Words by Ed King
Birmingham’s Local Conservatives have published an ambitious plan they claim would see the “transformation” of Erdington High Street if they win a majority in the upcoming Council elections on 7 May.
The proposal is to relocate the Birmingham Museum Collections Centre, currently in Nechells, to nearby Six Ways Island, and to open up the storage centre of rare antiquities to the general public as a tourist attraction.
Birmingham Museum Collections Centre houses 80% of Birmingham Museum Trust’s stored collections, featuring everything from exotic animals and old steam engines to ancient sculptures, tools and weapons.
The huge archive, akin to the closing scenes in Raiders of the Lost Ark, totals to ‘around a million items – many offering a real insight into life in Birmingham and the West Midlands over the centuries’, according to the Museum Collection Centre’s website.
This drastic development would help “unleash Erdington’s full potential” and encourage outside investment into the area – according to Erdington Ward Councillor Robert Alden, who is also Leader of the Birmingham Local Conservatives group.
Erdington has a rich history of Birmingham luminaries that helped shape both the county and city, including William Wilberforce, Josiah Mason, Thomas Holte, and Sir Benjamin Stone.
The High Street also houses the two century old St Barnabas Church, a Carnagie built library, and was once the location for globally recognised music venue Mothers – which showcased rock legends such as Black Sabbath, The Who, and Led Zeppelin.
Cllr Alden added: “The High Street has been neglected for a number of years and what we constantly get on the doorstep are local residents saying they want to see the High Street returned to how it used to be.
“The idea of this plan is to bring in somewhere where people will spend their time – so increasing dwell time – and would help a café/restaurant culture develop on the High Street, as you’d have more people around.”
When quizzed about the potential damage such a large scale development would have on the existing retail community – which is a mix of national brands including Dixons and Peacocks and independent convenience stores and take aways, Cllr Alden was clear about his party’s vision for Erdington High Street.
“The idea of this is those businesses that provide a useful service to the area we would try and relocate elsewhere on the High Street,” told Cllr Alden.
“But frankly, those businesses which are a drain on the local area we would look to be getting rid of as part of this.”
He added: “What we want to see is a step change in transformation, bringing back a High Street that is a vibrant place that people want to take their families and hopefully resolve those long term anti-social behaviour issues.”
The plan to relocate Birmingham Museum Collections Centre was published in a 20 page manifesto outlining how the Local Conservatives group would “clean up” everything from housing to transport across the city, if they took control of the Council after the local elections on 7 May.
In a section outlining their plans for ‘Culture & Heritage’ across Birmingham, the Local Conservatives list a 22 projects and proposals they would drive forward if elected as Council leaders.
These include supporting St Partrick Day and St George’s Day celebrations across the city, developing an “Armed Forces Community Garden” and “veterans’ village”, and promoting the city’s musical lineage through the global UNESCO heritage sites network.
The document also clarifies the Local Conservatives’ position on the promulgation of Union Flags and St George’s Cross flags, following a series of unauthorised campaigns that have attached the flags to street furniture across the city.
The manifesto states: “British and English flags are a unifying force, celebrating our shared heritage, culture and history. We would fly our national flags and City Coat of Arms from all Council buildings. Where communities would like [we would] install formal displays of our national flags.”
When speaking to Erdington Local, Cllr Alden also highlighted the Local Conservatives plans to increase high street security networks, support Business Improvement Districts, and “to reconvert exempt accommodation back into family homes” across the city.
Councillor Robert Alden is seeking re-election as Erdington Ward’s representative on 7 May – alongside his Conservative running mate Councillor Gareth Moore.
