Residents get away with spoiling Bordesley Green Ideal Village

Mar 25 2009 by Paul Dale, Birmingham Post

When the history of pointless acts by Birmingham City Council is written, the decision in 1990 to designate 440 homes at the Bordesley Green Ideal Village a conservation area will surely rate a chapter of its own.

Not because the council made a mistake in attempting to preserve the early 20th century workers’ homes – that was clearly the right thing to do – but because spineless officials and councillors simply turned a blind eye to residents who were determined to drive a cart and horses through restrictions prohibiting the use of inappropriate materials such as UPVC windows and artificial roof tiles.

Householders who wanted to rip out original features and replace them with the worst of modern alternatives were allowed to do so. Owners who fancied demolishing garden walls so they could create hardstandings for their cars did so and were not challenged by the council.

In 1999, after asking residents if they wanted the planning restrictions to remain in place, the council received the not unsurprising answer that most people would rather be able to make alterations to their homes as they saw fit and with no regard to protecting the conservation area. It was then that the council gave up and sanctioned a free for all – a decision briefly reversed in 2004, but by then it was too late to prevent the Ideal Village from being changed beyond recognition.

The Planning Committee chairman has said that this should not be seen as a green light for unauthorised development in other conservations areas.

That may be, but as far as Bordesley Green is concerned the council has failed in its duty to preserve the city’s heritage.