Protesting (along with the Community Partnership for Selly Oak) about the detail of the plan for the redevelopment of the Battery site.
All of the groups are strongly in favour of the site being redeveloped – sadly there are major problems with the detail.
Plans have been submitted and approved for the redevelopment of the Battery Site, at Selly Oak, where the Dudley No 2 canal joined the Worcester and Birmingham.
If the Lapal Link is ever to come to fruition, this site is critical.
For many complicated reasons, these plans are being modified.
More details are on the Lapal Canal Trust website, the Bournville Village website and the Selly Oak community partnership website.
Historically there are three links between the Birmingham canals and the Dudley canals, the Lapal Tunnel, the Dudley No 1 canal tunnel and the Netherton tunnel.
Only one of these is operational, and as this winters stoppages show, there is the risk of a long stoppage for major repair work. In the event of major works being needed at Netherton, the Lapal Link is the only viable alternative route.
From a canal point of view, the changes in the plans must not endanger the plans for the Lapal link.
Express your views on the community website, or better still write a letter to the council objecting to the current proposals.
None of the groups are against the development per se. The site as it currently stands is a mess.
From a boating perspective, it is important that it does not endanger the “Lapal Link”. The recent Selly Oak by pass had a major bridge included to allow for the canal, it would be wrong to throw that away by blocking the line further down.
The Selly Oak community have a problem with the site backing on to the Bristol Road rather than facing it. (Indeed the current Sainsbury’s putting its back to the road is a significant contributor to the feeling of bleakness around the area)