MANY local people would imagine the issue that has stirred more interest than any other would be a big national or international issue but nothing has caused as much of a stir as the former King George V pub on Bristol Road South.
Last month I met with the chief executive of Birmingham City Council Deborah Cadman and this site was one of the main points of our discussion.
The land has been purchased and there is planning permission to develop the site into apartments. As a listed building it will remain a landmark of Northfield but the council needs to enforce the planning conditions.
The developers are required to commence work within a time-frame but in the meantime I am clear as the local MP that the site must be made safe and tidied up.
Locals know the story only too well – it was once a popular pub especially with workers at the car plant but now is derelict, covered in graffiti and an eyesore.
When I posted an update on Facebook it was incredible to read the comments – so many people were worried the site could be subject to an arson attack and many others lamented the demise of this site.
But there are ways to stop this. Security at the site is too lax which means it is vulnerable to all sorts of problems. Once an area is secured and cleaned up, people are far less likely to throw litter or vandalise it.
This is why I have launched a petition to get the council to enforce the planning conditions and clean up the site.
This is a great example of the day-to-day work I do as the local Member of Parliament – working on the local issues which make a big difference to people’s lives in the area.
When I was knocking on doors in the roads around the area there was a lot of anger at what had happened to the former pub.
These simple steps could ensure the developer gets to work quickly and means the site is protected until that time.
Northfield is a lovely place to live and work and if we get this right we can retain much of the building, with all the history that goes with it, develop it properly and make the area cleaner and greener.
Gary Sambrook
Northfield MP
