I went to the forgotten suburb of Birmingham where the locals are ‘terrified’ of what the council is doing

Derelict tower blocks may dominate the Druids Heath skyline, but there’s more to this south Birmingham suburb than meets the eye. Despite the destroyed phone boxes and graffiti on the abandoned high-rises, I find almost no litter and a strong sense of community spirit in the middle of a rat trail.

There is pride in this area near Maypole Island, with lots of locals mowing or tending roses and other beautiful flowers in small gardens. Shopping areas may look tired with dilapidated facades, but the shops and cafes inside are busy.

I am surprised, but only because I heard that Druids Heath had long been forgotten and neglected, prompting an ambitious regeneration program by Birmingham City Council. If the current plans go ahead after extensive public consultation, it will take the next two decades to transform the suburb beyond recognition.

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Druids Heath will be updated and more similar to the newly built areas of Longbridge, similarly regenerated and rebuilt after the demise of the Rover plant.

It will mean Druids Heath is no longer a relic of the past, used to film Steven Knight’s 1980s BBC show This Town, as it was one of the few places in the city with the same tall buildings and old view of industrial Birmingham. Even Chelmsley Wood, where the story took place, seemed too modern for that drama.

This will mean the destruction of 1,800 homes, local shops and looming tower blocks to make way for 3,000 new builds, along with more green space. However, no one I meet seems very excited about it, the most positive view is ambivalent at best.

At Kath’s Cafe and Irish Store in Idminston Croft there is a steady flow of customers to this cosy, welcoming traditional venue. It reminds me of the Bridge Street Cafe in EastEnders, but nicer.

Owner Kathleen Coogan takes a break from making breakfast to talk to me, proudly showing me her certificate for winning the title of Best Cafe at the Business England Awards 2024. However, the council’s plans have put a damper on the celebrations They.

During regeneration, Kathleen, from Frankley, is forced out of her building as it is knocked down. She’s been offered another space, but it means starting over and she’s worried about her customers.

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“I’ve got a lot of loyal customers and I’m not sure they’ll come to the new cafe, especially if a lot of builders start coming in with all the work going on,” muses Kathleen, 54.

“I want to stay here. I’ve been here for ten years and have parking in the front and back and love the way this cafe feels and looks.

“It scares me and it doesn’t scare me easily. It’s transition and moving everything and what’s going to happen. Will it be the same community here at the end of it all?

“People say ‘you’re going to make a killing from all the builders’ but it’s not about the money because I’m a big part of the community and I see it as a hub. There are some locals who don’t talk to anyone else outside. ever since i come to this cafe i worry about them too.

Other residents in the cafe are equally dismissive of the plans. He moans that “new builds are paper thin walled rubbish compared to older houses”. There are also complaints about the changing structure of the community and the displacement of different people for newer homes.

It talks about how it affected people on different levels. Elderly people who have lived on the estate for 50 years are racked with anxiety and worry about losing dear neighbors they have come to know. Then there’s someone who spent “a lot of money” doing up her property after inheriting it from her mother, but now has to move and will be out of pocket.

John Brogan, 71, has lived on the estate for four years and is the only person I can find who agrees with the council’s plans. “I don’t mind,” he says. “I’ve been to Small Heath before and I prefer it here so I’m fine with what’s going on. It just doesn’t bother me.”

That’s not the view of a 20-year-old commuter who prefers to remain anonymous: “It may look nice from the outside, but the community will change forever,” he says, shaking his head.

“It just makes people scared and nervous, especially a lot of the older residents. They say it’s going to take 20 years, that’s two decades of disruption for the people who live here. We’re all scared about the future.”

Local views echo what Druids Heath local councilor Julien Pritchard, from the Green Party, has already warned the council about – involving residents more in regeneration plans and what changes are taking place.

“Druids Heath absolutely needs investment, having been neglected for decades – but the Council needs to do this regeneration with the residents, not at them,” said councilor Pritchard.

What did Birmingham City Council say about the Druids Heath plans?

Birmingham City Council said there will be a public consultation on the plans before anything is approved, which is due next year.

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“The level of demolition set out in the proposed masterplan is significant and we know this will cause anxiety for residents living in the area.

“The reason for such a significant demolition is so that the Council can take a first approach to construction. This meets that households will only be expected to move once and wherever possible no one will have to move out of the property if they don’t want to.

“We are working with the community to ensure that the spirit of Druids Heath is not lost and the existing community will have access to the benefits that will be provided by the regeneration project.”