LONGBRIDGE AREA ACTION PLAN

COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT

CONTENTS

PAGE NUMBER

1. INTRODUCTION

2. SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

3. DELIVERING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

4. PHYSICAL COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE

5. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE

6. RECOMMENDATIONS

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 City Council, in association with District Council, County Council, Advantage West Midlands, and the principal landowner St Modwen Properties PLC is developing an Area Action Plan (AAP) for the former MG Rover site and adjoining land at Longbridge.

1.2 To support the preparation of the Area Action Plan in accordance with ODPM guidance, an independent Sustainability Appraisal will be produced to accompany the Area Action Plan.

Overview

1.3 The AAP is a type of Development Plan Document prepared under the new planning system that was introduced in 2004. It is a statutory land use plan to guide new development in areas of significant change. It will aim to stimulate regeneration and development, and resolve conflicting objectives. The AAP will consider the development potential of the site and identify the type and distribution of land uses on the site.

1.4 The site represents possibly the largest development opportunity in the Birmingham City region for many years. The loss of up to 6,000 direct jobs as a result of MG Rover going into administration has had a major effect on the economy of the city region. The aim of the AAP is therefore to ensure that the strategic redevelopment of the site is employment led but also provides the social and environmental revitalisation of South West Birmingham and North Worcestershire.

1.5 This particular document forms part of the baseline evidence for the Area Action Plan and is principally concerned with:

• What community infrastructure components are required to create sustainable communities?

• The range and scale of ‘community infrastructure’ within the immediate vicinity of the Longbridge AAP site.

• What recommendations or guidance can be supplied to support the development of the Area Action Plan and its related community infrastructure?

1.6 ‘Community’ is often defined as referring to ‘communities of place’ (people living in a specific location) and ‘communities of interest’ (body of people with a particular interest

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT or shared practice). This report is concerned with better understanding both communities of place and interest within the Longbridge area.

Study Focus

1.7 This report is essentially broken down into three elements:

1. An analysis of the key elements of sustainable communities, with particular reference to Central Government thinking on sustainable development.

2. An ‘audit’ of community infrastructure in the Longbridge area, which concentrates upon physical infrastructure which is important to local communities (e.g. education facilities, post offices, community buildings etc) and also a review of the various communities of interest which operate within the Longbridge area, including networks and groups.

3. Recommendations and future guidance related to the production and implementation of the Area Action Plan.

1.8 The AAP will need to be based on a robust analysis of the area and realistically assess its future prospects. This document only forms one element of the overall baseline analysis and technical reports and should be read in conjunction with the other supporting material.

1.9 The report broadly focuses upon an analysis of the Longbridge Context Area, which is detailed on Figure 1-1 below. This consists of a 1km buffer area around the Longbridge AAP site. Reference is also made fairly frequently to the Northfield Constituency area, which covers the Birmingham Wards of Longbridge, Weoley, Northfield and Kings Norton.

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT

Figure 1-1 Longbridge Context Area

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT

2. SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

2.1 It is clear from Central Government policy, in particular work associated with the UK Sustainable Development Strategy (HM Government, 2005), that sustainable communities are fundamental to the delivery of sustainable development. The strategy states that:

‘Creating sustainable communities everywhere is a challenging task. It requires us to integrate the delivery of social, economic and environmental goals, to take a co- ordinated approach to delivering public services that work for everyone, including the most disadvantaged, and to think strategically for the long-term’.

2.2 At a local level, the sustainable communities agenda is driven by three strategic themes:

• Balancing and integrating the social, economic and environmental components of communities;

• Meeting the needs of existing and future generations

• Respecting the needs of other communities in the wider realm

Sustainable communities are defined as ‘places where people want to live and work, now and in the future. They meet the diverse needs of existing and future residents, are sensitive to their environment, and contribute to a high quality of life. They are safe and inclusive, well planned, built and run, and offer equality of opportunity and good services for all’ (Securing the future: delivering UK sustainable development strategy (HM Government, 2005 p.121)).

2.3 It is also clear from national sustainable development policy, that sustainable communities should be:

• Active, inclusive and safe – fair, tolerant and cohesive with a strong local culture and other shared community activities;

• Well run – with effective and inclusive participation, representation and leadership

• Environmentally sensitive – providing places for people to live that are considerate of the environment

• Well designed and built – featuring a quality built and natural environment

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT • Well connected – with good transport services and communication linking people to jobs, schools, healthcare and other services

• Thriving – with a flourishing and diverse local economy

• Well served – with public, private, community and voluntary services that are appropriate to people’s needs and accessible to all

• Fair for everyone – including those in other communities, now and in the future

These eight sustainability themes are now explored in further detail below.

2.4 In terms of active, safe and secure communities, there is a real focus upon the development of communities which offer a sense of belonging and identity, cultural diversity, respect, co-operation, low levels of crime and anti-social behaviour, social inclusion and opportunities for cultural, leisure, community, sport and other activities, including for children, young people and senior citizens.

2.5 Government is also concerned that sustainable communities enjoy representative and accountable governance and effective neighbourhood involvement, including a focus upon building community capacity and developing local skills and knowledge. Effective partnerships are important as is a strong community / voluntary sector and a set of civic values.

2.6 Creating environmentally sensitive communities is an important challenge, particularly within the context of global warming and the ongoing drive to minimise carbon footprints. Attention needs to be paid to:

• Supporting energy efficiency and the use of renewable resources

• Minimising pollution

• Minimising waste and disposing of material in a sensitive manner

• Make efficient use of natural resources and encouraging sustainable production / consumption

• Protect and improve bio-diversity

• Enable active lifestyles which minimise negative environmental impacts

• Create cleaner, safer and greener neighbourhoods

2.7 A key focus for sustainable communities is the creation of positive physical environments with a sense of place and well designed open spaces. Sustainable physical communities

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT also feature mixed-use development of an appropriate scale built to a high environmental quality and accessible services, public transport, and walking / cycling options.

2.8 The effective function of sustainable communities rests upon good transport and communication links. This translates to:

• Promoting transportation options which help reduce dependence on cars and support walking and cycling

• The provision of an appropriate level of car parking to manage traffic demand

• Accessible and effective telecommunications and internet access

• Good access to wider regional, national and international transport networks

2.9 It is also clear that supporting and developing the local economy is a key pillar of a sustainable community. This means supporting a wide range of quality jobs and training opportunities as well as developing an indigenous culture of enterprise and business creation. It also means providing the right mix of land and buildings to deliver the local economic vision.

