Posts Tagged ‘factories’

3.2.10 Industrial Activity

Plain English Version

Trends say that there will be less jobs in manufacturing and more in high-skilled jobs. The amount of industrial space that is being used in Birmingham as a whole and in the city centre in particular is expected to go down.

Forecasts vary, but Cambridge Econometrics suggest that for the city centre the overall loss will be about 80,000 square meters.

Original Document

<strong>3.2.10 </strong>The core of the city centre, and related areas such as Brindleyplace, are self-evidently successful, but this success is far from universal across the whole city centre. Future employment trends show a continued move away from manufacturing towards high skilled jobs including business and professional services, and in certain quarters the employment trend away from manufacturing is very rapid indeed. Overall the amount of occupied industrial space in Birmingham city as a whole and in Birmingham city centre in particular is expected to decline. Whilst there may be different views about the rate of decline the overall trend is clear. Forecasts of employment prepared by Cambridge Econometrics would suggest that for the city centre the overall loss is forecast to be around 80,000 sq m, with this loss being spread across the city centre quarters.

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3.2.12

Plain English Version

The choice is to leave industrial work scattered around the city as it is now, or try to make it happen in one or two places.

Some firms might be in the city centre because that’s where they’ve always bee, but that might not be best for them. If we decide to move them they might be better near motorways, or in areas where there are cheaper factories. Some might need to be in the city centre, but the council could help them find better places there.

Original Document

Options are to leave industrial activity scattered around the city or to try and consolidate it in one or two key locations. Existing industrial premises may be in the city centre for historic reasons. But the firms there may not be occupying the optimal locations or premises for modern industrial activity. An active policy of managing this change may see firms requiring good access relocated closer to motorway networks, those requiring low cost premises relocated to other employment areas of the city, whilst those firms that need a city centre location for labour or product market reasons may stay where they are or move to more appropriate central area premises, assisted by environmental, urban design and public realm improvements.

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3.7.6

Plain English Version

Secondly, some of the areas with that used to house factories have poor quality street surroundings. Because there aren’t many people around and the buildings aren’t looked after people feel unsafe. The large amount of on-street parking makes the streets look cluttered.

Original Document

Secondly, some of the areas with an industrial legacy have a poor quality street environment. Low levels of activity and poor building maintenance give rise to poor street surveillance and feelings of insecurity. Extensive on-street parking detracts from the street scene.

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Question B8

Plain English Version

Should the plan support manufacturing and industrial use (such as factories) in the city centre and, if so, how?

Original Document

To what extent and how should the plan support the continuation of manufacturing and other B2 uses in the city centre?

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