42-44 Flint Green Road - Work Now in Progress

A long campaign has been fought to try and save fine Acocks Green houses 42 and 44 Flint Green Road.   Acocks Green people suspected the worst when the now well known properties  were sold, off auction, together with the land at the rear, to a private developer.    Now there seems to be good news.   The developers have sent a message to Birmingham City Council that they do not intend to demolish either building but, instead, to restore them as ‘individual family homes.’

They have already started work on 44, as  can be seen from the picture above.  We will remain vigilant, until we are entirely confident that all is going to be well for the properties.  However, this does sound like good news: we good do with a bit of that around here, lately!

Porch 44 Flint Green Road - double click to enlarge

Ceiling Rose, 42 Flint Green Road - double click to enlarge

Hall Floor, 44 Flint Green Road - double click to enlarge

These two lovely houses in the centre of the proposed Conservation Area in Acocks Green are up for auction on 18 March, with John Shepherd, of Solihull.  You can link through here Viewings 1 – 3 pm most Wednesdays and Saturdays until the auction, we understand.  We need someone to buy these houses and restore them to their former glory.  They would make magnificent family homes, residential flats (already partly converted as such), other residential accommodation, guest houses or offices.   There may be planning permission for a development involving HALF the gardens of these houses.   This is under consideration. Planning have made it clear that they are NOT intending to give permission for further development.

Council Conservation think these houses are worth saving.  Local councillors and six local residents groups in the immediate area strongly agree.  Buy these houses and love them and you will win the love of the local people.  Buy these houses in order to demolish and build a  new development; you are in for a very costly, frustrating and time wasting exercise.  Be warned!!

More on our Flickr file here

We have also accumulated a number of  concerned recent comments on these buildings, which, for some reason, have been attached to an older posting – you will find that posting, and those comments here

Representatives of Concerned Acocks Green Groups Stand outside 44 Flint Green Road

NB if you arrived here from a Google search please go to our most recent posting on this story by going to the top of our website here and scrolling down. A joint local groups meeting of key representatives from concerned Acocks Green groups met on Wednesday 7 October to work out the details of their combined campaign to save these two fine Victorian houses in the heart of Acocks Green.  A local developer has put in a proposal to demolish the houses.  (See previous Flint Green Road posting for more details.)  The campaign has already been active in Arden Road, but has now been more formally launched with six local groups agreeing to support.  They are Arden Road Residents Association, Flint Green Road Residents Association, Acocks Green Focus Group, Acocks Green Neighbourhood Forum, Flint Green House and Birmingham City Mission.   There is a proposal to demolish these two well built and charming Victorian properties in the middle of an area currently proposed as a Conservation Area and to  replace by 11 modern 4  bedroomed houses.  The meeting agreed unanimously that this would be bad for the area on two main counts: it would damage the appearance and character of the area.  It would more dangerous traffic on the road, at a busy junction.    Councillor Roger Harmer, from Acocks Green Ward, also attended the meeting and has agreed to be actively involved.

The meeting was heartened by recent comments on the properties from  Birmingham City Council Conservation Department.  They note that

‘This  scheme is undoubtedly a retrograde step both in terms of the loss of these buildings and the design of the proposed [replacement] dwellings [...

[...] With regard to the design of the new dwellings [...] there is a distinct character (with very few exceptions to the existing properties in Flint Green Road and Arden Road.  The proposed scheme would be extremely incongrous in terms of scale, massing, form and detailed design and would not contribute positively to the street scene. ‘

BCC Conservation are recommending that the application be refused.  However, this is not the end of the story.  The application still has to be formally considered by planning officers and, almost certainly (because it is controversial) by the Planning Committee.  The planning process takes comments from members of the public into consideration.  If you wish to support local residents and the Conservation Department, you may send your own comments to the planning officer concerned, justin.howell@birmingham.gov.uk (Remember Mr Howell is a council officer, he processes the proposals.  He does not make them!)  Alternatively you can write to Planning Managment, 11th Floor, Alpha Tower, Suffolk Street Queensway, Birmingham, B1 1TU. Don’t forget to quote the Planning Application Number, which is 2009/0432/PA

For more details, and our Flikr file of photos, scroll down to see our previous posting on 42-44.

Comments from nearby residents,  would be particularly welcome.