An application was submitted by community members in Small Heath for the Council to consider the designation of a Neighbourhood Planning Forum and Neighbourhood Plan area boundary. The application was publicised for consultation to consider your views in accordance with Neighbourhood Planning regulations from Wednesday 8th May to Thursday 20 June 2024

Comments received were taken in to account towards a designation decision by the Deputy Leader, the Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills.

The application includes the proposed geographic Neighbourhood Plan boundary, a statement of how community members meet the regulations to become the relevant body to prepare a Neighbourhood Development Plan, a proposed constitution and details of consultation events held in the area.

For more information on Neighbourhood Planning and a copy of the application, visit the Council website 

Neighbourhood planning progress | Neighbourhood planning | Birmingham City Council

A strong local public response was received with a significant number of supportive comments in favour of the NP application. The main topics raised in support:

• Progress and need for positive change and development in a deprived area to allow it to thrive.
• A plan being led by members of the community and coming together to make a difference.
• Area boundary correctly part of Small Heath
• The Neighbourhood Forum, community members- its progress/ ideas, working groups.
•  Significant support for themes the group intend to include in a NP
• Green open space improvements and youth initiatives
• Improvements to the High Street/Coventry Road, need to reflect business needs.
• Reduction of poverty, crime and litter.
• Knighthead Capital Management (‘KCM’), owner of St Andrews football ground (home to Birmingham City Football Club) support the Forum and boundary and ambitions to further the social, economic and environmental well-being of stakeholders and the community within the area boundary. KCM is a key stakeholder in the local area and should be included within the working groups and would welcome the opportunity to engage further on the developing Neighbourhood Plan.

There were 3 Objections received in total.  A summary of issues raised in objection are:

• Closed meetings, selective individuals were invited, not widely published. Lack of resident knowledge and engagement.
• No confidence in a plan we know nothing about. The Council is not working with the whole community, self-benefitting and lack of transparency. Councillors are not informed on NP. Lack of engagement by NP lead.
• There are Councillors, MPs, and council departments to tackle issues not independent people with business / self-interest, engaging parts of community but not all. A back door appraoch, local residents need to be listened to.

The responses received were considered in the Cabinet member decision to approve the designation of Small Heath Neighbourhood Forum and Neighbourhood area on 8^th August 2024.

Neighbourhood Forum designation The proposed NP Forum was considered to be in accordance with NP regulations and established for the purpose of promoting or improving the social, economic and environmental well-being of the area as outlined in the application.

The emerging Forum was considered in accordance with NP regulations to have taken reasonable steps to secure membership of 21 members (to include at least one individual who lives or works in the neighbourhood area and one elected member of the Council) and from different sections of the community and area. Evidence of wide ranging consultation events held were reviewed in the decision.

In response to a small number of objections, the Council will continue to support the process with the aim that residents are given the opportunity to be involved in the neighbourhood plan process at any stage and that  the process is open and accessible to all community members and representatives, as appropriate. This is the first stage of the process, the proposed themes the Forum wish to explore towards creating a neighbourhood pan are set out in the application.

• Local planning (incorporating housing and employment)
• Open spaces and green spaces
• Planning and development of the Coventry Road
• Reduction of poverty and promotion of opportunities for residents and businesses
• Youth initiatives and development

It is considered that reasonable attempts and advertisement has been made by the emerging Neighbourhood Forum to engage with the local community and explain the process,  and we will support that positive engagement continues.

Councillors and local MP’s and ward contact lists which include resident and community groups have been regularly informed.

Area Boundary Designation The  NP area boundary  was considered to be an appropriate boundary in accordance with regulations, in terms of physical geography and existing planning and regeneration strategies in the area. There are no specific objections to the area boundary.  

Next steps

The Neighbourhood Planning Forum will now start to gather an evidence base and apply for government funded support to draft the Neighbourhood Development Plan and will lead formal consultation with the local community. The Neighbourhood Development Plan is subject to an independent examination and a local referendum before it is made. Please see the Council website for more information on Neighbourhood Planning.

Want to get involved?

If you wish to get involved in a neighbourhood plan for Small Heath at any time, please contact the emerging Neighbourhood Plan Forum smallheathplan@outlook.com

Contact us: Developmentplanninggroup@birmingham.gov.uk or NDSU@birmingham.gov.uk

Between 22 January 2024 and 1 March 2024, feedback was sought on how individuals, businesses and organisations wanted to see routes improved to help increase walking, wheeling and cycling across the area. The consultation received 251 responses to the online survey and a number of in-person sessions were held across the area. Further information was circulated informing residents and businesses/organisations about the consultation, such as:

• Printed leaflets
• Paper copies of the questionnaire
• Existing stakeholder/community contacts and networks 

Feedback was received for all of the proposed corridors (see Scheme Map below). Corridor A was scored as the highest priority although feedback was received for all options in relation to existing levels of traffic, parking, road safety and crossing points. Some positive feedback was received but further details were requested on specific details around the design of proposals.  Other factors affecting respondents’ attitudes towards active travel revolved around the condition of the local area including pollution, crime, parked vehicles and a lack of green space. Existing congestion, parking and road safety issues were also raised alongside issues with crossing roads, accessibility and a lack of confidence/education for walkers/cyclists. In general, there was clear support for: 

• Improving the surroundings and quality of the streetscape
• Improving road safety within the study area
• Improving footways, crossing points and footpaths

Concern was raised about the impacts of the proposals on car drivers and parking with concerns raised over the lack of available parking, poor alternative public transport and the prevalence of the car as the preferred mode of travel. Several respondents questioned the usefulness of the proposals with regard to existing provision such as that on Bolton Road.  

Over the coming months, we will take the findings of the consultation into consideration, directly influencing the vision of the scheme and design of the shortlisted packages.  We will also work closely with the Councillors for the Bordesley Green ward and the Cabinet Member for Transport, to facilitate further discussions with residents and other stakeholders when deciding which scheme designs to take forward to the next stage of development.  There is a need for further engagement with residents, businesses, and other groups to refine these proposals.