Residents hit out at plans for 178-bed student accommodation

Proposals to demolish the Selly Oak Ex-Servicemen’s Club, on Selly Hill Road, and replace it with a part three/part five storey student accommodation are set to go before Birmingham City Council’s planning committee next week.

But the plans have been met with anger by several local residents, many of whom feel that too much student accommodation is being built in the area.

Construction was completed last year on the 418-bed Unite building near to Selly Oak train station, while there are also plans for 526 new student bed spaces on an old industrial estate on Elliot Road.

And many in the local area believe that enough is enough.

Resident Kim Adams said: “I’m just absolutely fed up of student accommodation. They are like a plague on communities with the mess they leave everywhere, plus the lack of common sense

“And these people are supposed to be our future? God help us all.”

Jay-Mason Burns, who lives in Selly Oak and working at the university, said: "This is ridiculous.

“Selly Oak’s heart and soul has been torn out by the constant eroding of our rich cultural history and industrial heritage, all to service a transient uncaring student population. The amount of rubbish just left out on the streets around the numerous multiple occupant houses is disgraceful.

“Meanwhile the community that remains is crying out for more services for local people, whilst buildings like the old Library and the beautiful Selly Oak Centre are left vacant and unwanted.

“Why not build affordable housing for young families on this site?”

Just seven objection letters to the proposals have been submitted to the council prior to next week’s meeting, including letters from Steve McCabe MP and the Community Partnership for Selly Oak.

However the feeling in the community seems to be far more widespread, with even local students joining the protests.

Medical student Ben Forrest said: “As a student, I do feel guilty that my university’s success and expanded student numbers has had such a negative impact on the local community and its social spirit.

“Personally, I find it sad that the university seems to be taking over Selly Oak and pushing out the original residents and destroying the community that used to live there.

"The recent ‘Unite’ building on the old battery site is a monstrous building and any similar development in the heart of Selly Oak will further damage the the character of Selly Oak.”

Michael and Gail Hoban, who have lived in Selly Oak for the past 46 years and have a house on the same road that the new development is proposed for, say they feel like they are being forced out by the growing student population.

They said: “The council don’t seem to have any concerns for the residents that still live in the road – we are the only council tenants left in the road.

“We are surrounded by students now. Every house in our road except ours has at least 4 or 5 students living in them, so to have another 178 in the road is unthinkable. It will only add to unbearable noise, vandalism, and filth.

“Enough is enough I think the council are determined to drive all residents out and then it can become an extended campus and then they can wash their hands of Selly Oak and leave the university to take it over.”

The application is set to go before the council’s planning committee next Thursday.