Student flats blocked after outcry
Councillors reject ‘abhorrent’ plan as traffic chaos gets worse around university
MAJOR plans by the University of Birmingham to build ten student housing blocks and a multi-storey car park in Edgbaston have been rejected amid a major backlash.
The scheme attracted dozens of objections from neighbours of the campus already beleagured by traffic and parked cars – with one residents group branding it ‘abhorrent’.
Concerns centred around the scheme’s visual impact as well as the traffic congestion at the two roads bordering the proposed site, Vincent Drive and Pritchatts Road, and the adjoining mini-roundabout.
Birmingham City Council’s planning committee ignored the recommendations of its own development officers to turn down the scheme.
They deferred the application ‘minded to refuse’ meaning a formal reason will be drafted and agreed at a later date.
Former university student Cllr Gareth Moore (Cons, Erdington) said: “I am still concerned with the student accommodation, it is not in keeping with the character of the area.
“I am still concerned regarding the traffic situation. The mini roundabout is particularly busy, the traffic flow is horrendous.
“It was like that when I was there in 2007 and the situation hasn’t improved much in that time.
“I am still struggling to understand how providing a 600-space car park all exiting out on to Vincent Drive will make it better.
“Unless we do something to that roundabout I don’t think it’s sustainable.”
The proposals featured two main sites, the first next to the Ashcroft Halls of Residence which would have accommodated four blocks with a total of 230 beds. The remaining six blocks, providing 302 beds, would have been built on a second site, behind homes in Pritchatts Road.
The existing 289-space surface level car park, also in Pritchatts Road, would have been replaced with a five-level multi-storey providing 608 spaces.
However, it was to be agreed that another car park on the campus would be closed once the new multistorey opened.
Edgbaston MP Preet Gill (Lab) and ward councillor Deirdre Alden (Cons) had echoed residents’ concerns. The Edgbaston, Calthorpe and Metchley Park Road residents’ groups all lodged objections.
The latter stated: “The very thought of such a development is abhorrent in terms of density and the already overpopulated situation in Birmingham.
“Edgbaston now seems to be at a standstill for large parts of the day traffic wise.”
The university carried out consultation with residents last year.
It said it was experiencing increased pressure on its housing capacity and also wanted to offer more ‘mid range cost’ accommodation.
Council officers assessed the plans and while accepting the Pritchatts Road and Vincent Drive roundabout was ‘at capacity’ concluded the development would not cause a ‘significant’ increase in traffic.