Update on Moseley Road baths –19th November 2011 – Good news and Bad news

There is good news and bad news with regards the re-opening of Moseley Road baths in mid to late January 2012.

For some background, my last blog update was on 1^st November and can be seen at http://martinmullaney.blogspot.com/2011/11/update-on-moseley-road-baths-1-st.html

The good news is that we are still on target to re-open the swimming baths in mid to late January 2012. The company removing the asbestos in the basement, finished on Friday 18^th November. There will now be two days of inspection and air testing for asbestos and if this is successful, work will begin on installing the permanent scaffolding in the basement – this will take 6 weeks to complete.

The bad news is that the roof of the baths is being visited by metal thieves on a nightly basis. I attach photos below showing the damage they are causing, but as you can see they are doing the following:

a) Stealing the lead flashing, which in turn will introduce large leaks into the roof infrastructure, causing more rot

b) Displacing roof slates or putting their foot through roof sections, as they remove the lead flashing, which in turn is creating more roof leaks.

c) Trying to remove the cooper lightning conductor at the base of the boiler house chimney. If they succeed is doing this, this could be catastrophic, since the chimney would explode if hit by a lighting bolt.

Stopping the metal thieves is proving difficult, since they come with ladders and are prepared to clamber over the roofs, putting their own lives at risk, to get to the metal they want.

We have met with English Heritage who have given us permission to replace all lead flashing with a substitute material called ‘turncoat’ stainless steel. This material looks like lead after weathering, but has the advantage of being very difficult to remove. Lead is soft and rips – perfect for the metal thief. Stainless steel is stiff, can be nailed in place and has to cut by hacksaw.

With the £80,000 for ‘sticking plaster’ works we has successful received from corporate finance, we will be replacing all lead flashing.

With regards the Heritage Lottery bid, we are aiming to put the bid in, in April 2012. However, I’m in discussions with Corporate Finance to understand what level of match funding the Council are willing to offer – this is a pre-requirement for any HLF submission.

Planning Applications in Moseley & Kings Heath Ward that are still live– Sunday 13^th November 2011

These are applications, where no decision has been made and residents can still comment on.

Drawings and further details on each of these planning application is available on-line at http://eplanning.birmingham.gov.uk/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/ApplicationSearch.aspx

If you wish to comment on any of these applications, you do this by the following means

• e-mailing to planning@birmingham.gov.uk

• telephoning (planning will accept comments on planning application over the telephone) 303 1115 – please remember to quote the planning application number you are commenting on

• post to Planning Management, Birmingham City Council, PO Box 28, Birmingham B1 1TU

2011/07644/PA 2 Yew Tree Road Moseley Birmingham B13 8QQ Listed building consent for the change of use to form new school and erection of single storey front extension to form entrance and reception area and erection of 1.8m high boundary wall and gates to front Registered 09-11-2011

2011/07642/PA 2 Yew Tree Road Moseley Birmingham B13 8QQ Change of use to form new school and erection of single storey front extension to form entrance and reception area and erection of 1.8m high boundary wall and gates to front Registered 09-11-2011

2011/07499/PA The Old Hall Moseley Hall Hospital Alcester Road Birmingham B13 8JL Listed Building Consent for erection of 2 metre high fence adjacent to rear of the Old Hall Registered 01-11-2011

2011/07497/PA The Old Hall Moseley Hall Hospital Alcester Road Birmingham B13 8JL Erection of 2 metre high fence adjacent to rear of the Old Hall Registered 01-11-2011

2011/07479/PA The Old Church Hall Moseley Hall Hospital Alcester Road Birmingham B13 8JL Listed Buildings Consent for the erection of new 2 metre high fence to the rear of The Old Church Hall. Registered 01-11-2011

2011/06679/PA 10 Elizabeth Road Moseley Birmingham B13 8QJ Certificate of Lawfulness for a proposed dormer window to rear Registered 05-10-2011

2011/07336/PA 95 Billesley Lane Moseley Birmingham B13 9RB Erection of a single storey rear extension Registered 31-10-2011

