The council leader and cabinet members have written an open letter expressing extreme disappointment and concern that Greensquare Accord are no longer willing to sell at the initially agreed price.
Dear Ruth Cooke, CEO of Greensquare Accord.
We are writing to Greensquare Accord as Birmingham’s new political administration, in relation to the Stirchley Co-Operative Development.
We note that Greensquare Accord stepped into develop out the site on behalf of the Stirchley Co-Operative Development after the previous developer pulled out to support the growth of community led housing in the city.
We are, therefore, extremely disappointed and concerned to see that in the final stages of the development being completed, that Greensquare Accord have changed their approach and are no longer willing to sell the asset to the Stirchley Co-Operative Development for the initially agreed price.
We understand the need of Greensquare Accord to recoup build costs and know that market changes are likely to have an impact. However, we are concerned that Greensquare Accord have moved away from the original intentions of the scheme despite prospective tenants and businesses spending hours of their own time, unpaid, to help design and develop a genuinely community led scheme.
We also note that the Stirchley Co-Operative Development have increased their offer multiple times to bridge the gap and these offers have all been rejected. This has caused local businesses to suffer huge financial difficulties, and prospective residents are at risk of homelessness.
As an administration, we are supportive of community led housing schemes in the city and feel the Stirchley development would have been a flagship, encouraging other groups to bring forward schemes. The scheme means a great deal to the Stirchley community who feel blindsided by Greensquare Accord’s decision.
We, therefore, urge Greensquare Accord to re-engage in productive negotiations to sell the development to Stirchley Co-Operative Development at a price they can afford.
From a council perspective, the change in strategy from Greensquare Accord and the impact this has had on the local area has left the administration concerned about Greensquare Accord’s social purpose and its fractured relationships with the Stirchley community.
This gives us serious reservations about future partnership working between the Council and Greensquare Accord. We hope that Greensquare Accord will reconsider its position and work with the Stirchley Co-Operative Development on a compromise solution which meets the original objectives of the scheme.
Yours sincerely
Councillor Roger Harmer – Leader of Birmingham City Council
Councillor Julien Pritchard – Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council
Councillor Baber Baz – Cabinet Member for Housing
Councillor Atik Rahman – Deputy Cabinet Member for Housing
Councillor Kamel Hawwash – Councillor for Stirchley