2.10 To ensure the long-term success of sustainable communities, it is essential that they are well served by public, private, community and voluntary services. This translates to:

• Well performing and well resourced pre-schools, schools, further and higher education facilities as well as opportunities for life-long learning

• High quality local health care and social services, as well as integrated facilities

• Good range of affordable public, community, voluntary and public services for all age groups and members of the community

• Services that are shaped and directed by local people

2.11 The final key area of sustainable communities relates to the concept of ‘fair for everyone’. This means in simple terms that sustainable communities recognise and respect the rights of individuals and have due regard to the needs of future generations in current decisions and actions.

2.12 It is worth noting that there is a growing body of literature about understanding the economics of local communities from the ‘bottom up’. Work has focused upon:

• Engaging a wide range of people in better understanding the mechanics of the local economy and how to influence directions and outcomes

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT • Focusing upon developing social enterprises with often wider social purposes than traditional ‘for profit’ businesses

• Working with local communities on exploiting indigenous skills, knowledge and experience in new initiatives and forms of enterprise.

2.13 Community plans have a key role to play in establishing local priorities and ensuring the delivery of suitable projects and programmes. A summary of the key community plan headlines covering the Longbridge AAP area is detailed in Table 1-1.

Table 1-1 Community Plan Headlines

PPPARTNERSHIP TTTOWARDS

CCCOMMUNOMMUNITYITY SSSTRATEGY BBBROMSGROVE EEEXCELLENCE ::: AAA IIIMPROVING NNNORTHFIELD CCCOMMUNITY PPPLAN

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITYFOR BBBIRMINGHAMINFRASTRUCTURE 20052005---- SSSUSTAINABLEBASELINE CCCOMMUNITYREPORT CCCOMMUNITY SSSTRATEGY DDDISTRICT CCCOMMUNITY TTTHEMES 2010 SSSTRATEGY 20072007----20102010 FOR WWWORCESTERSHIRE PPPLAN

20032003----20132013

Priorities Priorities Priorities Priorities

Healthy Communities Supporting healthy Preventative agenda – Access to support and Improve health outcomes and to narrow lifestyles, reducing reducing smoking, healthcare the gap between health inequalities, tacking mental health Birmingham and the rest

improving children’s issues and increasing of the country, improve the quality of life, health, managing long physical exercise independence and well term illness, being of older people

modernising adult and vulnerable adults, enable more people to care and supporting enjoy healthier lives and new partnership prevent institutional-

approaches to the isation of people with long term conditions. delivery of health care

Safe Communities Safer and cleaner Reducing fear of Reducing crime and Creating a safer

neighbourhoods, crime, supporting fear of crime district – range of

reduction in re- secure by design local initiatives

offending, cutting initiatives and

violent crime, developing

safeguarding children, appropriate

working with young partnerships

people and reducing

drug and crime

misuse

Learning and Skills Supporting Sure Start, Learning and Supporting local

closing education / education across all learning and training

skills gaps and age groups initiatives

promoting further /

higher education.

Also a focus upon

children and

education as well as

improving adult skills.

Economic Success Diversification of the Market town vitality, Tackling under- Tackling Worklessness

economy focusing economic vibrancy employment, pockets and supporting the

upon promoting the and maintenance of a of deprivation, up- local economy

City, supporting the strong local economic skilling and economic

growth of the City base through diversification

Region, maximising diversification and

skills development, inward investment LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT

Sustainability and Supporting diverse Cutting energy Valuing public access Establishing a environmental issues and cohesive consumption and to the countryside and sustainable district

communities. Also a increasing recycling, high quality open

focus upon also protection of spaces and play space

developing and green assets,

supporting local including greenbelt.

sport, culture, leisure Also a focus upon

and heritage community leadership

initiatives. and partnerships

Environmental focus

upon greening the

city, improving streets

and public space,

cutting pollution,

tackling climate

change and cutting

waste.

Transport, Movement Better access to local Good quality public Improving and Connectivity services and centres, transport with key connectivity

improving strategic, links to Bromsgrove

city-wide transport and sites such as

infrastructure. Also Longbridge

focus upon IT and

developing the digital

city

Housing and Improving Provision of Improving housing neighbourhoods neighbourhoods with affordable housing for and the environment

inequalities across the all age groups –

City. Key housing particularly in large

focus upon decent developments such as

homes, restructuring Longbridge

housing markets,

provision of

affordable homes,

supporting vulnerable

people and improving

housing services

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT

Public services Improving the High quality customer

standards of public services, focus upon

services and equality, value for

effectively engaging money and

communities in civic partnerships

renewal and local

governance

2.14 During the various stages in the development of the Area Action Plan, a number of clear community priorities have been identified. These are outlined below.

• The opening-up of the River Rea and River Arrow through the AAP area – there was a strong interest in the development of natural river features with environmental value and also river courses which added a sense of quality to the new public realm;

• Improvements to Cofton Park, including better play pitches, visitor facilities, landscaping as well as the protection of natural features;

• The development of new high quality public spaces, including an ‘urban park’ as part of the local centre and open space proposals as part of West Works;

• The establishment of a building within the AAP which helps celebrate the history and heritage of the local area, including its recent past as a major car manufacturing plant

• Creating new communities with a wide range of local employment, skills development and small business opportunities. There were concerns expressed for the need to create new communities with a full range of supporting infrastructure, including schools, recreational facilities and open space.

2.15 A number of discussions have taken place with local stakeholders and organisations about the full range of community infrastructure required to support the AAP. In particular, this has included specific topic discussions with the South Birmingham Primary Care Trust, Learning and Skills Council, Advantage West Midlands, Job Centre Plus, in addition to discussions within local authorities over local requirements.

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT

2.16 From these discussions some of the main headlines in the Longbridge Community Infrastructure Levy have emerged. These include a particular focus upon health services, local labour and training agreements and supporting the role-out of existing projects and programmes, which are captured through community and constituency plans. It is inevitable that as costs change and priorities evolve there will be some changes in the financial projections associated with community infrastructure (particularly if we consider the 15 year timespan of the AAP). However, once of the key benefits of the Longbridge CIL is that it allows infrastructure to be supplied at the right time in a development while also providing certainty to developers about scheme costs.

2.17 Stakeholder discussions have also focused upon the use of specific local infrastructure cost calculation models. Many of these models are based upon best practice approaches developed in various parts of the UK in terms of determining the realistic impact of development and appropriate mitigation measures.

2.18 In summary, it is therefore clear that there is a diverse range of components which go into supporting the development of sustainable communities. These range from ‘hard infrastructure’ such as schools, open space, libraries etc through to ‘softer community infrastructure’ (social and economic infrastructure) such as capacity building programmes, cultural initiatives and youth engagement programmes. It is likely that the type and range of community infrastructure will change through the lifespan of the Area Action Plan.

