Delivering the VisionFollowing two years of intensive work by local people and stakeholders, Birmingham City and Bromsgrove District Councils, are now ready to submit the Longbridge Area Action Plan (AAP) for independant examination.

Over the last two years we have had a huge response to our newsletters, meetings, exhibitions and websites as people in the area have taken the opportunity to get involved in planning the future of their community. Many thanks to everyone who has taken the time to tell us their hopes, fears, views and ideas.

This is an exciting time in Longbridge’s long history. The AAP includes plans for 10,000 jobs and over 1,450 new homes, (built to high environmental standards), as well as a new local centre to provide a wide range of local facilities, services and a series of public transport and highway improvements. The aim is to create a truly sustainable and well designed new community.

What happens now?A Planning Inspector will now consider whether the AAP meets nine ‘tests of soundness’ and if necessary suggest any changes which the Councils must make before the document is formally adopted.

The ‘tests of soundness’: have we got it right?The Planning Inspector will decide whether the Longbridge Area Action Plan:

• Is in agreement with other plans and strategies;

• Proposes developments which are sustainable;

• Is based on sound research and has made the right decisions between alternative options;

• Will ‘work’ and can be monitored; and

• Is fl exible enough to meet local needs if these change over time.

Copies of the Longbridge AAP will be available in libraries and other local venues. We are also holding ‘drop-in’ sessions where you can tell us whether you think the plan meets the tests of soundness. Please see page four for more details.

LONGBRIDGE AAP NEWSLETTER Spring 2008

Issue 4

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Longbridge Area Action Plan: the proposalsHere is a brief summary of our proposals for the future of Longbridge. More information and copies of the plan are available from the contacts on page four.

A new mixed use local centre• A retail quarter with a superstore, smaller shops, offi ces

and dwellings;

• A learning quarter with a new ‘cutting edge’ college facility;

• A mixed use quarter with offi ces, leisure, residential and other uses; and

• The Austin – a landmark building with space for heritage, community, health and cultural facilities.

A range of key employment sites• A major 25 hectare Regional Investment Site (RIS) for high

technology businesses and offi ces, which will feature high quality landscaping and design;

• A wide range of other employment space within the AAP, including land next to Nanjing and within the Cofton Centre site; and

• The retention of the Nanjing automotive site for car manufacturing.

High quality sustainable and adaptable housing• To be located adjacent to the Regional Investment Site, within

the local centre and at East Works;

• A minimum of 1,450 new homes; and

• Supporting facilities and services, including investment in schools, community buildings, library facilities, community safety, heritage and culture, to name but a few.

Improving access to, and movement around, Longbridge• A Park and Ride facility adjacent to Longbridge Station;

• A high quality bus network linking Longbridge to the wider area including a new route to Frankley;

• Improved rail services and stations;

• Improvements to the A38 Bristol Road South, motorway junctions, and minor improvements to Longbridge Lane;

• A network of local access roads within the site, and

• New high quality routes for walking and cycling.

Landscape, environment and open space• A major new urban park forming the focal point of the local

centre development;

• The opening up of the River Rea with a naturalised water course through the majority of the local centre;

• A new park on West Works by the River Rea;

• Opening up the River Arrow with a new park alongside;

• A range of sensitive improvements to Cofton Park, with new and improved sport and play facilities;

• Improved access to the countryside and green belt; and

• The protection and enhancement of habitats for wildlife.

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Artists impression 1: View across Urban Park and new local centre

Artists impression 2: View within West Works looking towards the RIS

Artists impression 3: Night time view across Urban Park and new local centre

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Tell us what you thinkFor more information on the AAP please contact:

Birmingham City Council:

Stephen Hay

South Development Planning and Regeneration Team

Development Directorate

P.O. Box 28

Floor 17, Alpha Tower

Suffolk Street Queensway

Birmingham B1 1TR

T: 0121 303 3453

F: 0121 303 9889

email: stephen.hay@birmingham.gov.uk

Bromsgrove District Council:

Mike Dunphy

Planning and Environment Services

Bromsgrove District Council

The Council House

Burcot Lane, Bromsgrove

Worcestershire B60 1AA

T: 01527 881325

F: 01527 881313

email: m.dunphy@bromsgrove.gov.uk

Please note that the plan has now reached an important statutory stage. All comments must be made with regard to the ‘tests of soundness’ (see page 1) and should be submitted on a prescribed representations form.

Copies of the form are available at all venues listed in this newsletter and are also downloadable from:

www.birmingham.gov.uk/longbridge

www.bromsgrove.gov.uk/planningpolicy

www.future4longbridge.co.uk

You can also receive copies of the form by calling or writing to the contacts detailed above.

The six-week consultation stage has now started and you can view copies of the Longbridge Area Action Plan and supporting documents at the venues indicated in the blue panel.

The fi nal date for representations to be received is:

Friday 9 May 2008

Copies of the AAP may be viewed at:Birmingham City Council, 9th fl oor, Alpha Tower, Suffolk Street Queensway, Birmingham B1 1TU:Mon–Thur 8.45am–5.15pm & Fri 8.45am–4.15pm

Bromsgrove District Council, The Council House, Planning Reception, Burcot Road, Bromsgrove:Mon–Fri 9am–5pm

Austin Sports and Social Club, Tessall Lane, Longbridge:Mon–Fri 9am–12 noon

Birmingham Central Library, Chamberlain Square, Central Birmingham: Mon–Fri 9am–8pm & Sat 9am–5pm

Parish Offi ces, New Frankley in Birmingham Parish Council, 12 Arden Road: Mon–Fri 8.30am–12 noon

Bromsgrove District Council Customer Service Centre, Dolphin Centre, School Drive, Bromsgrove: Mon–Wed 9am–5pm Thurs 10am–5pm, Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 9am–12 noon

Local Libraries (please check opening times with your local library)

Alvechurch, Bromsgrove, Catshill, Cofton Hackett, Hagley, Rubery and Wythall.

We are also holding a series of events where you can speak to council offi cers about the Longbridge AAP. These will be ‘drop-in’ sessions rather than formal meetings. All these sessions will run from 4pm–7pm.

Tuesday 8 April: Turves Green Girls’ School.

Thursday 10 April: Edgewood Road Community Centre

Tuesday 15 April:Holy Hill Community Centre, Frankley

Thursday 17 April: Austin Sports and Social Club, Longbridge

Friday 18 April:Cofton Hackett Parish Council

What happens next?An independent Planning Inspector will consider all comments at an Examination in Public (EiP). After the EiP the inspector will issue a ‘binding report’. The Councils will amend the AAP accordingly and then formally adopt the document.

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Project Part-Financedby the European Union

European RegionalDevelopment Fund

BromsgroveDistrict Councilwww.bromsgrove.gov.uk

BUILDING PRIDEPrinted on environmentally friendly paper

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