APPROVAL: Sustainable Urban Farm for the JQ

Plans to turn the upper two levels (5 & 6) of Vyse Street car park into a sustainable urban farm have won the backing of Birmingham City Council’s planning committee.

Campaign group Slow Food Birmingham and Urban Design Hub are free to reanimate an underutilised, nondescript grey space into a unique and productive green one.

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The aim of the farm is to champion local producers and food businesses and help to support the wants and needs of the local economy and people with a fresher, tastier, and more sustainable alternative to the major supermarkets.

Spread over two phases the project will include glasshouses for vertical growing, a non-odour emitting mushroom farm, plant beds, bee-keeping facilities, a community garden, an events space, three wind turbines, and a biodiversity centre with a café.

All goods to and from the site will even be delivered via electric cargo bikes and electric vans/milk floats.

“We hope that the project will foster valuable conversations about the city’s food system and create a model for change, championing hyper-local food production and education", Slow Food said earlier in the year.

Councillors unaminously approved the project with the consensus being that the initiative “will provide social, economic, and environmental benefits to the local community."

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Vyse Street farm, images from Urban Design Hub.

Beach at Smithfield Birmingham from Danter Attractions

For the third summer in a row, Danter Attractions (the family group behind Ice Skate Birmingham and Digbeth Fun Fair) is opening a fun fair in Birmingham. This time at the Smithfield Festival Site. The entrance will be from Pershore Street in Southside. It runs from 14th July until 28th August 2023. Mostly the same rides as in previous years, Wild Mouse, Star Flyer, Air, Dodgems and so on.

Beach @ Smithfield Birmingham. AKA Digbeth Fun Fair and Birmingham Beach, is once again being run by the family team at Danter Attractions (who annually hold Ice Skate Birmingham in Centenary Square).

Entrance: Pershore Street, Birmingham, B5 4RW

 

Dates: 14th July to 28th August 2023.

Postponed to 16th July due to the rain forecast. Or to a later date depending on the weather.

 

 

In 2021, Digbeth Fun Fair was located at Charles Henry Street (Warner Fields), while in 2022 it moved to land at High Street Bordesley (Lunar Rise). For 2023 it is at the corner of Smithfield near Pershore Street and Barford Street (Smithfield Birmingham). While these brownfield sites are not being used, Danter have been putting fun fairs on them each summer.

Smithfield was previously used in summer 2022 for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games (Beach Volleyball and 3x3 Basketball).

 

Gallery of 25 photos below taken by Elliott Brown

 

Initial views taken from the no 6 bus on Moat Lane.

Air and Wild Mouse

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Got off the bus at the Bullring (Park Street), and next walked to the Upper Dean Street view.

Runaway Train

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General view of the fun fair from Upper Dean Street towards the new developments in Southside.

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Dodgem and Wild Mouse

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From Dean Street.

Air and Star Flyer

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Onto Pershore Street near the entrance to Beach @ Smithfield Birmingham.

WELCOME TO THE BEACH

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Giant Circus Slides

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Top Spin

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Selfridges and Wild Mouse

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Onto the Pershore Street corner with Barford Street near Sherlock Street.

Air, Wild Spin and Star Flyer

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Wild Mouse

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The views from Moat Lane through the fence.

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Wild Mouse and Snow Storm

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Dodgems

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General view from Moor Street Car Park, level 8 (over from the Parametric Bridge connected to Selfridges).

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View from the no 35 bus on Pershore Street

Wild Mouse

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Before getting off the no 35 bus in Kings Heath on Vicarage Road, spotted this banner for Beach @ Smithfield Birmingham on the High Street near Institute Road.

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Go to their Facebook page Birmingham Beach (Digbeth Fun Fair). For more close up photos of the beach and rides, than we have been able to get from walking around Upper Dean Street, Pershore Street, Barford Street and Moat Lane.

Plans in for Icknield Square, a new canalside destination

Icknield Square is a brand-new canalside community set to deliver 243 apartments across two sustainable low carbon new builds ranging from four to 10 storeys.

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The dormant plot, which is adjacent to Port Loop, represents a major opportunity to reconnect the site with a new sustainable and green destination, providing a unique offering of high-quality amenities and quality of living.

Brought forward by Places for People and designed by Howells, two blocks ranging from four to 10 storeys are proposed, each one designed in a contemporary industrial interpretation, whilst also exhibiting low carbon design principles.

A mix of build-to-rent, market sale, and affordability is expected, delivering an eclectic range of 97 one, 141 two, and 5 three-bedroom dwellings (2-5 persons; 50-87 sqm), catering to every lifestyle.

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There will be an abundance of biodiverse amenities helping to green the area, including two private courtyards with canalside seating and terrace areas – and Icknield Wharf: a new public square that will dissect the site providing unrestricted access to the canal towpath.

A 'Class E' canalside commercial unit will bring additional vitality to the area.

