Loss of playing field for 2022 Games criticised
City council refuses to fork out £400,000 compensation
BIRMINGHAM City Council has refused to stump up £400,000 in compensation for the loss of playing fields to make way for the Commonwealth Games developments.
The loss of the fields in Perry Barr for new homes and a high school as part of a 2022 legacy development has been condemned by some councillors.
The council’s planning committee approved the authority’s own proposal for up to 500 homes and a 1,260-pupil secondary on a 32-acre site.
The plot east of Wellhead Lane, which includes the National Express bus depot, will be developed after the 2022 showpiece event when it will be used to host athletes’ temporary facilities.
But some members of the committee criticised the loss of playing fields.
Cllr Gareth Moore said: “Why do we need to sacrifice the playing fields for this to be delivered. The site is quite considerable
“I don’t see why we can’t build a school on the site and keep the playing fields, I don’t see the logic behind that unless you want to cram a lot more housing in.”
The council’s own leisure services had also called for the authority to stump up more than £400,000 worth of compensation for the open space.
But that idea has been rejected by council planning officers who said the fields had previously been compensated for through the Doug Ellis Sports Centre and a move some years ago to extend how many hours it would be made available to the public.
It was also argued that the 2022 Games is bringing substantial investment into the area, including the multi-million pound redevelopment of Alexander Stadium. But Cllr Moore described the explanations as a “fudge” and accused the authority of “clutching at straws”.
The proposal is an “outline” application at this stage with more detailed plans to be submitted through a “reserved matters” application at a later date.
It is expected 90 per cent of the new homes will be a range of two- to five-bedroom properties while the Doug Ellis Sports Centre, and its allweather pitch, will remain in place.
The Department for Education is to fund the new school to be named Prince Albert High School, which is anticipated to open in 2021 as part of the Prince Albert Community Trust.
The site is next to the former Birmingham City University campus, which will be transformed into the athletes’ village for the Games and then converted into 1,400 permanent homes afterwards.