Longbridge
| Longbridge | |
| Worcestershire | |
|---|---|
 Longbridge Technology Park Innovation Centre | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SP015775 |
| Location: | 52°23’42"N, 1°58’44"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 25,410 (2011 Ward[1]) |
| Post town: | Birmingham |
| Postcode: | B31 |
| Dialling code: | 0121 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Birmingham |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Birmingham Northfield |
Longbridge is a suburban area of south-west Birmingham, lying within Worcestershire.
Since 1906, the area has been dominated by the Longbridge plant, which produced Austin, Nash Metropolitan, Morris, British Leyland, and most recently MG Rover cars. The factory became dormant, and some parts of the older sections of the site were demolished after MG Rover fell into administration in April 2005. The company, renamed MG Motor (owned by MG Rover's would-be partner Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation) resumed full MG TF sports car production at the factory in August 2008 and in late 2010 started final assembly of the MG6.
Situation
To the immediate south-west lie the Lickey Hills, a favourite recreation spot for the people of southern Birmingham. From the south-east the railway line from Barnt Green divides Longbridge off from the Bittell Reservoirs: Longbridge railway station on the Cross-City Line stands opposite the Longbridge plant, near the A38 Bristol Road. The Austin Sports and Social Club is one of the many social clubs in the area.
Surrounding areas include Rubery, Kings Norton, Rednal, Northfield centre and West Heath.
Development
The service tunnel/bridge, used to carry vehicle bodyshells across the Bristol Road, was demolished on the night of 4 August 2006. Other parts of the huge MG Rover factories on the site were demolished during that night and later in 2006 with the land intended to be used for future redevelopment. At the moment much of the original site still lies unused awaiting development. Less than half of the original Longbridge site has been retained for car making.
Longbridge Technology Park
Situated where the Bristol Road meets Longbridge Lane, the Longbridge Technology Park was completed in late 2007. Businesses at the park include a firm supplying to Dell and IBM. It was announced after the construction that there were plans to build another two buildings of the same style, but plans were temporarily shelved after the recession.
Cofton Centre
After the collapse of MG Rover group the old XPower building was transferred to EH Smiths Builders Merchants, PRG lighting also took over a large warehouse/factory unit and two other warehouse/factory units were constructed on the site.
Bournville College at Longbridge
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Bournville College of Further Education have taken part of the former factory site just off the Longbridge Lane/Bristol Road, over the road from the Technology Centre. The site incorporates a gold-clad conference suite, a turquoise/blue clad sports hall, motor vehicle workshop and construction workshop and a main 6 storey gradual-sloping building clad in blue, going from dark to light as it nears the top. At the back the building, which will lead on to Austin Park, is clad in a shiny white cladding with big wooden beams stretching out and forming the wrap around a glass rectangular building which houses the library and learning resource centre. The campus will incorporate Bournville College's current three sites into one and allow for 15,000+ students, and relieve the old campuses for redevelopment. The new campus was opened on the 26th October 2011.[2]
Longbridge Town Centre
Outline planning application was put forward to Birmingham City Council for the town centre, including 25 new shops and restaurants with a major Sainsburys supermarket with underground car parking. Retail stores will account for over 150,000 sq. ft. An Austin Memorial Centre, and the River Rea being brought back to the surface will act as a focal point in the centre of a newly formed two-acre park called Austin Park, surrounded by the Bournville College campus and the new retail outlets and supermarket. The public were consulted in the autumn of 2010. There will also be a 75-bed hotel and 40 apartments overlooking the new park. The town centre will contain a total of nearly 700 parking spaces. A lot of interest has been shown in the retail outlets, including high end retailers given the proximity to affluent areas such as Barnt Green.
Other stores include Marks and Spencer, Greggs and Costa Coffee. Hotel chain Premier Inn with attached Beefeater Grill and Hungry Horse are also to be found here.
The Factory Young People's Centre
A youth centre was built on the land by the Austin social club and the nursery. The youth centre will house IT, media and music suites, a dance studio, sports hall, conference suites, arts space, workshops and outdoor AstroTurf and games areas. The centre was completed and opened the summer of 2012.
References
- ↑ "Birmingham Ward population 2011". http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=13689699&c=Longbridge&d=14&e=62&g=6362276&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1450103976929&enc=1. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
- ↑ http://www.bournville.ac.uk/the-college/newbuild/events/grand-opening/
- "The Great Park development". http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=3170&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=11741&EXPAND=5459.
- "Councillors Advice Bureaux - Longbridge Ward". http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=6122&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=11740&EXPAND=5459.