Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Box 22.2
Birmingham Heartlands
by unduly emphasising the 'problem' nature of the area,
and it would certainly rob the city council of control over
regeneration strategies. Instead, a Heartlands Development
Agency was established in 1988 as a partnership between
the private sector and Birmingham City Council. This was
run as a private company but importantly, and unlike the
situation within urban development corporations, the local
authority retained planning control.
Ambitious plans for the redevelopment of the area
were started, and significant progress was made; however,
it was realised that there were advantages to be gained
from UDC status, particularly in terms of more
straightforward decision-making procedures and more
generous levels of funding. Accordingly, the Birmingham
Heartlands Development Corporation was set up in 1992,
although it consciously maintained close links with the city
council. The designation of the UDC made available an
extra £50 million of government money, as well as
additional grants from the European Regional Fund.
Over the past ten years, a substantial transformation
has been wrought in the area (Figure 22.3). This
consists of a number of major projects in which support
for the remaining major industries, including Jaguar
cars, LDV vehicles, GEC Alsthom's railway works and
the SP and Dunlop Tyre companies has featured
prominently, but the plans also acknowledge that the
traditional manufacturing character of the area must be
complemented by new activities. Land reclamation
and redevelopment figure prominently in these
The redevelopment in the Birmingham Heartlands area
illustrates several themes concerning industrial decline
and dereliction, the choice of regeneration policies and
the changing patterns of land use and activities of a
mainly 'post-industrial' form.
Situated northeast of Birmingham city centre, and
astride the elbow formed by the M6 and the Aston
Expressway, the Heartlands district was, by the early
1980s, showing multiple signs of inner city decay. It
covered over 950 hectares and embraced 13,000
people in an area of extensive economic, social and
environmental disadvantage that had once been at
the heart of the West Midland's industrial economy.
Between 1979 and 1989, 10,000 jobs were lost as
factories, railway installations, gas, electricity and
other utilities either closed or shrank in size. With
these closures, the problem of derelict and vacant
land increased, reaching a peak of 300 hectares in
1989. Despite severe handicaps, it was clear that the
area possessed great potential: it is located in the
centre of the country, with a very large surrounding
population; it is adjacent to major motorway corridors;
and it is close to Birmingham International Airport
and to other elements of Birmingham's contemporary
development, such as the National Exhibition Centre.
Initially, Birmingham City Council was wary of
regenerating the area through an urban development
corporation (UDC) similar to those being adopted
elsewhere. It was felt that to do so might deter investors
Figure 22.3
New developments
in Birmingham Heartlands.
