BOURNVILLE Ward Councillors are claiming that the deal to bring Tesco to Stirchley is nearly complete. In their latest newsletter they claim Tesco have signed the contract to purchase the land occupied by the Stirchley Community Centre and the Indoor Bowls Club.

Speaking to bournvillevillage.com Cllr Tim Huxtable set out the timeline of decisions that has led to this point:

• “13 October – Birmingham City Council (acting as a land owner) decided, after an open tender process, to sell its land interest to TESCO. Co-op Helical declined to make an offer for the site.
• Dec 2010 – Birmingham City Council (acting as the planning authority) renews planning consent for the TESCO development
• 14 March 2011 – Birmingham City Council agrees to assemble the remaining land not owned by the preferred developer (TESCO) on the Hazelwell Lane development site through the Compulsory Purchase Order process to enable the multi-million pound regeneration of Stirchley to occur. With the addition of the City council land, TESCO now own approx. 90% of the development site.
• April 2011 – TESCO sign the contract and make the first payment on the land purchase agreed in October.
• BCC agreed to start development work on the conservation of the Baths site in Bournville Lane into the new Stirchley Community Centre.”

Stirchley has been the target of many different plans for supermarket development. The Tescopoly website gives a summary of the applications that stretch back to a bid by Asda in 2001. Tesco have long been the City Council’s preferred bidder with a rival scheme for a mixed-use retail site proposed by Midlands Cooperative Society falling out of favour. As recently as last month, Morrison’s bid to purchase land on the flattened Arvin Meritor site off Fordhouse Lane for a supermarket development was unsuccessful.

On the Stirchley discussion forum local residents have had mixed feeling about the news with some welcoming the increased competition for the Co-op supermarket and others worried about the future character of the suburb: “A Tesco supermarket (or any other big-name supermarket) is hardly the sort of landmark to put Stirchley back on the map; at most it will turn it into yet-another-plastic-suburb.”

Tesco recently (December 2010) renewed their planning application for the proposed site but approval was subject to a series of conditions that would be set out in a Section 106 Deed of Variation:

• Replacement clubhouse to be provided to the satisfaction of the City Council.
• Replacement community centre.
• A package of transportation works/initiatives to encourage travel to and from the site by non car modes, including a financial contribution of £30,000.
• A commitment to engage with the City Council and other agencies to enter into a local training and employment scheme for construction and operation of the development
• A financial contribution of £150,000 towards public art and environmental improvements in the vicinity of the site.
• The creation of a public square at the corner of Pershore Road and Hazlewell Lane to be provided prior to the opening of the retail superstore.
• A financial contribution of £20,000 (index linked to construction costs from 2004) towards a master plan study for Stirchley.
• Payment of a monitoring and administration fee associated with the legal agreement of £1,000 to be paid on completion of the Deed of Variation.

Planning permission was finally granted on the 22nd December 2010 with the proviso: “The demolition of the community centre, indoor bowls facility and Stirchley Working Men’s Club shall not commence until either permanent or temporary accommodation for these facilities has been provided in accordance with a phasing scheme to be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local planning Authority.”

A special meeting will take place tonight, Monday 11th April at Stirchley Community Church, Hazewell street at 7.30pm. Jayne Murray from Prospectors will talk about the Stirchley Project and Judith Parry-Evans will talk about the Stirchley Local Development Plan. Organisers of the talk say that: “this is your opportunity to shape the way stirchley will look for decades to come. Meet your local councilors and community police team and learn of the latest planning applications.”

Further information on the meeting can be had via email stirchleynf@googlemail.com or phone or text: 07514814559

Further reading:
Planning application summary document (PDF)
Planning approval with conditions (PDF)
Planning Application number: 2010/05404/PA (search via http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/planningonline)

Pic: Katchooo