Dear Sir,
I was pleased to read the letter concerning planning control, or lack of it, on the Moor Pool Estate from the Harborne Society.
This is an historic garden village inspired by John Nettlefold, first chairman of the city planning committee, with houses described by th illustrious historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner as “as enterprising as any in England”.
We have a variety of Grade 2 listed buildings, an enhanced 4(2) conservation status backed by massive support from residents, yet we are having to fight a battle not only to secure the estate from modern development in its heart, but also hold back a tide of rabbit hutch extensions which neither the council nor the estate’s landlords seem able to stem or be bothered about. It is, after all, a conservation area selected because it is a well-maintained and preserved example of the garden city movement.
In July 1970, the conservation areas advisory committee reported: “The pattern of buildings, spaces and natural landscape features is itself delightful to see and ought not to be lost to the community.”
We shall see on Thursday at 11.00am, when the planning applications are determined what ‘conservation’ really means in Birmingham.
Rob Sutton,
Chair, Moor Pool Residents Association
