should be developed as well as helping to design the future look of the Birmingham Road site.
A stall will be in place outside Donegal House at Bore Street from midday on Sunday (20th November) for residents to get involved.
David Milner, deputy director at Create Streets, said:
“We are challenging the current convention of community consultation. We believe that the residents who live in Lichfield and know it best and should be involved from the outset.
“We are delighted that the Lichfield District Council has asked us to play this role for the design of new homes, apartments, space for businesses and new streets on the Birmingham Road site.
“This community co-design event is a real chance for residents to shape the future of their town centre. Residents will have their say on how the Birmingham Road site will look and function, and this will feed directly into designs for the proposals.
“Considering how beautiful the centre of Lichfield is, there is a generational opportunity to match its rich character, make the city more beautiful and create a first impression of Lichfield, as you step off the train, that we are all proud of.”
David Milner, Create Streets
The event comes after Lichfield District Council and Create Streets began working together in June as part of a bid to increase engagement with residents.
Locals were invited to use the Create Communities website to have their say on preferences for building styles and also register their favourite – and least favourite – spots in the city.
It sounds like the plan has already been formulated. A massive housing estate and a small local shop, to tick the business requirement.
“We are delighted that the Lichfield District Council has asked us to play this role for the design of new homes, apartments, space for businesses and new streets on the Birmingham Road site.
I see they are still pushing the house and apartment agenda. Presumably the next move is to say we asked the people and this is what they wanted. In reality they will have asked the developers what they wanted. There is one last chance to develope this site to the benefit of Lichfields citizens.
Any bets on which way it will go?
How many more times are they going to do these event, its not log ago the did it in the building that now is occupied by tesco express, do they not like the answers they are getting, and keep asking till the council get what they want and not what the public want.
Here we go the white wash ask the public scheme !!! I cannot see any need for homes or apartments; Lichfield has plenty of these going on or recently built. This needs nipping in the bud if the plans create excess space then let’s have more green spaces NOT homes.
As part of the whole “masterplan” . I am interested to know, if the closure of the cinema in Wolverhampton, after 30 years. Has had any impact on the councils plan.
Wolverhampton’s independent cinema and arts venue, The Light House, has closed after more than 30 years in operation.
Following financial struggles, around 15 staff are expected to lose their jobs at the cultural hub in the Chubb Building.
With two photography galleries, a live events programme and cinemas of 240 and 67 seats, the venue was the only independent arts venue in The Black Country. There have been several successful appeals to save the venue since 2018 after support from the public – but now the doors are closed.
https://www.thebusinessdesk.com/westmidlands/news/2068978-%E2%80%98iconic%E2%80%99-wolverhampton-independent-cinema-closed-following-financial-struggles
@Dale, stop trying to prevent progress and improvements in Lichfield. Wolverhampton is a far more deprived area than Lichfield and the two can’t be compared. There are probably many businesses that do better in Lichfield than they would in Wolverhampton. Additionally, Everyman Cinema (who I suspect is taking the cinema on in Lichfield) continues to perform well financially. It is a business model that works well and I’m sure will work in Lichfield.
This council and planning personnel are the worst I’ve come across. This will be ugly apartments. Absolutely no doubt about it.
If the size of this space opposite the train station is compared to the footprint of the proposed leisure centre at Stychbrook Park, it appears that the land would be sufficiently large to build the proposed leisure centre there, in the heart of the city, providing good public access links and making an extremely good use of previously developed land, rather than trying to pave over the green lungs of our city. Unfortunately, it seems as if that ship has probably sailed and this public engagement is more a public relations exercise, rather than wishing to take action on residents’ views.
@Liz, this is especially the case when you consider that they’re also planning to move the bus station and demolish the car park. There’s loads of space.
How many more Community Consultations have we got to have till they get the answer they want
How much does this all cost us.
Decisions over Mayor’s, went quite, then you hear one ordered.
Decisions over pedestrianisation plan, went quite, then you hear this is what we are doing, nobody asked what they thought of it, or the effects.
The ANPR being put on car park, no one asked, nobody can comment as being done.
Same as the blue bags, took no notice of anybody, just went ahead, but we will be paying the bill
When they have meetings they don’t record the bits they don’t like, there are arguments over who said what.
So what is the point of all these Consultations
Agree with Liz, this site is comparable in size to the area occupied by the excellent ‘Wave’ Leisure Centre in Coventry. This would be a perfect spot for a leisure centre, much easier for most of the population to get to without driving and not on green field space.
@Mary
May I suggest that you have a good look at the Everyman annual report. Not inspiring reading, especially as I understand it, they will have to match LDC’s £5.3million with their own funds. With no cash in the bank and a lot of borrowing already then additional borrowing for this project will make investors very jittery. Also, I don’t think they paid a dividend in the last financial year.
Chrisp, I suggest you read today’s media. A well known national newspaper of record reports today: “The company expects to announce “strong results” for the current financial year in line with its outlook. Shares in Everyman closed unchanged at 94p, valuing the business at £87 million.”
Seem to be doing pretty well by all accounts.
I would love to see this site turned into a beautiful all weather all year round public garden that could be used for multiple things….pop up markets, pop up bars and food, small public concerts, school events, growing British fauna and plants, nice winding path ways all attractively lit at night. It would be a lovely welcome path into the city and wouldn’t cost millions to develop. Then review it in 10 years when the economy has settled. We’re about to have a recession and the city businesses need to recover from Covid. I don’t think the site will attract the investment it needs for retail / cinemas / swimming pools etc to be done properly and the idea of putting housing on this site is awful.
@Mary
Thanks for that Mary, I’m quite prepared to stand corrected but could you direct me to the relevant media articles. My comments were based on Everyman’s audited accounts for 2021 and 2020, which I believe showed operating losses? Are the results for 2022 available?
The only people who seem to be doing well from this farce are the consultants the council have a habit of commissioning.