Having read your article on the Digbeth is Good website I have a few additions and comments that you and your group may want to consider. Starting with the end of your document ‘Regenerating Digbeth’ I believe the list of organisations and representatives may need to be re-evaluated with some important additions added, additions from organisations that play an important part in the ‘festival’ and events life of Digbeth.
Capsule, who run Supersonic Festival and The Flatpack festival play an important part in Digbeth’s diverse cultural life – these are specific, and internationally recognised festivals; Shout Festival, which is predominantly based around Hurst Street also adds to this diversity by using venues within the Digbeth area. If a holistic marketing programme is to be developed the reputation of these activities needs to be recognised and utilised.
Besides the research you have quoted there was market research done on the St Patrick’s Festival and Branding research undertaken on Digbeth by Students from Birmingham University College in 2006, 2007 and 2008
the Festival and the Forum should have this information. I have also attached a report which I was commissioned to write in 2006 by the Irish Forum concerning the Irish Quarter Cultural Strategy
this work was undertaken following discussions at the Irish Quarter Board concerning what the ‘Irish Quarter Offer’ was to be.
I have also attached a copy of the Irish Quarter Business plan submitted in March 2006 to the board; it was the discussion from this document that produced the commissioning of the cultural and venue development document.
While these document are ‘of their time’ there are still some elements that ring true. Any marketing needs to take account of the huge changes that have taken place in Digbeth since these reports:
The variety of pubs that now serve the area
The improvements in the Irish Centre and the development of The Institute.
The reports did not consider the developments along the Custard Factory (Devonshire House), Fazeley Street, Floodgate Street, the Bond, Ikon or Vivid, developments that have increased the diversity of provision as well as organisations and businesses that have established themselves in the area.
Whilst entertainment provision has increased over the past 2-3 years, so has the number of places to eat and stay in – while this has been alluded to in the past, it is now becoming an integral part of people’s visit to Digbeth, the ‘Digbeth offer’.
Lastly, whilst there are a large number of ‘creative and cultural’ organisations, there are also an increasing number of social enterprises being developed utilising the facilities and location of the area – these organisations can only add to the rich diversity of activity and provision offered in Digbeth.
The Birmingham Post found out that BDO Stoy Hayward, administrators of bankrupt Concept Development Solutions, are in the process selling 106/Flynn House, 102 and 98 Moseley Rd – ‘although the details of the buyer have not been disclosed’.
What might be happening to the boarded up 94 Moseley Rd remains as mysterious as its owners Award Developments Ltd of Sparkhill, who don’t seem to have any contact details at all.
Further update following yesterday’s post into my trying to find out what’s happening to those four empty Grade II listed properties on Moseley Road. I’ve received the conditions for Birmingham City Council‘s approval of the above planning application for no.’s 106/Flynn House, 102 and 98 (‘…to replace an extant planning permission 2007/00830/PA in order to extend the time limit for implementation.’), which you can view in the document below.
Many of the 17 conditions begin with ‘No development shall take place until…’, which makes me think that’ll hold things up somewhat. The last point (17) is interesting:
The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of (3) years from the date of this permission.
So it could feasibly be over two years before any work begins on the buildings.
Just an update into my trying to find out what’s happening to those four empty Grade II listed properties on Moseley Road. The above planning application for no.’s 106/Flynn House, 102 and 98 (‘…to replace an extant planning permission 2007/00830/PA in order to extend the time limit for implementation.’) has been approved ‘subject to conditions’ following the Birmingham City Council committee meeting where the application was discussed on 22nd July.
I’ve been told there are 17 conditions. I’ve tried to access these via Birmingham City Council’s Planning Online but whenever I click on related documents a server error appears. I’ve emailed Planning Online today requesting the list of conditions be emailed to me as the website doesn’t work.
I have still not heard back from local councillors Tahir Ali, Chauhdry Rashid and Yvonne Mosquito and Concept Development Solutions’ administrators BDO Stoy Hayward, who I emailed about this issue on 2nd August. I’ve re-emailed them today asking if they’re able to respond to my query and give some indication of when development is likely to start on the properties. I’ve sent this email to BDO’s Head of PR, as well as the generic info@bdo.co.uk address.
