Dear Patchers — Welcome to your Friday newsletter.
This week we focus on what appears to be the terminal point of a passion-riven story: with news that the Ringway Centre has been re-approved for demolition. As such, today’s email is slightly longer and it comes with notes on other city development news.
Yesterday, Birmingham City Council’s planning committee voted 7- 4 to knock down the 750 ft-long curved Brutalist building at the centre of a fierce, multi-step debate. That the vote in favour of demolition has increased since the initial committee ballot — it passed by single vote in 2023 — belies support for the building. A multi-party campaign group has fought hard to save the structure. Many wanted it listed; others talked about the climate impact of demolition. But as Kate wrote in her Wednesday long read on the Ringway Centre the existence of this post-war development has always divided opinion.
“The conflict often splits people into one of two camps, condemned by the other side: if you’re a fan of the building, you’re an elitist snob; if you’re a hater, you’re a philistine,” she wrote.
For all the grassroots energy devoted to try and save the building — as well as celebrity support in the form of Kevin McCloud, well-known for presenting Grand Designs — many wanted it gone. As one Birmingham resident told Kate: “Knocking it down will open up Chinatown and the Gay Village to the city centre once more…it will feel more connected, safer, and cohesive.”
That said, since news of the Ringway’s fate was re-confirmed social media sentiment has largely coalesced in outcry at the result. On X, formerly Twitter, @jordanbhx questioned the role of suspended Labour Councillor Jack Deakin in the vote adding the decision would set an "alarming precedent" and "sign the death warrant" of thousands of other buildings.”
In addition, @JQMatt wrote: “This city is not serious about its heritage.”
@_______holly posted a picture of Chamberlain Square and added: “So what are we knocking down next?”
While outcry, as it stands, looks set to fall on deaf ears, many will be asking where exactly the committee vote leads us. The topline? Towards the building of three mostly residential use towers, between 44 and 56 storeys high. After the Ringway is reduced to rubble.
For some, this is just another act in the circular saga that is Birmingham planning. Another “pull down and start again” moment, as Richard Sapcote of the Birmingham Civic Society described. And while the Ringway’s future participation in this saga appears to be coming to a close, as there have been so many twists and turns along the way The Dispatch will be keeping as close as possible to any further developments.
Other points of order: I am aware I promised all of you an update on moments of international diplomacy from West Midlands icons. With Ringway news deserving of a full newsletter, I’ll be putting that off until next week. What I’ve got in so far has been brilliant. If you are sitting on regional diplomatic arcana, please do email me at: editor@birminghamdispatch.co.uk.
Testament to yourselves, as well as the deep dive reporting of Kate and our other writers, the paid-for community now stands at 330. With plans to grow this further , we’ll update you on what that means for our reporting output going forwards.
Until next week.
Brum in Brief
🏗️Ringway’s fate reconfirmed: Birmingham City Council planning committee has voted 7 to 4 in approving the demolition of the Ringway Centre for a second time. It follows a legal challenge to the original 2023 vote by an alliance of four groups, including Brutiful Birmingham and the Twentieth Century Society. The owner of the Ringway, Commercial Estates Group, plans to build three largely residential towers in its place.
👷Further city centre planning news: A big 24 hours for development in the city. The BBC has reported on a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape England's second city" with new £1.9billion plans to regenerate the Smithfield area. The proposals will be reviewed in early 2024. They were reworked after concerns raised by Historic England about how redevelopment might impact on the city’s looks and disturb Medieval remains.
🏢Broad Street ‘closed window’ planning policy: Another piece of planning news. It has been proposed that a workaround for a new Broad Street development could include closing windows to keep out noise from clubbers. Plans for a new 33-storey tower have been approved for the clubbing district but concerns were raised about the potential for future noise complaints. To deal with this, a report from the Environmental Pollution Unit suggested occupiers close windows been 11pm and 5am. Councillor Lee Marsham told the planning committee: “I think any Brummie of salt would know that if you’re going to live on Broad Street, it’s going to be a bit loud and noisy.”
🍺Update on The Crown: Famous Brum venue The Crown, which hosted Black Sabbath, Status Quo and Led Zeppelin, will be developed for residential and commercial use. BOM, an arts organisation, were alternately bidding to bring the locally listed building back into cultural use. They had previously secured Council backing for this development but this had been impacted by the council’s financial troubles.
🍷February fine dining: Beloved Birmingham institution Carters is relocating to the city centre from today until the end of May. Having temporarily moved to Evesham, the Michelin Star restaurant arrives at Eighteen at 103 Colmore Row. They are open for Friday dinner service, Saturday Lunch and dinner service, Sunday dinner service, and Monday dinner service. More information, here.
🧑Gilles Peterson at Hare & Hounds: For those who still like a little boogie but want to get to bed at a sensible time, DJ supremo, crate digger and BBC tastemaker Gilles Peterson is coming to Kings Heath on Sunday afternoon, courtesy of local promoters Leftfoot. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the event has been popular but ticket resale is active, here.
That's a shame about The Ringway Centre. Lack of imagination all round. I just don't think city centres are necessarily improved by very tall buildings crammed into a small space. Manchester is a case in point , I think they're oppressive.
An extremely perverse decision by Birmingham City Council, in view of overwhelming facts, scientific and other evidence overwhelmingly favour of conserving and retrofitting this iconic element of Birmingham's architectural, social, cultural heritage.
A few councillors, for reasons that remain unclear, have opted for a very short term, "quick fix solution", in response to the loud voices of Big Money, rather than take into account the sore need of Brummies for a human scale, accessible, aesthetically pleasing environment that works for us all, not just the economic elite.
Birmingham does not need even more vast highrises that block the sun for city dwellers and workers.
The very idea of demolishing one of our beloved landmarks, an architectural jewel, for Brummies to be proud of, and replacing it with 3 huge blocks is climate crime in terms of carbon emissions and environmental harm.
Birmingham City Council must account very clearly for why they are going in the veryopposite direction of their own stated Net Zero Carbon objective, why they are reneging on their promise, why they have decided to contribute significantly to the Climate and Ecological Crisis with these vast unnecessary construction projects that take our city from us and hand it over to profiteering "developers", and lost to us forever.
Finally I recommend, before arriving at their next decision oin this matter, that our councillors all read Captive State, by George Monbiot which, although published in 2000, is of even more urgent relevance today.
https://www.monbiot.com/books/captive-state/