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT

3. DELIVERING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

3.1 There are increasing pressures within towns and cities on available land for the provision of new housing, commercial and other uses. A consequence of this significant level of growth and development is increased pressure on the physical and social infrastructure of the area and the surrounding area. For example, new residential development will increase demand for school places and community facilities, and add to the number of people using open spaces and recreational facilities.

3.2 New commercial development, and particularly large-scale developments such as the Longbridge redevelopment, will increase the number of people travelling into and around the area and significantly add to congestion and pressure on public transport, car and cycle parking and public safety. Pressure on infrastructure is likely to increase as a result of the level of new development proposed within the area.

3.3 In order to ensure that new developments are developed in a sustainable manner they will be expected to address the needs of new residents and occupiers and mitigate the impact they may have on the infrastructure of both the City and sub-region.

3.4 Many local authorities have developed innovative methods to address these issues and ensure that local residents benefit from new, large scale developments.

3.5 The Milton Keynes Partnership was at the forefront of developing policies to gain benefits from the Milton Keynes Expansion Areas. The Partnership developed a mechanism for capturing the uplift in land value derived from granting planning permission within the East and West Expansion Areas of Milton Keynes.

3.6 A five year Business Plan was developed to manage the funds received from this “roof tax” on the uplift in land values. An agreement was reached with English Partnerships to forward fund the necessary infrastructure (advance funding of roads, education, health, community services and parks) to ensure that it is in place to support the growth of the local area.

3.7 A tariff of £18,500 was placed on each residential dwelling with a further tariff of £260,000 per hectare of employment space which would be pooled to reimburse English Partnerships at a later date.

3.8 Similarly, Bristol City Council has developed a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to ensure that all new developments within the City will make a positive contribution to sustainable development, providing social, economic and environmental benefits to the community as a whole.

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT 3.9 The Bristol City Council SPD outlines the type of public benefits that new developments will contribute to. These include affordable business space provision, local labour and training initiatives, public art provision and training and employment fund contributions.

3.10 The aim of producing documents (such as those above) is to provide transparency and clarity for those developers wishing to invest in a particular area.

3.11 Many local authorities are now producing guidance that can be accessed and influenced by developers. This best practice ensures that developers are aware of the public contributions they might make before entering into negotiations with the local authority.

3.12 Southwark Council has developed a dedicated Planning Obligations web page (http://www.southwark.gov.uk/YourServices/planningandbuildingcontrol/S106/ ). It provides detailed information on planning policies for the public and developers, as well as a section answering frequently asked questions about planning obligations.

3.13 It also incorporates a Section 106 toolkit, enabling developers to input details of their proposed development which then calculates the anticipated planning obligations contribution.

3.14 It is this transparency and openness that is essential to ensure all potential developers bear the cost of planning obligations equally.

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT

4. PHYSICAL COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE

4.1 This chapter provides an audit of physical community infrastructure - schools, libraries, community halls, health and sports centres etc. The chapter also provides an analysis of possible gaps in infrastructure provision.

4.2 A broad profile of the Northfield Constituency and Hillside Ward (North Bromsgrove) is included in Table 3-1. Full information on the socio-economic characteristics of the area is included in the relevant socio-economic baseline report.

Table 3-1: Northfield Constituency and Hillside Ward Profile (Census 2001)

Bromsgrove Northfield Constituency Wards Constituency Whole City Wards Hillside Kings Longbridge Northfield Weoley Northfield Ward Norton

Population People 4,648 23515 24865 24444 25034 97858 977087 Area (sqkm) 10.145 6.317 7.122 5.475 5.459 24.373 267 People per 458.2 3722.5 3491.3 4464.7 4585.8 4015.0 3659.5 sqkm Age Profile Under 18 22% 26% 26% 24% 26% 25% 26% 18-64 60% 59% 60% 59% 58% 59% 60% 65 and over 18% 15% 14% 17% 16% 16% 15% Ethnicity White 94% 93% 93% 94% 90% 93% 70% Mixed 3% 3% 3% 2% 3% 3% 3% Asian or 1% 1% 1% 1% 2% 1% 20% Asian British Black or 1% 3% 3% 2% 3% 2% 6% Black British Other Ethnic 1% 0% 0% 1% 2% 1% 1% Group Employment Economically 66% 61% 64% 65% 60% 63% 59% Active Unemployed 2% 7% 6% 5% 7% 7% 8%

Ward Constituency 4.3 The key features to note from the above table is that the area has higher white population than the city as a whole; and there is a marked difference between the Asian/Asian British populace which is 20% city-wide but only an average 1% within the study area. Northfield constituency and Hillside ward has a higher proportion of people who are economically active and slightly lower average unemployment rate than the wider city.

Education Overview

4.4 The provision of education facilities and the quality of such provision can have a strong influence upon the vitality and viability of communities. Desirable, high quality schools can have a strong influence upon where people want to live. Some researchers have estimated that if an average house could be moved from the worst to the best possible

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT secondary school catchment area, then its value would increase by nearly 19%. Furthermore, moving access of an average house from worst to the best possible primary school would increase its price by nearly 34% (1).

4.5 It can be noted that there are clear geographical and demographic differences between the two Local Education Authority (LEA) areas (for a full review of demographic issues please refer to the Socio-economic Baseline Report). Birmingham has to account for the impact of new developments on a largely urban, metropolitan area whereas Bromsgrove / Worcestershire contain many rural locations.

4.6 The overall process of admitting children to school is significantly different in each LEA area: Worcestershire Country Council uses catchment areas, which provide some certainty as to which school children from any given locality will attend; however, does not use catchment areas and so needs to ensure that places exist at schools within a wider area to properly plan the provision of school places. Whichever arrangements exist, the home LEA has a statutory duty to ensure that there are sufficient school places for all of the children and young people living within its boundaries.

Nursery Provision

4.7 There are currently four privately run pre school playgroups in the Longbridge ward, providing a total of 14 childcare sessions per week. At the current time, there are 78 children attending these sessions, either on a full time basis or attending morning or afternoon sessions. Parents will pay for their child’s care at these venues, but some free early years education is also available.

4.8 From 1 April 2006 three and four year old children are entitled to free early years education, comprising 12.5 per week for 38 weeks of the year. Parents do not contribute towards this minimum entitlement but may be charged fees for any services or childcare that is additional to the free place.

4.9 At any one time, there will be a small number of vacancies in pre school playgroups, although these numbers will vary depending on the ages of children wishing to attend (regulations govern the ratios of children aged six weeks to two years, and the children aged two years to five years).

4.10 However, vacancies for three and four year olds receiving free early years education can be more stretched due to parents trying to find a suitable combination of free and private provision.