2011/07388/PA 582 Moseley Road Birmingham B12 9AA Redesign the glass conservatory extension to rear to omit the hipped roof section and replace with gable end Registered 27-10-2011

2011/07289/PA 135 Russell Road Moseley Birmingham B13 8RS Erection of single storey rear detached building. Registered 28-10-2011

2011/07383/PA 582 Moseley Road Birmingham B12 9AA Redesign the glass conservatory extension to rear to omit the hipped roof section and replace with gable end Registered 27-10-2011

2011/06877/PA 108 Oxford Road Moseley Birmingham B13 9SQ Re-instatement of 2-flue chimney stack to the front elevation. Registered 11-10-2011

2011/07216/PA 140 Wheelers Lane Kings Heath Birmingham B13 0SG Erection of two storey side and single storey front extensions and installation of dormer window to rear elevation Registered 26-10-2011

2011/05740/PA 2 Oxford Road Moseley Birmingham B13 9EJ Change of use from hostel (C2) to single dwelling house (C3). Registered 26-08-2011

2011/07205/PA The Old Hall Block 4 Moseley Hall Hospital Alcester Road Birmingham B13 8JL Listed Buildings Consent for the construction of internal wall to create access corridor through existing room. Registered 24-10-2011

2011/06872/PA 148 Alcester Road Moseley Birmingham B13 8HS Alterations to front elevation to include new arch and new windows Registered 10-10-2011

2011/06030/PA St Agnes Church Colmore Crescent Moseley Birmingham B13 9SJ Display of information board in grounds of Church Registered 12-09-2011

2011/06891/PA 67 Valentine Road Kings Heath Birmingham B14 7AJ Erection of single storey side garage, new driveway and installation of dropped kerb. Registered 13-10-2011

2011/06798/PA 44 Goldsmith Road Kings Heath Birmingham B14 7EJ Erection of single storey rear extension Registered 11-10-2011

2011/06583/PA 21 Woodbridge Road Moseley Birmingham B13 8EJ Lawful Development Certificate for an existing use as a takeaway (Class Use A5) Registered 30-09-2011

2011/05776/PA Karistos Nursing Home 29 Chantry Road Moseley Birmingham B13 8DL Change of use from care home (C2) into a 7 bed single dwelling house (C3) Registered 31-08-2011

2011/06707/PA 40 Moorcroft Road Birmingham B13 8LX Erection of two storey side and single storey forward extension Registered 06-10-2011

2011/06567/PA 75 Station Road Kings Heath Birmingham B14 7SS Erection of single storey rear extension Registered 29-09-2011

2011/06149/PA 32 Chestnut Road Moseley Birmingham B13 9AH Erection of first floor rear extension and alterations to roof Registered 15-09-2011

2011/06681/PA 47 Goodby Road Birmingham B13 8RH Erection of 1.9 metre screen wall and 1.1 metre high balustrade to rear first floor Registered 05-10-2011

2011/05957/PA 120-138 High Street Birmingham B14 7LG Erection of canopy to front Registered 05-09-2011

2011/06712/PA 145 Alcester Road Moseley Birmingham B13 8JP Change of use to a car wash operation Registered 03-10-2011

2011/06166/PA 70 Blenheim Road Moseley Birmingham B13 9TZ Conversion of property from 3 flats into a single dwelling house and external alterations Registered 16-09-2011

2011/06672/PA 169 Alcester Road Moseley Birmingham B13 8JR Change of use of vacant buildings to retail (use class A1) and formation of new residential unit (use class C3). Registered 04-10-2011

2011/06471/PA 2-4 Woodbridge Road Moseley Birmingham B13 8EJ Change of use from retail (use class A1) to restaurant use (to form 2 x A3 units), installation of new shopfront, installation of extraction flue and erection of single storey extension to rear Registered 23-09-2011

2011/06290/PA 74 Salisbury Road The Dene Moseley Birmingham B13 8JU Erection of orangery to rear Registered 22-09-2011

