Second phase of Perry Barr regeneration approved

Plans for the second phase of the regeneration of Perry Barr, including up to 500 new homes and a new secondary school, have been approved by the city council's planning committee.

The outline proposals for the 12.84-hectare site between Holford Drive and Aldridge Road were given the go-ahead on 1 August.

After the Games

The site sits next to the former Birmingham City University campus, which is already being redeveloped as the residential part of the Commonwealth Games athletes' village. After the Games, the village will be converted into 1,400 new homes, forming the first phase of the regeneration.

The second phase will only come forward after the Games, because the land will first form part of the athletes' village, housing Games-time facilities such as the dining hall and other temporary services.

Once developed, around 90 per cent of the roughly 500 homes are expected to be houses with two to five bedrooms. More detailed plans will be brought forward in the coming years.

A new school

The site will also include public open space and a new secondary school and sixth form for 1,260 pupils. The school, Prince Albert High School, is funded by the Department for Education and is forecast to open in 2021 as part of the Prince Albert Community Trust, subject to further planning approval. The existing Doug Ellis Sports Centre and its all-weather pitch will be kept.

£500 million of investment

In total, more than £500 million of new investment is proposed for Perry Barr, which has long been identified as an area in need of regeneration. The area will also benefit from transport improvements and an upgrade to Perry Barr railway station, and separate plans for a revamped Alexander Stadium are going through the planning process.

Ultimately, around 5,000 new homes are set to be built in this part of north-west Birmingham, helping to meet the city's need for 51,000 extra homes between 2017 and 2031.

"The next vital stage"

Council leader Ian Ward said: "This is the next vital stage in a regeneration project that will transform Perry Barr, as we deliver the housing, infrastructure and jobs that will support our young and growing population."

"This scheme will undoubtedly build on the solid progress we have achieved on Phase One and further cement the legacy that the city council secures from its decision to back the bid to bring the Commonwealth Games to Birmingham."

Waheed Nazir, the council's director of inclusive growth, said the approval showed the council's vision for north-west Birmingham and "the ability of the public sector to drive forward major regeneration projects at pace".

A changing neighbourhood

Construction on the athletes' village began in May, and the area around the Alexander Stadium and the One Stop shopping centre is already changing fast. Plans for major road changes along the A34 through Perry Barr are also out to consultation, and residents and businesses have been warned to expect disruption.

For the council, the Games are a chance to speed up the transformation of an area that has waited a long time for investment. For people living locally, the test will be whether the new homes, school and transport links make a lasting difference once the athletes have gone home.