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT Longbridge Ward – Primary, Infant and Junior Schools

4.11 There are four primary schools, three infant and three junior schools in the Longbridge Ward. Table 3.2 below shows each school’s admission number for September 2007 and September 2008 and their number on roll for each year group in October 2007. The schools in bold are the schools closest to the Longbridge Area Action Plan area.

Table 3-2: School Admission Numbers

Local Adm Adm Age Age Age Age Age Age Age Age Schools Type Number Number TOTAL 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 Sept 07 Sept 08

Colmers I 60 60 0 0 0 0 0 42 58 48 148 Farm Colmers J 60 60 0 62 61 57 60 0 0 0 240 Farm Forestdale JI 30 30 0 36 34 28 27 26 23 28 202 Holly Hill I 60 60 0 0 0 0 0 44 48 48 140 Meadows JI 60 60 0 64 58 63 65 63 61 40 414 (The) Reaside J 60 60 0 49 56 50 51 0 0 0 206 Hill J 90 90 0 64 74 71 61 0 0 0 270 Rednal Hill I 90 90 0 0 0 0 0 48 41 41 130 St Columba’s JI 30 30 0 23 30 30 27 26 15 29 180 RC St James RC JI 30 30 0 29 30 30 30 19 24 30 192 Total 360 360 0 327 343 329 231 268 270 264 2122

4.12 Most of the schools in the Longbridge Ward have suffered from falling rolls and ‘in year’ movement over the past three years. However, birth rates in the ward have increased significantly over recent years and as these children reach school age, the surplus places will reduce significantly.

4.13 The birth rates in Longbridge Ward have witnessed an increase and are significantly higher than they have been for a number of years. The LEA is projecting a marked increase in aged four pupils over the next three academic years and expect that this trend will continue. Table 3-3 highlights the current and forecast birth rates for the Longbridge Ward.

Table 3-3: Birth Rates – Current and Forecast

Year of Entry to school 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10

Births (source ONS) 98/99 99/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 Longbridge Ward 365 333 304 299 333 392 372

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT 4.14 Of the 360 pupil places available the LEA is projecting that there will only be 25 surplus places across the seven infant schools in 2009 for pupils aged 4. It is expected that these surplus places will increase in the following two years, however, the development of the Egg Hill estate will bring new children to the area, and place additional pressures on those surplus school places. As a result of the Longbridge and Egg Hill developments coinciding, we expect that the number of places in the area will fall short of the desired operating level needed to allow for parental preference, diversity of provision available and pupils moving to the area. The development on the scale proposed at Longbridge will clearly have a further significant impact. Table 3-4 below provides further details of projected pupil places.

Table 3-4 Pupil Projections

JAN JAN JAN JAN AGE 2008 2009 2010 2011 4 284 335 318 311 5 264 283 333 317 6 270 265 284 334 7 268 273 268 287 8 321 269 274 269 9 329 317 266 271

10 343 326 314 264

TOTAL 2079 2068 2057 2053

Worcestershire LEA Primary and Infant Schools

4.15 The geographical area of Worcestershire has a consistent pattern of co-education comprehensive provision in the maintained mainstream schools, with a varied pattern of school organisation in either 2 tier of 3 tier systems. In common with other county LEA’s schools are grouped geographically in pyramids with a number of primary schools feeding into named secondary high schools or first schools feeding into a fewer number of middle schools, which then feed into named high schools.

4.16 In the three tier system, the following pattern applies to Bromsgrove 3/5-9, 9-13, 13-18. There are 5 infant/primary schools, 2 feeder primary schools and 2 secondary schools in North Bromsgrove, below is a table showing details of the each primary / infant school’s admission number for September 2007 and their number on roll for each year group.

4.17 Feedback from Worcestershire LEA suggests that although there are surplus places in local primary schools, these are likely to be filled due to an increase in the number of young families moving into the area.

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT

Table 3-5: Worcestershire LEA – Primary / Infant Schools

Admission Net 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 TOTAL Number Capacity Sept 07

CATSHILL FIRST SCHOOL & NURSERY 60 300 0 0 0 0 37 52 45 44 28 206

BLACKWELL FIRST SCHOOL 24 120 0 0 0 0 17 14 26 16 20 93 FIRST SCHOOL & NURSERY 40 200 0 0 0 0 42 31 39 47 45 204

LICKEY END FIRST 30 150 0 0 0 0 27 28 30 29 30 144

ST. ANDREW'S CE FIRST 45 225 0 0 0 0 41 36 44 32 45 198 MIDDLE SCHOOL (FEEDER) 140 535 100 94 92 93 0 0 0 0 0 379 CE MIDDLE SCHOOL (FEEDER) 90 360 90 89 90 89 0 0 0 0 0 358

SUB TOTAL 1890 190 183 182 182 164 161 184 168 168 1582

Birmingham LEA – Secondary Schools

4.18 Colmers Farm is the closest secondary school to the proposed development and its feeder schools are Colmers Farm Junior, The Meadows Primary and Rednal Hill Junior School. There are currently only 17 surplus places in Colmers Farm Secondary School and space is limited at many other schools nearby. Frankley is closer to the Egg Hill development, normally admitting pupils from the schools in the northern part of the ward and the LEA forecast this will be full when the Egg Hill estate is rebuilt. The LEA also note that Kings Norton High School will not be affected by the Longbridge development as it admits pupils almost exclusively from a small area around the school which is some distance from the Longbridge site. Table 3-6 below shows the number of pupils on the roll at all secondary schools in the Northfield District, which covers a wide area across the south west of the city.

Table 3-6 Secondary Schools in Northfield District

Number On Roll – September 2007 Admission Limit Total School 07/08 Age Age 19 Age 18 Age 17 Age 16 Age 15 Age 14 Age 13 Age 12 11 Colmers Farm 210 0 0 0 0 203 198 209 207 216 1033 Frankley Community 105 0 0 0 0 92 73 92 87 90 434 High

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT

Kings Norton High 163 0 0 0 0 130 104 87 67 46 434 School St Thomas Aquinas 214 0 10 74 124 216 206 202 210 206 1248 RC Turves Green Boys 130 0 0 0 0 130 124 132 134 121 641 Turves Green Girls 150 0 0 0 0 144 148 145 150 143 730 Total 967 0 10 74 124 915 853 867 855 822 4520

4.19 The expected increase in primary pupil numbers will eventually impact on the secondary schools in the area as they move through the school system. Colmers Farm Infant School has no surplus places, and the LEA is predicting that this will continue. The proposed development of Longbridge will necessitate that additional provision is required to cope with the additional demand.

Worcestershire LEA: Secondary Schools

4.20 Table 3-7 provides details of the roll numbers for secondary schools within the . Feedback from Worcestershire LEA suggests that the available places will also be filled with a projected increase in pupil numbers. In addition, as surplus places in infant schools are filled, this increase in numbers will move up through the school system.