2011/06307/PA 27 Merton Road Moseley Birmingham B13 9BX Erection of a single storey rear extension and installation of canopy to front. Registered 21-09-2011

2011/06283/PA 124-130 Anderton Park Road Moseley Birmingham B13 9DQ Application for prior notification of proposed demolition of single storey side extension. Registered 22-09-2011

2011/06256/PA 49 Billesley Lane Moseley Birmingham B13 9QT Reconstruction and extension of 2 no. existing tennis courts and installation of floodlighting. Registered 21-09-2011

2011/06125/PA 46 Belle Walk Moseley Birmingham B13 9DB Erection of first floor rear extension Final Decision 14-09-2011 Approve subject to Conditions

2011/05253/PA Maple Dene Care Home 10-14 St Agnes Road Moseley Birmingham B13 9PW Installation of solar panels Registered 08-08-2011

2011/05105/PA 8A Wake Green Road Moseley Birmingham B13 9EZ Change of use to from offices (B1) to Non Residential Institute (D1) Registered 02-08-2011

2011/04787/PA Midlands Art & Craft Centre Cannon Hill Park Birmingham B12 9QH Installation of solar panels to existing flat roof Registered 20-07-2011

2011/03480/PA 69-71 High Street Kings Heath Birmingham B14 7BH Change of use from Bingo Hall (use class D2) to retail (use class A1). Registered 01-06-2011

2011/03267/PA Former Jug of Ale PH 43 Alcester Road Moseley Birmingham B13 8AA Erection of two storey and single storey rear extensions, creation of new entrance to side, associated landscaping and various alterations and refurbishment in connection with use as a restaurant. Registered 23-05-2011

Update on the re-erection of the Birmingham John F Kennedy memorial

Planning permission was today granted for new John F Kennedy memorial in Birmingham on the corner of Floodgate Street and High Street Deritend

Oliver Budd has now been given the go-ahead to start ordering the Smalti mosaic from Italy.

The target date for unveiling has now been agreed as 29th May 2012 – the 95th anniversary of the birth of John F Kennedy.

The quote for the right hand panel has been agreed as “A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on”. This quote was agreed by Oliver Budd and the Irish Welfare Information Centre.

The re-erection of the Kennedy memorial is being funded by Ballymore , the property developers behind the office development enabled by the new road layout at St Chad’s Circus.

Update on Moseley Road baths –1^st November 2011

I attended a meeting this morning with the contractors who are presently working on re-opening Moseley Road baths. The good news is that we are still on target to re-open the swimming baths in mid to late January 2012.

In addition I successfully managed to persuade the Finance department to fund an addition £195,000 of work on the baths – more details on this in a bit

My last blog update was on 29^th September and can be seen at http://martinmullaney.blogspot.com/2011/09/update-on-moseley-road-baths-29-th.html

The contractors moved onto site on 17^th October and are on target to remove all the asbestos from the basement, from 25^th November.

From 25^th November, work will begin on installing the permanent structural scaffolding in the basement which will replace heavily corroded temporary scaffolding which is holding up large sections of the floor plate of the building. This work will take six weeks to complete. Taking into account the Christmas break, we anticipate work finishing mid-January and the baths re-opening.

The fire exit door from pool 2, which caused the closure of the pool last Christmas is now fully repaired.

The £195,000 additional funding for the baths, is broken down as follows:

£65,000 to install the permanent scaffolding in the basement from 25^th November onwards

£50,000 to prepare a Heritage Lottery bid for just over £5million for phase one of the works to restore these baths. Our objective for phase 1 is to stabilise the condition of the building, so that it is no longer deteriating. This would include remove the dry rot from the first floor and fixing any leaks in the roof.

£80,000 for ‘sticking plaster’ works to get the swimming baths through the next two years, in preparation for any restoration monies. We are arranging a meeting with English Heritage and our Conservation Officers in two weeks time to walk around the building and roof. What we want to do is plug up any roof leaks on pool 2, remove any vegetation growing out of brick work and install temporary plastic rainwater pipes where the original cast iron ones have vanished. Plus lead has been recently stolen from the roof, which will also need replacing.