I’ve been unable to get a telephone number or email for Award Developments Ltd of Sparkhill, who own 94 Moseley Rd, which is boarded up with plywood. I’ll try sending them a good, old-fashioned letter.
Below is Andy Munro’s introduction and his Digbeth Report.
DIGBETH REPORT
You may recall that late last year I undertook a consultation exercise to inform a study that I was undertaking on Digbeth, including lessons learnt from the regeneration approach that is being used in the Jewellery Quarter.
The reason for the late circulation of this report is the requirement for clearance for its release by the City Council and far more importantly further discussions with the public sector agencies on their appetite to support a reinvigorated approach to Digbeth etc. I am now satisfied that there is a real will to try and move things along within the obvious budgeting constraints that we all face these days.
Consequently, I am now looking to move forward the following:
Undertaking an up to date mapping exercise on dereliction, ownership, the business and residential communities using a team of undergraduates from Birmingham University.
Setting up a new Marketing Group to investigate not only how we can market the area better, but how we can develop ‘the product’ to attract more footfall.
Setting up a new Developer/Landowners Group to feed into the development of the Big City Plan Guidance, how we tackle dereliction and stalled sites and to also assess the demand for a proposed ERDF funded grant scheme.
Progressing the proposed relocation of the JFK Kennedy mural, the improvements to Bradford Street and a way forward on the best viable option to improve Digbeth High Street.
There are of course a myriad of other issues that will needed to be tackled over a period of time.
Please do not hesitate to contact me directly on email (andy_munro@birmingham.gov.uk) about the attached study report.
I took a walk over there. The house that caught fire is next to Al Kawthar Academy at 110-114 Moseley Road and just opposite Highgate Park. The house numbers are kind of erratic, but it seems to be part of 106/Flynn House, 102 and 98, all of which are empty and boarded up. According to the Land Registry, these Grade II listed properties are owned by Concept Development Solutions, who Anna Blackaby tells me went bust in 2009. On a post just outside the property is an application for planning permission:
Application to replace an extant planning permission 2007/00830/PA in order to extend the time limit for implementation.
This will effectively leave another three years to complete this development:
Refurbishment of 3 listed buildings and the redevelopment of the rear properties to form a 50 bed care home (C2 use) and 43 retirement apartments (C3 use), provision of basement level car park and associated works.
98 Moseley Rd
This application, which apparently had no objections, went to a Birmingham City Council committee meeting on 22nd July and a decision should be reached by 6th August.
Rubbish outside 98 Moseley Rd
All the buildings are boarded up with sitex and are in a pretty sorry state – especially no. 98, which has a front drive covered in rubbish and empty bottles and a letter about a posession claim by Concept Development Solutions against ‘Persons Unknown’ on the front door.
Letter on door of 98 Moseley Rd
Next door to 98 is no. 94, which is owned by Award Developments Ltd of Sparkhill and is boarded up by plywood. Getting into it looks like it could be pretty easy.
94 Moseley Rd
To the left of this is no. 90 which, thankfully, does seem to be showing signs of life.
90 Moseley Rd
So as things stand, it looks like this row of four Grade II listed properties on Moseley Road, which have been out of action for quite some time, may stay that way for a while longer. I’ve started a query on Help Me Investigate about this, to try and get some advice on finding out when development might start on the buildings. I’ve also emailed local councillors Tahir Ali, Chauhdry Rashid and Yvonne Mosquito and Concept Development Solutions’ administrators BDO Stoy Hayward about the issue.
A series of pubs built in Birmingham between 1896 and 1904 by James and Lister Lea are truly unique to Birmingham. These pubs are named ‘tile and terracotta’ so-called from the red terracotta facing on the frontage and extensive use of tiles for decoration inside.
YouTube – Digbeth Square.avi – This looks like it could be the old Connaught Square site between the Birmingham Coach Station and the Irish Centre – there’s a strip of blue that looks like it could well be the River Rea running through it. But I can’t be sure.
JFK FOR FLOODGATE STREET – Seems the old mosaic is destined for Floodgate Street following last night’s consultation meeting at The Irish Centre. Even better news is that:
Proposals to revamp the artwork by including more contemporary figures such as Nelson Mandela – described as “crazy” by Cabinet Member for Leisure, Sport and Culture Martin Mullaney – were rejected.