Table 3-7: Secondary Schools within Bromsgrove

BROMSGROVE DISTRICT

ADMISSION SCHOOL NUMBER NUMBERS ON ROLL – OCTOBER 2007 TOTAL 2007

Age 19 Age 18 Age 17 Age 16 Age 15 Age 14 Age 13 Age 12 Age 11 NORTH BROMSGROVE HIGH 300 0 4 98 107 276 229 222 0 0 936 SOUTH BROMSGROVE COMMUNITY HIGH 300 0 3 149 170 328 329 330 0 0 1309 TOTAL 600 0 7 247 277 604 558 552 0 0 2245

Further Education and Lifelong Learning

4.21 Bournville College currently provides a range of daytime and evening courses in A Levels and National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ’s) as well as BTEC qualifications and degrees with a dedicated Business School. Its main campus is located about 5 miles south of Birmingham City Centre and about 1 mile south of Selly Oak. The college also occupies the former Dudley College building on the corner of Bristol Road South in Longbridge, which is being used to deliver construction related courses. The college is also keen to

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT fully relocate its main campus operations to a new site within the proposed AAP local centre. This new college will also involve feature courses and specialisms delivered through a partnership arrangement with New East Worcestershire College. Bournville College also delivers a series of courses at the Hollymoor Centre, Manor Park Grove, Northfield. The new college provides an opportunity to provide a wide range of further and lifelong learning opportunities.

4.22 A range of lifelong learning opportunities are available at various venues within the Longbridge AAP context area. Some of these are discussed within the socio-economic baseline which accompanies the AAP, as well as the relevant chapter of this report.

Healthcare Provision

4.23 The nearest hospitals to the Longbridge AAP area are the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Bournville, Selly Oak Hospital in Selly Oak and West Heath Hospital. Two Primary Care Trusts (PCT) also cover the area – South Birmingham PCT and North Worcestershire PCT. The closest doctors’ surgeries to the AAP site are Cornhill Surgery and Frankley Surgery both at about 1km from the site. There are also surgeries at New Road, , Northfield Surgery at St Helliers Road and Hollymoor Medical Centre at Manor Park Grove, Northfield as well as Cofton Medical Centre. All the surgeries have a number of resident doctors. Typically the NHS seeks to provide at least one doctor for every 1,500 – 2,000 population. The population of Longbridge Ward is approximately 25,000. It is understood that the projected population increase associated with the Longbridge development (based upon 1,450 residential units) will not require the construction of a new doctors surgery. However, given some of the healthcare challenges (see socio-economic baseline) faced in the Longbridge area, there are clear opportunities for healthcare providers to work innovatively to establish suitable outreach and/or joint services.

4.24 The main dental practices near the AAP site include Frankley Dental Practice, located on Arden Road in Rubery (about 1km from the site) and Hill Top Dental Practice which is located about 1.5km from the site on Bristol Road South. There are other dentists at Edgewood Road, Eachway, Bristol Road South, Longbridge Lane and West Heath Road. There is no specific guidance on the provision of dentists, although clearly, like doctors, they are an important health facility.

4.25 Opticians are located at New Road in Rubery; Alvechurch Road in West Heath, and at the Northfield Heath Centre. Pharmacies are located at Morrisons on Great Park within about 0.5km of the AAP area and on Sunbury Road, Longbridge. Others pharmacies are located at New Road Rubery and at the Hollymoor Medical Centre, Northfield.

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT Government Services

4.26 The Northfield Constituency is made up of four wards: Northfield, Longbridge, Weoley and Kings Norton. The main constituency office is located at 1A Vineyard Road, Northfield. There are a wide range of forums and committees which cover the constituency. The principal housing office which covers the Longbridge area is located in Northfield and covers the following housing services:

• Initiatives to tackle anti-social behaviour

• Applications and transfers

• Lettings and rent

• Estate management and repairs

4.27 The in Birmingham Parish Council was established in May 2000 and is currently working upon the establishment of a range of local services for the community. The Parish Council is located at Arden Road, Frankley.

4.28 Parish Council is located at Groveley Lane, Rednal. A Parish Plan was published in 2007 which aims to identify areas and activities which influence and have an impact on the lives and well being of residents within Cofton Hackett, including the Longbridge site.

4.29 Birmingham City Council and Worcestershire County Council both run library services. The former Cofton Hackett library is located within the AAP area. This facility was closed recently due to asbestos being found within the building. The nearest functioning library to the AAP area is located in Northfield at Church Road. This library is open all week other than Wednesdays and Sundays, with late opening on Thursdays. It has full wheelchair access, room hire and an online renewal system. Public transport passes the site with Northfield Railway station a 10 minute walk and buses 18 and 35 passing in front of the library and number 61, 62 and 63 passing nearby.

4.30 There are also community libraries located at further distances from the AAP site including at Frankley, West Heath and Kings Norton. There is also a city wide mobile library service which is run by Birmingham City Council, which also serves Longbridge on a limited basis.

4.31 There are a number of Council run sports and leisure complexes within the Northfield Constituency area, these are listed below:

• Northfield Pool and Fitness Centre • Turves Green Community Leisure Centre

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT • Colmers Community Leisure Centre • Shenley Court Community Leisure

4.32 There are also a number of Multi-use Games Areas (MUGA), sports pitches and play facilities across the Northfield Constituency. This infrastructure is detailed in the relevant baseline which accompanies the AAP. The Council also runs a series of sports development programmes across the constituency, often working in partnership with the PCT on fit for life and health improvement projects.

4.33 Birmingham City Council operates 11 cemeteries and three crematoria across the city. The closest to the AAP site are Kings Norton Cemetery at Longdales Road and and Crematorium at Weoley Park Road, Selly Oak.

4.34 The three local authorities (Birmingham City Council, Worcestershire Country Council and Bromsgrove District Council) which cover the Longbridge Context Area, provide a wide range of additional services. Further information on these services is available through each council web site.

Halls and Social Clubs

4.35 The Austin Sports and Social Club is located adjoining the North Works site and in addition to its main buildings which is available for community purposes, it has its own sports pitch. The nearby Greenland Sports and Social Club is located opposite Longbridge Railway Station.

4.36 Cofton Village Hall is located in Cofton Hackett and is available for a variety of community uses. It is used as the main venue for the Cofton Hackett Parish Council meetings. The building itself is nearing the end of its lifespan.

4.37 The Birmingham Federation of Clubs for Young People is located in Rednal. One of the club’s centres is also located within the Longbridge Context Area. The Bilberry Hill Centre is a residential centre situated on the edge of the Hills Country Park. The centre features a variety of accommodation suiting all groups, ranging from single rooms to dormitories and a bunk-house. The centre also has a sports hall area, several large meeting rooms and a fully equipped kitchen.

