North Solihull (how Chelmsley Wood, Smiths wood, Fordbridge and Kingshurst areas are now branded) is increasingly coming under the eye of both politicians and the Borough Council alike. Chelmsley Wood itself is part of the wider Regeneration of North Solihull, a partnership between Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council and the private sector. It has been estimated that something like £1.8 billion will be invested over the next fifteen years. Plans are currently under way to carry out the largest renovation of older parts of the town since the demolition of many tower blocks in the early 1990s. The current plans propose changes to the central shopping centre area, which includes the construction of a large supermarket, both Advantage West Midlands and Fordgate should be congratulated on investing some £41million in its redevelopment/overhaul. It seems that in addition to these works, the library and surrounding buildings are to be renovated as well, although how you renovate a concrete carbuncle still remains to be seen!
If this investment is to be forth coming, all that we can hope is that the infrastructure is going to be improved to ensure that the investment is both worthwhile and sustainable. We all recognise that the M6, M5, M40 and M42 provide excellent communication links in and, around Birmingham, as well as links to various parts of the country. This area desperately needs its links to this road network improving to open up the area and justify the long term investment for which it has been ear marked.
Once those works have been put into place then the real opportunity to bring jobs in the form of new industry and the like will become a reality. Sceptics may say that this can never happen, but if you look at what the Black Country Development Corporation did over there, during a 10/15 year period and look how that has changed that area. Let us also not forget what Heartlands have done with their limited resources in the area around parts of Bromford, Maybe they could have done more? Who knows but the point here is, that both of these areas have seen a lot of change over the period. There is then no reason why this cannot happen here as well. Lets face it this can only be good from the property perspective as improved links to the infrastructure will bring new development opportunities and the steel girdle of the Green Belt around Birmingham and in particular in this location will at some point have to be relaxed to encourage new development to take place for industry and commerce to continue to flourish and encourage investment.
Developers, planners, contractors etc and those of us who act as advisors should take this as a call to arms and see what we can do by influencing those in a position to make change happen, actually make change happen!
This article was originally featured in the February 2008 issue of Property News Midlands
I have to agree with you on this one, it is nearly always the case.