Anger as estate regeneration plans narrowly approved

Michael Harper spoke on behalf of the residents in Druids Heath at the council planning meeting

Residents in part of Birmingham say they feel "forced out" of their homes after the city council backed the next stage of plans to redevelop the area in a tense council meeting on Thursday.

The multimillion-pound regeneration Druids Heath aims to deliver up to 3,500 new homes, more green space and better transport links.

Under the plans, 1960s tower blocks would be demolished. Current residents said the scheme would price them out of the area, break up their community and leave them without a clear guarantee of return.

After councillors narrowly approved outline planning permission, Nicky Brennan, cabinet member for Housing and Homelessness, said existing residents would be "provided for".

She said the offer also extended to those who had already moved out and that the pledge had been sealed in a "legally binding agreement with the developer".

The vote ended in deadlock - six votes for, six against and three abstaining.

The committee chair, Councillor Lee Marsham, used his casting vote to approve the outline plans and allow them to progress to the next stage.

Dozens of people gathered at the council house in Victoria Square ahead of the planning meeting. Pushing, shouting and arguments broke out as campaigners tried to get inside the public gallery.

Rita Patel lives in accessible housing in Druids Heath and says her house will be demolished if the plans go ahead

During the session, arguments for and against the plans were given three minutes each, with questions then raised by councillors over housing, relocation and how residents would be supported.

Michael Harper, who spoke on behalf of residents in the planning meeting, said: "The council are destroying what's there. There's no need to knock the houses down.

"Use that money to do the council properties up and the area up.

"If [the council] are worried about being green, why are they demolishing all the properties and starting again."

One woman stood up and said: "I own my home in Druids Heath and I've worked hard to do so. What is going to happen to me? No one has ever given me an answer."

Another resident, a wheelchair user, told councillors she had waited years for an accessible home and feared it would now be demolished.

Rita Patel said: "I'm lucky enough to have a council house that is fully adapted to my needs, as accessible houses are few and far between, especially on the council list.

"The fact that my house is now going to be demolished is really hard to take."

Jayne Harper and dozens of other campaigners joined the planning meeting via the public gallery

The council said it had spoken to more than 1,000 residents during the process and that 68% supported the scheme - although these figures were challenged by those in the public gallery.

Jayne Harper, a resident, told the BBC: "They say they've consulted people, they have not.

"You can't put a bouncy castle on the front of the village hall and give the kids ice creams and call that consultation."

'Clear anger'

The council has committed to making 51% of future homes "affordable", amounting to about 1,785 properties in total.

However, only 400 of those are currently detailed in the planning application as social rented homes.

The remaining affordable homes, the council says, will be delivered through a partnership with developer Lovell and Homes England.

Green Party councillor Julien Pritchard said there was still a "clear anger" in the community about the decision.

He said: "The outline planning application had a massive reduction in genuinely affordable socially rented homes, and more demolition than is needed.

"Replacing social homes shouldn't be a vague aspiration. It's something that should be guaranteed.

"The application didn't offer the written guarantees on social housing the community needed."

Green Party councillor Julien Pritchard said residents wanted written assurances over the replacement of social homes

However, councillor Jayne Francis said the council wanted to make sure "everyone who wants to stay in Druids Heath can do so" and is working on financial models and a "right to return" policy if the 51% affordable housing target is met.

A council report said the redevelopment would bring "significant benefits" like better housing, safer streets and more green spaces but admitted there could be "harm" caused by relocating residents.

The council and developer Lovell will now work on a partnership agreement to deliver the regeneration. It will be the final step before the project can start.

Ms Brennan said there would "be a net increase in affordable homes in Druids Heath".

She added: "The council is committed to everyone in Druids Heath being able to stay on the estate who wants to stay.

"We have also promised to make sure existing homeowners aren't priced out of the estate, a shared equity model and early acquisitions program will support this aspiration."