4.38 The Hollymoor Centre located in Northfield offers Creative Skills and Workshops. The centre runs courses in music technology for over 16s both during the day and evening.

4.39 There are a number of small community halls within the Longbridge area; these are listed below: o Hawksley & Primrose Community Centre

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT o Rubery Community & Leisure Centre o Longbridge Health & Community Centre o Focus Community Centre o Hampstead House o Chaddesley Community Centre o Overbury Rd Community Centre o Northfield Library o Reaside Centre, Rubery

Places of Worship and Local Heritage

4.40 Churches and other places of worship play an important role in the life of the local community. In addition to providing facilities for religious education and worship and a meeting place for the community, their ancillary buildings often provide facilities for a wide range of other groups: pre-school playgroups, youth organisations, groups for older people and various clubs and societies.

4.41 There is a range of places of worship within the area, including:

 Longbridge Methodist Church, located on Bristol Road South  St. John the Baptist Church, located on Longbridge Lane  St. John Fisher Roman Catholic Church, located on Cofton Road  St. Stephen's The Martyr Church of , located on Edgewood Road, Rednal  Jesus Fellowship Christian Church, located on Cofton Church Lane, Rednal  Holy Trinity Church located in Lickey Square,  St Catherines Blackwell located in Lickey Square, Lickey Hills

4.42 Buildings and features of local heritage / cultural value are discussed in detail in the relevant baseline report, although it should be noted that there are no specific heritage buildings or community museums within the Longbridge area.

Emergency Services

4.43 Longbridge Police Station is located on Bristol Road South. The police station does not have a public enquiry office, however if there are officers available, enquiries will be addressed. Northfield Fire Station is located at South Road, Northfield.

4.44 Neighbourhood Wardens patrol operate across Northfield. The role of wardens are to reduce anti-social behaviour, minimise the fear of crime and provide a link with services

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT for the community to prevent: vehicle crime and abandoned vehicles, street crime, anti- social behaviour, fly tipping, graffiti, vandalism and burglary.

Post Offices

4.45 Post Offices often provide a particularly important local community service, in addition to postal services, cheque and banking services and social benefits encashment and are a vital part of the community.

4.46 In 2004 the Post Office Ltd (POL) announced plans to restructure its post office urban network through the closure of 3,000 branches and investment in the remaining post offices across the UK. As part of the Post Office Ltd’s Urban Reinvention Programme, 29 branches were earmarked for closure in the south of Birmingham, including the Longbridge Post Office and the post office on Sunbury Road. However, both post offices within the Longbridge Ward were saved as part of the Urban Reinvention Programme.

4.47 There are three post offices within close proximity to the AAP site:

• Longbridge Post Office Bristol Road South - located within the existing parade on Bristol Road South. The branch is located in a general store, linking the post office services with other retail activities.

• Sunbury Road/Longbridge Lane - located within an existing parade of shops at Longbridge Station.

• Groveley Lane at its junction with Parsonage Drive - located within an existing parade of shops in Cofton Hackett adjacent to the former East Works site.

Financial Services

4.48 Banks provide an important support infrastructure for local communities, particularly when they are able to provide both personal teller services as well as automatic teller machines. There are five banks/building societies located within Rubery, one bank in West Heath, Kings Norton and Cotteridge, and currently eight banks located within Northfield.

4.49 CommuniSave South Birmingham Community Credit Union Ltd is located at Cotteridge and is a well established local credit union network across South Birmingham. CommuniSave is a not-for-profit, financial co-operative, owned and run by its members. Credit Unions provide a savings and loans service to their members. Membership of CommuniSave is open to anyone who lives or works in the South West Birmingham (principally the wards of Bournville, Selly Oak, Kings Norton, Northfield, Longbridge, Weoley and Bartley Green, together with part of Edgbaston ward including the University and QE Hospital sites).

Retail and Leisure Provision

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT 4.50 Local shopping provision within the immediate area around Longbridge is limited in scope; the primary ‘walk in’ catchment of local centres is generally about 500 metres with 1KM usually defining the ‘local’ provision. The local shopping offer is characterised by parades and clusters of small shops and services of no more than neighbourhood importance. A number of these have high vacancy rates, poor quality accommodation and other constraints such as limited parking. None of the locations within the immediate area surrounding Longbridge could be classified as a local centre in policy terms.

4.51 In functional terms, the cluster of shops at the junction of Sunbury Road and Longbridge Lane comes closest to what might be regarded as a local neighbourhood centre or parade. A newsagent, post office and pharmacy are present, alongside a number of other shops and services of a local nature. However, the core convenience retail offer is extremely limited and the overall quality and quantum of provision is poor.

4.52 In qualitative and quantitative terms, the most attractive provision locally is at Birmingham Great Park, where an extended Morrisons store performs a wide ranging function. Alongside an extensive convenience retail offer, the store provides a newsagents, pharmacy, café, take-away food, banking (Abbey) and cashpoint, dry cleaning, photo processing, specialist fresh food counters, demarcated departments for recorded media, beers, wines and spirits and a range of general comparison goods. The store also offers a petrol filling station and benefits from extensive surface level car parking. Substantial additional leisure and service provision is also situated close by, on Park Way and this extends to include a cinema, bingo, health and fitness, bowling alley and other restaurants.

4.53 Turning to the wider area, Longbridge is surrounded by a ring of five defined centres. In summary these are:

• Rubery , situated to the west of Longbridge across the border in Bromsgrove District. It provides a broad mix of retail and service uses, including a Somerfield supermarket, in over 100 units situated on both sides of a traditional high street. It also provides a range of public and community services. In policy terms it performs a district centre function.

• West Heath, situated to the east of Longbridge, south of the junction between Alverchurch Road and Redhill Road. It has a more limited retail offer (11 units), and supermarket shopping is restricted to a very small Co-op store. Public and community service uses are also extremely limited. On this basis, West Heath performs a local centre function.

• Kings Norton, an attractive centre arranged around the green at the junction of Pershore Road South and Redditch Road, to the east of Longbridge. The retail

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT offer here is again comparatively limited (13 units) and supermarket shopping is restricted to a small Spar convenience store. The private service offer is more extensive, but the range of public and community service uses is limited. On this basis, it performs a local centre function.

• Cotteridge, situated half a mile to the north of Kings Norton at the junction of Pershore Road South and Middleton Hall Road. The overall retail and service offer is comparable in scale to that present at Rubery (102 units), and supermarket shopping here is available in a Somerfield store. There is also a number of public and community service uses. On this basis, it performs a district centre function.

