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Concerns as final Druids Heath plans unveiled

BBC A woman with blonde hair and a white coat and jumper in a small room with a white screen behind her, as well as a chair and tableBBC
Jane Harper was one of the residents to raise concerns after seeing the final plans

A planned £1bn regeneration of Birmingham's Druids Heath estate could get underway in spring 2027 with the first ground work - but the scheme leaves some residents fearing for the future.

The city council has produced a final masterplan for the project, which is likely to take more than 20 years to complete, over five phases.

The project would involve the demolition of the area's 1960s tower blocks to make way for 3,500 new homes.

People living in the area, though, have said they are concerned about the likely cost of the new homes, with some fearing the sums may force them to move.

The plans were put on display at Manningford Hall on Tuesday and Jane Harper, a local resident, said she agreed the tower blocks needed to come down.

But she added: "There’s a lot of home owners out there who’ve put all their working life into their houses, to pay them off and put their feet up in their retirement and now they want to snatch them away."

Another local, Dave Pitt, said he was concerned a lot of people, many of them elderly, would be priced out of the new properties.

Peni Whelan asked for specifics on timelines, saying: "When are things actually going to start happening? When are the tower blocks coming down?

"These are the things that people right here right now want to know."

A woman with dark hair and a green jacket standing on a grassy area with blurred houses in the background
Councillor Jayne Francis said she understood residents' concerns

Paul Langford, the council's director of housing, said: "The new homes that are going to get built are going to be of a higher value."

He added: "That doesn’t mean of course that people can’t stay on the estate, can’t keep their equity and it’s important for us that they have that option, not just to buy, but perhaps to rent."

A man with white hair in a dark suit standing in front of a blurred street with a community building behind him and a number of cars
Paul Langford said the council would support people hoping to stay in Druids Heath

Outline plans are set to be submitted in January and the search for a developer has begun.

Jayne Francis, the councillor responsible for housing, said she understood people's concerns about the cost of the new homes.

She said it was "really important to the council that everyone who wants to stay in Druids Heath can do so" and that the authority was looking at "different financial models" to help people on the estate.

She said there would also be independent advisors to help residents through the regeneration, as well as regular drop-in sessions.

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