Save Bournville Parks
Environment Agency pause all exploratory work for the Bourn Flood Risk Management
Updated 21 May 2024
The Environment Agency have released the following regarding the planned exploratory works:
We know the devastating impact that flooding can have to people and communities.
With anticipated climate change impacts and a rising urban population, we are likely to see an increase in both the likelihood and impact of flooding in the future which is why we are exploring options to help better protect communities at risk of flooding in the Bournville and Stirchley areas of Birmingham.
We are equally committed to working with those who live and work within these communities, whether personally at risk of flooding or where there is potential to be impacted by possible future options to reduce flood risk to others. We have heard and understood the concerns of some residents and groups in relation to the Bourn Flood Risk Management Scheme. We are at a very early stage in this process and, while options are being explored, no decisions have been made. We want to ensure that any future decisions are properly informed by the community and as such we have paused all ground investigations within the parks, which were due to commence at Weoley Park on the 23 May.
We remain fully committed to ongoing meaningful engagement with all those who could be affected by any potential scheme and we hope this helps to allay some of the concerns of the community. We will publish an options appraisal report as well as an engagement plan in the coming months clearly highlighting where we are within the project and what the options look like going forward. We will work with the community to decide on the best way forward together.
Bournville Village Trust took the opportunity to post the following on their Facebook page:
Today we’ve met with the Environment Agency to discuss the notice that was served for exploratory works planned at Weoley Park, Manor Park and Valley Parkway in Birmingham, on 23rd May. The EA have told us that following a review, and our legal challenge, these works have now been paused and won’t take place this week. The EA are working on a new plan for consultation and engagement with residents and local organisations/groups, and as a result no works will take place until further notice. We’re working on updating the FAQs and info on our website and this will be live shortly.
Spring update
Updated 4 May 2024
It has been a while since we last updated local residents, however, please be assured that several meetings have been held in the background (with residents who expressed an interest in being involved in a core group driving opposition to the plans). As a result, the following actions (among others) have taken place:
Media coverage - some of you will have seen the item on BBC Midlands Today on 21 March. We hope that this item helped to spread the word more widely regarding the Environment Agency (EA) proposals of our parks. You can view the feature opposite.
Banners have been produced and put up in Weoley Hill Park in an effort to draw attention to our cause.
On 20 March, representatives of the EA attended a walkthrough of Weoley Hill Park with the core group. Questions were submitted to the EA in advance of the meeting, but these were not answered until 4 April. The responses were unsatisfactory and contradictory – we will be taking this up with the EA very soon.
A letter was written by local scientists and sent to the EA on 29 March, copying in senior executives at the EA. One of the main points was that, from the scientists’ “own very recent measurements that the volume flow rate from the Wood Brook is approximately 1% of that flowing along the Rea before it enters Stirchley or Digbeth” and thus, “under conditions of heavy rainfall, Wood Brook will contribute a negligible amount to flooding of any of the areas at risk”. A reply was received on 29 April. Again, the responses were unsatisfactory and contradictory, and we will be writing to the EA to try again to get answers to the points and queries raised.
Representatives for Manor Farm Park, Valley Parkway and Weoley Hill Park met with West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street, at Manor Farm Park on 20 April – where the plans for all three parks were discussed. As a result, Andy Street sent a letter of objection to the EA on 22 April, describing the plans as “wholly inappropriate”, and is seeking a meeting with senior executives.
We are in regular contact with BVT and hope that they will be issuing further details regarding their position soon.
Representatives of all three parks are in contact with each other and intend to meet to coordinate future action.
Exploratory works
Exploratory works by the EA were expected to begin in March but were postponed until immediately after the Easter break, starting at Manor Farm Park, then moving to Valley Parkway, and then on to Weoley Hill Park, taking approximately 3 weeks at each site. However, to date we are not aware of any proposed start dates and BVT have not received any application for Weoley Hill Park.
There is still no clarity on where the residential properties and businesses are that these three schemes are intended to protect. The EA will not provide details further than saying that they are in Bournville and Stirchley.
E-mail address
Should you wish to contact the core group opposing the proposals for Weoley Hill Park, please email: weoleyhillpark@gmail.com
You can also subscribe for updates when this site is updated.
Midlands Today Lunchtime News - 2024-03-21.mp4