• Northfield , situated to the north of Longbridge, is the largest defined centre in this part of Birmingham with over 170 retail, service and leisure units. It accommodates a food superstore (Sainsbury Savacenter) and two Iceland stores. It provides a more extensive comparison retail function (over 80 units), a wide range of private services, as well as public and community service uses. It has the highest number and proportion of multiple operators of any of the centres in this part of the city, by some margin. On this basis, it performs a district centre function .

4.54 In addition to the centres detailed above there are a number of smaller shopping centres at Weoley Castle, The Fold in Pool Farm, Kintyre Close in Gannow, Shenley Lane in Shenley Fields, Edgwood Road in Rednal, Teviot Grove in Hawkesley and Hawkesley Square in Hawkesley. Some of these small shopping areas are struggling to survive.

Summary

4.55 The main findings from the above audit / review are listed below:

• Birth rates are increasing locally and there is a projected reduction in the levels of surplus school places (both primary and secondary). It is anticipated that the levels of school places will fall short of the desired operating level needed to allow for parental preference, diversity of provision and to allow for new pupils, particularly in light of new planned developments (including Longbridge).

• The possible relocation of Bournville College provides opportunity to improve further education and lifelong learning opportunities locally.

• Although population projections associated with the Longbridge development do not support the development of a new stand alone doctor’s surgery, there are

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT substantial opportunities to provide a range of innovative outreach and / or joint services to tackle local healthcare issues.

• A wide range of Government services are provided in the Longbridge area, primary through Birmingham City Council’s Constituency Services, which is based in Northfield.

• Cofton Hackett Library is now closed with the nearest functioning library to be found at Northfield.

• Within the Northfield Constituency area, there is a solid network of Council run sport and leisure complexes and an evolving programme of sports and health development projects.

• There is a range of community halls and sports club venues in the Longbridge area. However, some of these facilities are in need of investment and refurbishment.

• There is a very low quality ‘local shopping offer’ within the Longbridge area, as well as a limited range of services, including banks.

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT

5. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE

5.1 There are a wide range of active groups, networks, forums and partnerships within the Northfield Constituency area. This chapter attempts to summarise the main social and economic community infrastructure. It is important to note that this chapter should be read in conjunction with Socio-economic Baseline and Equality Impact Needs Assessment.

Neighbourhood and Youth Forums

5.2 There are numerous local neighbourhood forums in the Northfield Constituency. Neighbourhood forums are essentially community groups run by and for local people. They provide an opportunity to discuss and influence key local issues, such as: • community safety and crime education • environmental issues • health and social issues housing • local economy • transport

5.3 Neighbourhood forums can campaign on these issues and make representations to ward advisory boards and district partnerships, etc. Membership is free, and open to all people aged 16 and over. Neighbourhood forums themselves decide the area they will cover. Usually this is an area that forms a 'natural' neighbourhood, which can be as few as 500 or up to as many as 5,000 households. The area can cross ward boundaries if necessary. Birmingham City Council is in the process of devolving decision-making, budgets and some services to eleven 'districts'. Neighbourhood forums and the local knowledge they represent can make a big difference by ensuring that the districts' spending and priorities reflect the needs of local people.

5.4 Northfield Young People’s Forum provides a voice for young people in the area aged from 12-19. The forum has recently begun to use the name INVOLVE to represent its interests. The aim of the forum is to involve all young people in the Northfield Constituency area in new activities and breaking down barriers.

Community Network South West (CNSW)

5.5 CNSW was set up in 2006 to work with communities in areas of South West Birmingham affected by the closure of MG Rover. CNSW facilitates economic regeneration in Community Economic (CED) areas, helping to engage volunteers and assist people back into work or training. Covering the themes of crime reduction, home maintenance,

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT environmental enhancement, social enterprise and children and young people, CNSW offers the following support packages:

• The ‘Equip and Enable’ fund, a small scheme which gives grants of up to £15k to community / voluntary groups for projects with a community economic regeneration aspect;

• Capacity building for groups to strengthen their legislation, management structures or financial management;

• Funding for research to develop project ideas through feasibility studies;

• Encouraging the development of a network of voluntary and community organisations.

5.6 Supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Birmingham City Council, CNSW is governed by an Officers Group of Birmingham City Council representatives, Senior Constituency Managers from Northfield, and Officers from the South Regeneration and Planning Team. CNSW also operate through an Advisory Board, made up of members from the Officers Group with representatives from South West Birmingham Community Association (SWBCA), Connexions, Jobcentre Plus, Allens Croft Project, Rednal Residents Forum and is chaired by a local councillor.

5.7 Table 4-1 below provides a summary of key CNSW supported projects

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT

EQUIP AND ENABLE FUND CAPACITY BUILDING RESEARCH AND NETWORK DEVELOPMENT AND

FEASIBILITY STUDIES COMMUNITY EVENTS

LIFT Community Trust’s Support for small and Dads ‘N’ Lads and Bio- Friends of Kings Norton ‘Deputy Environment Officer new groups – improving fuels research projects Nature Reserve Open Day – Programme’ – working with governing structures, aim to bring on board guided tours, refreshments adult volunteers on managing meetings etc ex-MG Rover and demonstrations transferable skills employees to work in a development mechanics-related field of industry

Valley Riverside Project – Support for established Crime and home Carnivals – Northfield, Weoley practical environmental groups – workshops maintenance audits – Castle management courses delivered through the research looking at Digbeth Trust options to reduce crime levels and identifying service gaps

Voluntary, Employment and Forestry School – Other events – Allens Cross Training Opportunities looking at the possibility Celebration, Deelands Fun Contribution Project (VETO) – of opening a new school Day, job and return to work workbased support for adults in South West events with learning disabilities Birmingham

CSV Environment’s L-Plate Range of other research Gardening – allotment focused initiatives around arts, healthy living / eating project recycling, a community café, local building usage, a community newsletter and supporting the development of INVOLVE with their communications strategy

Various volunteering and training projects, including Woodgate Valley Urban Farm, Maypole Community Project and Friends of Balaam’s Wood

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT

Longbridge Health and Community Centre

5.8 The Mental Health Team provides a broad range of generic mental health therapies to the local population of Longbridge and Northfield. Therapies provided include individual and group support through psychological interventions, social support and recreational activity. Women's Day Services section provides day services for women with long-term mental health problems and provide support to use ordinary community facilities.

Longbridge Community Advice & Resource Centre (LARC)

5.9 LARC is a voluntary organisation with charitable status, based at the Hollymoor Centre in Northfield, Birmingham. They provide advice and help to jobseekers on all aspects of looking for work and offer the free use of resources. LARC is a registered charity that has offered its services to the community throughout the South West area of Birmingham over the past 13 years with the provision of high quality employment advice and guidance being its core service throughout this period.

