The site of a former day centre for vulnerable adults in Birmingham is set to be transformed into a new supermarket, following a controversial sale approved by the cash-strapped city council.
Closure and Community Backlash
The Harborne Day Centre on West Boulevard was one of four such facilities controversially closed earlier in 2025 as part of severe budget cuts. The closures prompted significant concern from service users and their families. Resident Jean Cross warned in an open letter that "highly-vulnerable people and their carers are going to suffer immensely."
She detailed the personal impact, stating the closure would cause her brother distress and an unwelcome disruption to his routine, as he would struggle to cope with new surroundings. The centres provided crucial support, friendship, and skill-building opportunities for adults with learning and physical disabilities, autism, and dementia.
Council Approves Sale for Financial Recovery
At a recent meeting, Birmingham City Council, which declared itself effectively bankrupt in September 2023, gave the green light to sell the now-vacant Harborne building. A council report confirmed the sale supports the authority's financial recovery plan. Since the start of 2024, a vast array of council properties and land have been sold to shore up finances.
An internal document revealed the future of the site: "The proposal is to sell the property to a national company who will redevelop the site for a new foodstore." Services and residents from the closed centre were moved to the five remaining day centres in the city, a move that sparked furious outbursts in a meeting last year.
Reactions and the Road Ahead
Local ward councillor Jayne Francis said she would welcome the creation of jobs but stressed the need for the proposed store to be "fully accessible" by public transport. The council noted that while it was under no obligation to proceed and would face no reputational damage if it didn't, the negotiated capital premium from the sale would be lost.
Councillor Rob Pocock, overseeing the council's transformation, defended the closure of the adult day centres last year. He cited the need to save costs and fully utilise remaining centres, while also developing a "more modern 21st century service" with activities outside day centres. He asserted that anyone wanting to use a council day centre still could and that no staff were made redundant.
The council's financial woes have been attributed to several factors, including the equal pay debacle, poor budget setting, service management issues, demand pressures, and a disastrous new IT system. Labour councillors have also blamed funding cuts during the previous Conservative government.
