Words & pics by Ed King
An expansive office and retail block on Erdington High Street is being sold as a ‘residential conversion opportunity’, which could potentially bring over 47 social housing units to Erdington High Street.
The 0.715 Acre Site sits on the corner of Newman Road and Erdington High Street, with three floors of potential development, and already houses the retails outlets Farmfoods and Istanbul Market.
On the market for £1,399,000 through the Online Property Agency (OPA), the ‘huge corner plot’ is further described by the OPA as an ‘exciting residential conversion opportunity’ which ‘already boasts planning for conversion into 23 apartments’.
However, Erdington Local has learned the current owner was invited by Birmingham City Council (BCC) to amend their planning application to house potentially over 47 units – if the development would include social housing.
This is further reflected by the OPA who, at the time of writing, state the property has ‘Potential For 47 Units +’ subject to further planningapproval.
Although the initial planning application was for 23 apartments, originally registered in November 2021, any amendment to include social housing could green light nearly 50 homes for vulnerable or displaced people in an area already blighted by reports of street crime and anti-social behaviour.
Located at 224 – 232 High Street, Erdington, the ‘applicant’ on the property’s existing planning proposals is UVSC Erdington Ltd – a company registered at the same address and with the same directors as Urban Village Healthcare, and registered at Companies House in April 2021 just over six months before the planning application was submitted.
Urban Village Healthcare have a history of multi-million pound developments, including a £10.8m scheme to convert Rubery’s oldest pub, the Cock Inn, into a care home with ‘64 ensuite bedrooms with communal facilities’.
Local residents have raised concerns over any development housing vulnerable people in the area, with one stating “more social housing would be a red flag on Erdington High Street, but putting a care home in that building would be even worse. Look at it, it’s like a prison.”
Erdington Councillor Robert Alden (Conservative) shares the fears raised by people in his ward. He told Erdington Local: “It was already hugely concerning to see this site being given permission for 23 flats as the location is totally unsuitable for decent quality housing.
“Now we are told, despite a previous application for 43 flats being refused, the Council have suggested someone should apply for 47 flats! The previous application was refused in part due to 43 flats having insufficient natural light in the flats to be habitable. Now even more are being considered.
“When you consider that the current 23 proposed flats are barely of sufficient room sizes it is clear a doubling of them to 47 flats would be totally unacceptable.
“47 flats would likely have poor quality of life for tenants and not be habitable, it is clear the Council should reject any such application as being unsuitable”.
Erdington Local has contacted Birmingham City Council and Urban Village Healthcare for comment.
Please stop this madness. This area cannot take anymore of these crazy plans, let alone on the already over saturated high Street
At the end of the day it’s all about Money.
People are now talking about all the curruption and back handers which include government members /councilors and more agreeing to all this
More dumping of people into Erdington in totally inappropriate accommodation. A useless corrupt bankrupt Labour run BCC would welcome the revenue with no thought for the tenants or the existing residents of the area. Likely to an asylum seekers non-floating barge to me.
We totally reject the permssion. There are tental property on new man alone. It would add up furture detoriation of jigh street at the moment. It is impossible for families to walk on high street after 6. Antisocial behavour & dtug fealing and fights are everyday routine. Please save the high street which was once best in birmingham
Why have Erdington, stockland Green and Gravelly Hill become the dumping ground for cheap housing and HMOs ? Why are the Council almost targeting this area. The decline of the High Street is so obvious and needs to be stopped. A real future plan for regeneration and investment is needed not housing for more vulnerable people when those already here get no support.
I was always prowled to say I lived in Erdington,now I don’t want to tell anyone .I’ve lived here all my life and was proud but not anymore.The high st looks dirty and is full of charity shops cheap shops and betting offices ,drugs openly change hands and on street drinking is rife.More cheap accommodation will only attract more of the same .
Certainly more social housing is desperately needed in Birmingham but on Erdington High St? It is so not appropriate in an already deeply deprived area and in a totally unsuitable building to boot! Not helpful for anyone.
1st remove all HMO from erdington, stockland, gravelly, allow one per street if needs be, stop people buying up houses to rent or turn into HMO, sell only to people who are going to live in house themselves, tempt big shops back to high street with 2 yr guaranteed low rent, wheres money coming from? Council venues rented for big conferences, basically a booze up, rent pub rooms instead, local ones have some nice rent rooms, then the tax payer would save on hotel accommodation aswell
This is nothing short of crazy but I suspect this is already known – who cares what happens to Erdington High Street – its just regarded as a dumping ground. For example why does it need yet another betting shop when there were six already. What’s the point of having a planning department when its a free for all. Nothing to bring up the area its just about money. It doesn’t matter what complaints or objections are made NO ONE TAKES ANY NOTICE – NO LEVELLING UP FUND for improvements JUST MORE HMOs and trouble – I reckon none of the Labour councillors live in Erdington otherwise they would fight – instead they’re as useful as a chocolate teapot – absolutely useless
Crazy! At one time you could not open a like for like Business within a certain distance from each other! God know how many Barbers/Hair Salons in Erdington now! Beggars Druggies, in the high street! Now a proposed housing unit for Vunerable people.HMOs every where,some openly doing drug deals on the street! I’ve lived in Erdington since the 1970s when it was a great place to live! Still live here now,my god how it’s changed.
How can I put a complaint in? I’m not happy with this this concerns me with my safety. I don’t feel safe in Erdington anymore as I got stalked by a drunken man few years ago, and after that I got stalked by few weird people they look drunk or on dtugs. I want to put a formal complaint in and can someone please guide me and who do I approach. And how I can take things forward.
How can I put a complaint in? I’m not happy with this this concerns me with my safety. I don’t feel safe in Erdington anymore as I got stalked by a drunken man few years ago, and after that I got stalked by few weird people they look drunk or on drugs. I want to put a formal complaint in and can someone please guide me and who do I approach. And how I can take things forward.