5.10 The charity seeks to actively assist in the regeneration of the area and to help disadvantaged, economically inactive individuals currently outside the labour market to join the mainstream of the community by reducing levels of unemployment. Over the past decade LARC has addressed these issues through a variety of projects including social enterprise development. The aim of this CNSW-funded project is to provide a community based package of support for the unemployed such as job matching activity, customised job search activity, customised training to enable people to obtain the skills they need to access employment, job interview skills training and signposting. The project will support the health and social enterprise themes.

Longbridge Childcare Strategy Group

5.11 Charity based in Northfield. It aims to improve the quality of childcare in the area by offering training courses, and to improve accessibility by offering childcare for course attendees. Training courses in childcare include: first aid, food hygiene, NVQ level 2 and 3 early years and childcare education, health and safety, discover play, and child protection. The aim is to get people back into employment, and ensure good quality childcare to parents. The charity offers health and safety advice, knowledge on pre-schools, nurseries, childminders, schools and also offers advice on training.

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT

Frankley Church Community Project

5.12 The Frankley Church Community Project seeks to serve the whole community of the area. The project runs a host of events including lunch clubs, after school club, family support group, volunteer opportunities and a professional workers forum.

Friends of Balaam’s Wood

5.13 The group works alongside the Birmingham City Council Ranger Service in caring for Balaam’s Wood, the adjoining grassland and the Birmingham Great Park balancing lake. The group is dedicated to preserving and enhancing these open spaces for the present and the future. The aim is to promote these areas as a free local amenity for all ages, backgrounds and abilities. The aim of the project is to equip people with new skills such as angling and environmental construction in relation to the development of the balancing lake in Balaam’s Woods.

Arts and Cultural Activity

5.14 The Northfield Musical Theatre Company have regular meetings and practice meetings at St Johns Church Hall in Longbridge. The company produce plays and present these in theatres across Birmingham. Hard Attack Recordings is located on Longbridge Lane and offers a music studio and practice rooms. There are also numerous events, celebrations, and enthusiast organisations associated with the former MG Rover / Austin Rover. Cofton Park is the location for the annual ‘Pride of Longbridge Rally’ which attracts a wide range of car enthusiasts.

Northfield Town Centre Partnership’s One Stop Shop

5.15 Northfield Town Centre Partnership’s One Stop Shop provides an easily accessible, welcoming and friendly environment for those seeking work to access a range of support services, aimed at helping people get back in to work. There are some specific programmes aimed at Lone Parents’ that are being delivered by A4E, Pertemps and Freshwinds. Learn Direct also use the shop to assist people in developing CVs and other skills.

UPLIFT Project

5.16 Northfield and Longbridge Local Centres UPLIFT Project commenced a package of business support in January 2007, for businesses located within the Northfield Town Centre and Longbridge shopping parades. The support included a series of surveys with businesses and visitors, mystery shoppers, free and low cost advertising, assistance with

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT clean ups, sourcing suppliers etc. The project staff work closely with NTCP, and are based within the one stop shop.

Freshwinds

5.17 Following an analysis of need and gaps in existing services, Northfield Constituency commissioned ‘Freshwinds’, a local voluntary organisation to undertake an out-reach project aimed at people over 50 on Incapacity Benefit to refer into existing services to access work and training. The project met its targets in terms of client contact and referrals and made recommendations about the organisation and operation of such targeted out- reach services.

Projects with young people

5.18 The Connexions Service for South West Birmingham has pro-actively accessed a variety of funding sources to run successful short-term programmes designed to ‘hot-house’ groups of NEET (not in employment, education or training) young people towards training and work focusing in each programme on a particular profession. Northfield Constituency together with the Connexions Service and Bournville College has also been running a very successful Neighbourhood Caretaker Apprenticeship Scheme in Frankley for local NEET young people.

Bournville College – Enterprise Development

5.19 Bournville College’s ‘Safe Enterprise’ project aims to develop and support Social Enterprises in the South West area of Birmingham in a safe environment whilst forming and encouraging partnerships along the way. The project is required to achieve outputs in the areas of business start-ups, businesses supported and volunteers supported. The project is managed and delivered by the Business Development Team at the College, who are now located on the old Rover site at Longbridge in the newly built innovation centre.

Conclusions

5.20 There are a wide range of networks, organisations and groups which work across the Longbridge area. The focus of these organisations ranges from supporting training, skills development, enterprise and business development, through to building community capacity and developing local culture. The importance of these types of socio-economic infrastructure to the economy and local communities cannot be under- estimated. In essence, they have a key role to play in implementing the sustainable communities’ agenda.

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT 6 RECOMMENDATIONS

6.1 There are three main recommendations from this report which are important for the development and implementation of the Longbridge Area Action Plan. These are detailed below.

Supporting the Development of Sustainable Communitie s

6.2 The AAP will need to adopt and support a balanced and integrated approach to delivering the sustainable communities agenda. In simple terms this means creating places where people want to live and work, now and into the future. In the case of Longbridge this will require the development of a range of supporting physical, social and economic infrastructure. This approach fits very well with the strong sustainability themes which run elsewhere in the Area Action Plan. The implementation of ‘softer ‘ community infrastructure measures to support the development of new communities is often overlooked in planning and place-making, but should be central to the agenda in the Longbridge AAP, which is estimated to deliver a minimum of 1,450 new homes, 10,000 jobs and over 3,000 new residents.

A New Heart for Longbridge

6.3 Local services are fragmented and dispersed in the Longbridge area - this is perfectly understandable as the Longbridge Works covered over 140 ha and still dominates the local environment today. As noted, the local retail offer is also very poor. There is a clear rationale for a focal point or ‘new heart’ to be developed at Longbridge to bring together convenience shopping and day to day comparison and service provision to meet the needs of the existing and anticipated population. However, the approach adopted at Longbridge needs to be carefully balanced to not only provide a range of services and facilities to support new communities and consumption (as well as ‘plug the gaps’ in current service provision – e.g. local banking), but to also create sufficient links and opportunities for the ‘spin-off’ regeneration impact of Longbridge to benefit other communities in South Birmingham / North Bromsgrove, through the increased usage of existing services and facilities.

LONGBRIDGE AAP, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE BASELINE REPORT Implementing Sustainable Communities

6.4 It is recommended that finances and resources are identified to assist in the implementation of appropriate physical, and socio-economic infrastructure as part of the AAP. This will need to include:

• Investment in education and childcare – including nursery, crèche, primary and secondary facilities

• Enterprise and business support building upon current initiatives in the Northfield Constituency and North Bromsgrove

• Contributions towards safer communities, healthy living and sports development initiatives

• Investment in lifelong learning, community cohesion and inclusion

• Support for local heritage and cultural initiatives