Further championing sustainability will see the allocation of approximately 270 secure cycle spaces, EV charging bays, and 14-car parking spaces.

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You can follow this development here with us. For every other project, there's the Development Map. You can also follow us on our socials: Twitter & Instagram.

Icknield Square, a development from Places for People. CGIs from Howells 

The 6888 US Army African American women's postal unit at King Edward's School in 1945

Did you know that in 1945 at King Edward's School in Edgbaston, Birmingham, that The U.S. Women's Army Corps 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was based at King Edward's School to sort the backlog of post, in the last year of the Second World War? This little known story is being turned into a Netflix film. It was also featured on BBC Midlands Today.

The fascinating story about the Six Triple Eight was featured on BBC Midlands Today on Wednesday 5th July 2023. Descendants of the African American US Army members of the 6888 unit, recently journeyed to Birmingham, and visited King Edward's School. More information at the link below from BBC Midlands Today.

Six Triple Eight: The battalion of black women erased from history

 

The blue plaque was unveiled to the side of the gates on the Bristol Road entrance near Vince House in 2019, near The Andrew Brode Sports Centre. Members of the 6888 division was based at King Edward's School during 1945.

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Photos taken on the Bristol Road in Edgbaston at King Edward's School during September 2020 by Elliott Brown.

Walk up the Tame Valley Canal from Tame Bridge Parkway towards Great Barr

I got the train to Tame Bridge Parkway Station in Sandwell, and had a walk in the hot weather along part of the Tame Valley Canal. This bit goes near the M5 and M6 motorways. I got off at the Newton Road Bridge in Great Barr (then tried to make my way to Hamstead for the next train to Birmingham). Was probably too hot and humid to do the walk.

After arriving at Tame Bridge Parkway Station on Saturday 24th June 2023, left the station via the entrance / exit on the Walsall Road, then headed onto Navigation Lane, to get onto the Tame Valley Canal.

 

Stonecross Bridge

The Stonecross Bridge, also called Friar Park Bridge or the Walsall Road Bridge. I did not walk in that direction, as was heading to a couple of aqueducts nearby.

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Navigation Lane Aqueduct

This aqueduct crosses over Navigation Lane, and is Grade II listed. Was built 1841-44.

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Grand Junction Aqueduct

This aqueduct is near Tame Bridge Parkway Station (opened in 1990). Was built over the Grand Junction Railway (now part of the Birmingham New Street via Perry Barr to Walsall line). Grade II listed, it opened in 1844. There is good views of the station from up here, as well as to the Bescot Yard, Bescot Stadium and The RAC building near the M6 motorway.

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M5 Motorway Aqueduct

The next aqueduct crosses over the M5 motorway, to the north west, with it's junction with the M6. The River Tame is also near here, but didn't see it.

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River Tame Aqueduct

One more aqueduct, this one crosses over the River Tame. Only had views of the M6 heading in this direction, or the Birmingham skyline and nearby tower blocks.

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Grey Heron

On the section of the Tame Valley Canal beyond the first M5 crossing, saw several grey herons.

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Rushall Junction

At this point on the Tame Valley Canal, is Rushall Junction where it joins onto the Rushall Canal. The Rushall Junction Bridge on the left.

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Rushall Canal

The start of the Rushall Canal from the Rushall Junction Bridge on the Tame Valley Canal. Bridge in front carries the M6 motorway. Catshill Junction is about 8 miles and 9 locks away on this canal.

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Brickfields Bridge

At this point, the towpath switches sides at the Brickfields Bridge. Behind is a pair of M5 motorway bridges, which go from the south west to north east, and join onto the M6. This footbridge is Grade II listed and dates to 1844.

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M5 Link Road Bridge 1

The first M5 link bridge can be seen from the Brickfields Bridge as you cross it, or as you walk or cycle under it. This is for traffic heading to the end of the M5 and onto the M6 going east.

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M5 Link Road Bridge 2

The second M5 link bridge. Seen after walking under it. This is for traffic leaving the M6 and heading onto the M5 motorway, heading south west.

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Brickfields Turnover Bridge

One more Victorian footbridge. Grade II listed, it dates to 1844. Formerly a road bridge apparently. Not sure where it went, but was a man fishing on the other side, and someone with their dog. The Brickfields Turnover Bridge probably links to nearby Chatsworth Avenue.

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Newton Road Bridge

A very high (compared to the canal) road bridge on Newton Road in Great Barr. I took my exit here. Was very hot and sweaty by this point.

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Could of continued to Hamstead and Perry Barr, but left at Great Barr, then tried to get to Hamstead on foot. But at one point caught a no 16 bus to the Scott Arms in Great Barr, before getting another 16 (probably the same one) to Hamstead Station.

 

In future, maybe best to do these canal walks in cooler weather. It was just too hot and warm. Plus there was the usual illegal off-road motorbikes I encountered on the canal. They were also on a path in a field that lead to Sandwell Valley.

 

Photography by Elliott Brown