Plans to build a new safe centre for highly vulnerable children in Birmingham have been narrowly approved by the city's planning committee, following a tense debate that pitted urgent social need against heritage preservation.
A Close Vote on a Critical Need
The Birmingham Children’s Trust secured permission to construct the West Midlands Safe Centre on a site in Gravelly Hill North, Erdington. The facility is designed to provide 20 bedrooms for boys and girls aged 10 to 17, alongside integrated healthcare, education, and sports facilities. Its primary purpose is to support children who have suffered trauma, have unmet emotional needs, or experienced significant instability.
A council officer highlighted the pressing need, stating the city currently has no such facility, forcing it to spend around £30,000 per day to house vulnerable children elsewhere. The officer's report argued the scheme would bring an "untidy and underused site" back into a "much needed and viable long-term use."
Heritage Concerns Versus Social Priority
The approval, passed by five votes to four on December 18, 2025, was not without significant opposition. The proposal involves demolishing several existing buildings on the site, including a three-storey villa by noted Birmingham architect JJ Bateman and a former chapel complex.
Councillor Martin Brooks expressed his principle support for the facility's aim but questioned why the heritage buildings could not be incorporated. "I think if an architect can’t incorporate a heritage building which is of some value, another architect or another site [should be looked at]," he said.
Councillor Gareth Moore echoed these concerns, acknowledging the need for the accommodation but stressing that the unlisted buildings were still "heritage assets" that could be retained and repurposed.
The Argument for Vulnerable Children
In stark contrast, Councillor Colin Green argued forcefully for the project's social benefits. "I am much more concerned with looking after vulnerable people than preserving a building," he stated, noting the buildings had not been deemed important enough to be listed.
The committee chair, Councillor Lee Marsham, framed the decision as a balance between providing essential accommodation for vulnerable children and the loss of a heritage asset. Planning documents described the proposed home as a 'bespoke, fit-for-purpose and modern' building that would provide a safe environment for welfare placements, potentially also serving young people in the justice system depending on capacity.
The trust behind the project pointed to a national shortage, with an average of 60 children waiting for a secure bed at any one time. For Birmingham and the West Midlands, the lack of a local facility has meant sending children far away at great cost.
