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Approved
More than 500 student flats at a Selly Oak industrial estate have been approved despite fears it will force families out.
A planning application from the Watkin Jones group and Elliott Road Selly Oak Ltd for 523 units of student accommodation in Elliott Road was approved by Birmingham City Council’s planning committee on 30th September 2021.
The plans involved two separate buildings – a row of four-storey town houses and a four-to-six-storey building arranged around a central courtyard.
The plans had been supported by a 190-signature petition and opposed by a 140-signature petition as well as ward councillors and Steve McCabe MP, MP for Birmingham Selly Oak.
Opposition
Residents opposing the plans had said families would move out of the area as a result of the development.
Speaking at the planning committee, Barry Toon of the Community Partnership for Selly Oak (CP4SO) disputed there was a pressing need for more student rooms for University of Birmingham students, as suggested in a survey included in the application.
He said: “The local community strenuously object to this development because of the serious implications it has.”
Tax exemption
“This development is targeted purely at achieving 100% council tax exemption. The city will receive no housing gain from it.”
He said the development would make the student population in the area “too high to sustain a balanced community”.
A planning officer speaking at the meeting said the issue of student need had been “debated at length on a variety of applications” – but that the council accepts the need argument of the applicants.
She said the comment about a balanced community was a “valid concern” but that it was not felt the development would have an unacceptable impact on the community.
She also pointed to an agreement being called for which would secure £810,000 in the form of a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).
Ellen O’Grady, head of development planning UK at Arcadis, speaking in support of the application, said the scheme had been designed with students’ well-being in mind.
Benefits
She said: “One of the benefits of the scheme is its active frontage to the canal and we have worked with the Canal and Rivers Trust to agree a number of enhancements including lighting and signage to the towpath, contributing to the city’s desire to make the towpaths enjoyable and safe.”
“There are no objections from council departments or statutory consultees.”
She noted those signing the petition in support “outweigh” those who had signed a petition in opposition to the scheme.
She added around 3,000 construction jobs would be created through the scheme.
Cllr Dominic Stanford said there were aspects he like about the scheme but said there should be a greater focus on enhancements of the canal as part of the agreement secured with developers.
Cllr Saima Suleman asked what if any impact the committee’s decision would have on the upcoming planning inquiry into the ‘Selly Oak Triangle’ which has refused by the committee based on the scheme’s scale.
The planning officer replied to yesterday’s decision would not have a direct impact on the appeal – due to be held from October 11th for six days.
The plans were approved by nine votes to one with no Councillors abstaining.
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