‘Not enough parking’ for huge canal development

THE latest phases of a massive canal-side development in Ladywood have been approved despite fears over a lack of parking.

Councillors approved alterations to plans as part of the Icknield Port Loop project at land off Icknield Port Road, Ladywood.

The latest plans will see 98 homes in seven apartment blocks fronting onto Birmingham Canal alongside houses already under construction.

The development forms part of a larger Greater Icknield Masterplan for 3,000 new homes.

But Cllr Gareth Moore was concerned about a lack of parking, with just 46 space provided.

He said: “I am particularly worried about the reduction in car parking for this area because this is not a central city centre location.

“The idea it is served by all this wonderful public transport and therefore everyone is going to use public transport and not want to own cars is just a fallacy, to be honest.

“What is even more bizarre is that in the report it says less parking is needed because it is aimed at young millennials.

When we went to visit the site the house we saw was on the market for £400,000.

“I don’t know many millennials who can afford a property of that price, certainly in Birmingham, and if they can I am pretty sure they can afford to have a car as well.

“This idea we need to provide less parking for these people who apparently don’t drive, when clearly a lot of them do, is just stupid.

“People have visitors, people’s attitudes change. They may not have a car now but if they want to stay there and live for a while they will probably want to own a car at some point in the future.

“Particularly if you have a family – having a car is much more important if you have a family in terms of being able to move around.

“To not design that in now is setting up huge problems for the future.”

In answer to a question from Cllr Peter Griffiths, an officer said there was a requirement for affordable housing in outline permission granted for the site.

The officer added in the first phases of the project currently being built, around 10 per cent of homes were affordable “but that may increase”.

The officer added the developers and architects were “creating a new character” at the site and

“it is still good quality architecture as considered by ourselves”. The application was approved by the planning committee with a margin of eight votes to four.