I write with reference to the council’s planning proposals for the
Aston Area of Birmingham under the Aston, Lozells and Handsworth Area Action Plan.
The plan makes proposals for one site in particular which is the Serpentine
site in Aston Hall Rd, Aston. This site consists of a large car park and a 2000
seated sports and community centre known as the Aston Arena which is under
caretaker management and is hardly used by the community in the area at the
moment.
The site has been designated as a Regional Investment site under the
AAP with the most recent proposed amendments outlining its use for more shopping
facilities and a gym. Local shop keepers are opposed to the plans and an
overpriced Gym will not be accessible to many local residents. Local groups are
afraid that only private developers will benefit from the plan for the site.
Fears now persist that as a prelude to the AAP plan the site will be
cleared and the Aston Arena will be demolished. This would be a great loss to
the local community and in particular to the committed group of local charities
and voluntary organisations who have put together a vision and draft plan for
the site to turn it into a key community asset with the help of Locality the
national asset transfer body. Many industrial brownfield sites of similar size
exist in the area so why do council plans seek to demolish the only site of
community interest.
The proposal by Bidgley Powe,r a community based charity and 15 local
and regional and national stakeholders sets out a compelling vision for
the site which would see amongst other
things:
•Jobs created
•New homes
built
•A vibrant
sport and community Hub
•A community
police station and library developed
The motivation of the group came from a strong voluntary sector
being stifled by a chronic lack of facilities and funding in an area of high deprivation.
The council’s leisure services decision to cut the funding to school based
sites decimated local sports clubs, adult education and community meeting
places in one stroke. Currently on 2 sites in the Aston area exist where these
activities take place and these are very heavily oversubscribed.
Consultation by local
stakeholders document how people living in the area feel disenfranchised from
the political and planning process with many siting how the council does not
listen to their voices and the lack of facilities affects their standard of living.
As a matter of clarification as to the future of the site can the
council confirm the following?
•That the site
is being transferred into the councils portfolio of property
•The buildings
on the site and in particular the Arena will be demolished
•whether it
has considered any other brown filed sites within the locality for its plans
•With current
spending being cutback what plans do the council have replace sports and
community facilities which have been lost in the area.
•Would the
council support more consultation with local
groups on a community led vision for the site
Does the council really believe in the government ethos of localism
through decentralization empowering individuals, local agents and communities
through the big society or just ignore if it hinders commercial development of
property for a profit.I urge the council to listen to the voices of the people in the area, capitalise on the strength of the voluntary sector there and restore their faith in the political process by supporting this community led bid to transform the site into a vibrant hub leaving a lasting legacy in this Olympic year.
