Bid to block homes after fears for rail viaduct plan
PLANS to build 480 homes and a hotel in Digbeth have been left in limbo over fears they could scupper a major expansion to railway services in Birmingham.
Eutopia Land’s scheme would transform a 4.2-acre plot at Camp Hill, currently occupied by Swiss engineering firm Sulzer which is relocating to Birmingham Business Park near the NEC.
The plans include seven blocks, ranging from three to 26 storeys in height, mainly featuring apartments as well as a dozen town houses. There would also be nearly 16,000sq ft of commercial space, a 167-bed hotel and dozens of undercroft car parking spaces. The scheme would also create around 180 jobs.
But there are concerns the development could jeopardise a long-time project to construct the ‘Bordesley Chords’ – new viaducts which would provide further access into Moor Street Station and significantly increase rail services through Birmingham.
A host of organisations have objected including Midlands Connect, West Midlands Rail Executive,
Transport for West Midlands and a number of local groups together with more than 40 people who wrote letters to the council against the plans.
Addressing Birmingham City Council’s planning committee former Stourbridge MP Lynda Waltho, now an independent transport consultant, said: “The construction of the Chords is a vital part of the future transport infrastructure needed to accommodate the growth in the city and wider region. We have a unique situation of industry agreement, public body unity and political accord. It would seem perverse then given such alignment that this committee was to ignore such a concord on a transport matter in order to pass this development.”
The committee ultimately voted to defer the planning application so possible further talks could take place with bodies such as Transport for West Midlands to see if their concerns could be addressed.
Alex Chapman, of Terence O’Rourke planning consultants speaking on behalf of Eutopia, said: “Following consultation with council officers and Network Rail, the application was amended to secure the future alignment of the rail scheme. Network Rail has welcomed the changes made to the layout to safeguard and facilitate the chords.”
It is expected the planning application will be deferred no longer than six weeks.