'Longbridge island, The Factory', pictured in 2005 prior to its demolition less than two years later.
Longbridge is an area of Birmingham, England. It is also a ward within the formal district of Northfield.
Since 1905, the area has been dominated by the Longbridge plant, which produced Austin, Nash Metropolitan, Morris, British Leyland, and most recently MG Rover cars. The factory became dormant, and later partially demolished on MG Rover's bankruptcy in April 2005, but was taken over by Chinese carmaker Nanjing Automobile, who resumed MG TF sports car production at the factory in May 2007.
The area is served by Frankley Library.
[edit] Situation
To the immediate south-west lie the Lickey Hills, a favourite recreation spot for the people of southern Birmingham. From the south-east the railway line from Barnt Green divides Longbridge off from the Bittell Reservoirs. The Longbridge railway station on the Cross-City Line stands opposite the Longbridge plant, near the Bristol Road (A38). The Austin Sports and Social Club is one of the many social clubs in the area.
Surrounding areas include Rubery, Kings Norton, Rednal and West Heath.
[edit] Development
The famous service tunnel/bridge (pictured), used to carry vehicle bodyshells across the Bristol Road, was demolished on the night of 4 August 2006. Other parts of the huge MG Rover factories on the site were demolished during that night and later in 2006 and the land to be used for future redevelopment. At the moment much of the original site still lies unused awaiting development Less than half of the original Longbridge site has been retained for carmaking.
[edit] Longbridge Technology Park
Situated where the Bristol Road meets Longbridge Lane, the Longbridge Technology Park was completed in late 2007. And in 2008 one of the two buildings is occupied but the other is still vacant.
[edit] Great Park
A major development aimed to improve Longbridge was the Great Park development by Corporate Land Developments Ltd. The 200 acre site just off junction 3 on the M42 motorway has been developed into a community with offices, houses, industrial units, leisure facilities (consisting of a cinema and bowling alley), a supermarket, health centre, and an area of public open space.
The housing developments were undertaken by Crest/ Bellway, Barratt and David Wilson and provided a variety of homes. This was completed in 2002. Leisure facilities provided include a cinema, bowling complex, restaurants, health and fitness centre, social and bingo club, a day nursery and a 60 bedroom hotel. An all weather pitch, funded by the developers, was also created and is in the possession of Birmingham City Council. In June 2000, a 52,000 square foot manufacturing unit was completed for Draexlmaier Automotive UK. A further four industrial units are to be constructed to individual occupiers requirements.
In March 2007, Mark Kent was employed as Town Centre Manager to oversee the redevelopment of Longbridge as a community following the closure of the MG Rover factory. Kent's role is to implement the integration of the new factory units being constructed with the existing Longbridge town centre and suburbs. The 13 acres of land which has been freed up following the demolition of more than half of the former MG Rover factory floorspace (now owned by Nanjing Automobile) has been allocated for a new town centre for the once bustling and soon to be redeveloped area.
As a result of the development, 1,500 jobs have been created at a total cost of over £400 million.
[edit] Politics
Richard Burden (Labour) is the area's Member of Parliament, and the councillors elected to represent the ward of Longbridge are Steve Bedser (Labour), Keith Barton and Sue Barton (Conservative).
Longbridge has adopted a Ward Support Officer with the current holder of the title being Veronica Coleman.
[edit] Population
The 2001 Population Census recorded that there were 30,964 people living in Longbridge with a population density of 3,789 people per km² compared with 3,649 people per km² for Birmingham. Longbridge has a small ethnic minority population with only 6.8% (2,117) of the ward's population consisting of ethnic minorities, as ethnic communities are usually concentrated in more centralised areas such as Aston, Handsworth and Small Heath.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
Coordinates: 52°23'44?N 1°58'46?W? / ?52.39552, -1.97938
(Source: Wikipedia) |