The Hall Green Preservation Group (HGPG) held its most recent meeting at the Library on June 12^th where progress made by the four sub-groups was reviewed and there was a general discussion on various aspects of the planning process. Substantial work on early plans of our area has been carried out and a DVD (see the item below) has been produced.

The sub-groups cover Houses (for example, the Hamlets, The Chalet and Tolkien’s former home), Social Establishments (for example the Bull’s Head, the Friends Meeting House and Hall Green Junior School), Gardens, Trees and the Green Environment (for example, the bridges in the Dingles, Moseley Bog and central reservations), and unusual or mixed styles of building (for example, Sarehole Mill, Hall Green’s railway stations and bowling clubs). There are now 48 enthusiastic members of HGPG, which is going from strength to strength.

The next meeting of the preservation group is scheduled for Thursday July 17^th at 7-15 p.m. at Hall Green Library meeting room. We hope that Mr Andy Foster, author and architectural expert, will be able to join us at this or a later meeting. Do come along if you would like to take part in our activities.

David Hardy, of Southam Road, is perhaps best known for images that show the future, as he is a leading astronomical and science fiction artist.

However, he also has a great interest in the past, and took a leading role in our recent (abortive) attempt to save Highfield House, being our spokesman for Radio WM, and is also a founder member of the HG Preservation Group.

This has also led him commence a private project: to collect old archive pictures of Hall Green - the landmark places and buildings still standing - and photograph them as they are today, from as close to the original camera position as possible, and including a section on Highfield House. He has now produced a very interesting 42-minute ‘digital slideshow’ on DVD entitled ‘Hall Green: Then & Now’, copies of which are available from Hall Green Library.

The DVD is not being sold commercially, but residents may obtain a copy for a contribution to the extensive costs of production (blank DVDs and cases, ‘burning’ each copy, printing labels, etc.) He can be contacted at 0121 777 1802, and his website is www.astroart.org.

At the Hall Green Ward Committee (see page on Hall Green Ward for description of functions etc) on 6^th June, resources were approved for double kerbing at the corner of Cole Valley Road and Highfield Road, tree pits (holes in the ground!) for planting missing trees in Pembroke Croft, support for the burglary reduction initiative, a community gardening initiative, a BCOP scheme for minor repairs for elderly people, lighting improvements in Scribers Lane, Clifton Green and Halewood Grove.

We passed a resolution in support of making local decisions on local spending for good purposes free of targets, criteria and second-guessing by officers at the council centre. We had updates on the Red Route, Railway Stations (both Hall Green and Yardley Wood are 100 years old this year) and continued our efforts to secure a full recycling service for roads such as Woodvale Road and residential establishments.

These and many other matters were discussed and decisions taken. We placed on the agenda for the next meeting the still derelict flats in Creswell Road and the future of the Four Seasons gardening project. Local residents are encouraged to attend and take part in Ward Committee meetings. They are held on Fridays at 7-00 at Hall Green School. The next meeting is on 11^th July and subsequent meetings are on 12^th September, 14^th November, 16^th January and 20^th March.

Since the tragic destruction of Highfield House and the devastation of its grounds, thoughts about Hall Green’s history and heritage have been brought right to the forefront of people’s minds. The developers have finished their demolition and reduced the site at the corner of Highfield Road and Robin Hood Lane to a dismal wasteland.

The Hall Green Preservation Group that was started due to the loss of the locally listed Highfield House is now going from strength to strength with more local residents joining every week. The preservation group has made good headway into researching certain local properties and at the next meeting we will look into moving things forward with a view to getting them statutorily listed. Statutory listing offers a good deal more protection than local listing - which was shown to be practically worthless if planners do not have the will to make it meaningful.

Anyone who is interested in preserving and protecting their local heritage (including both the built and natural environments) or who would like to find out more about the activities of the preservation group will be most welcome.

For further details of HGPG, either email Councillor Michael Wilkes as michael.wilkes@birmingham.gov.uk or call Councillor Paula Smith on 0121-778-6679.