Welcome to the Moorpool website, created for the community of Moorpool, Harborne in Birmingham, U.K. It is provided as a service to local residents by the Moorpool Residents' Association.

Quick Links Moor Pool Heritage Trust The Way Forward (r3) Scarcrow Competition 2011 Draft Moor Pool Character Appraisal Moorpool Hall Booking New Development on Moor Pool The Square gets a clean up Renting your Home? Westminster Visit Sign the Moorpool Petition Letter from English Heritage Welcome to Moorpool Pamphlet Alternative proposal for the Valley Site

Estate Lighting We understand that as part of the contract with Amey all the street lighting in the City is to be renewed. The MRA have already held discussions with local officers to look at replacing Moor Pools lamp posts or just tops with heritage style units. A further meeting is scheduled with Amey and local officers. A heritage light unit from a local manufacturer was on display at last years Festival and included energy saving LED lamps which dramatically cut energy use. Heritage units are used elsewhere in the City so there is no reason they should not be considered as part of the Moor Pool programme. More information will be available in due course.

Moor Pool Council 1910

Can you help us put names to the faces in the picture? The house behind is next to the pathway leading from Moor Pool Avenue to the cottages. The photographer would be standing on the Moor Pool tennis courts. A sign on the side of the house says 'Harborne Tenants Co Office' as at this time, the buildings at the Circle were still being completed. If so, please e-mail, call 0121-426 5669 or drop a note in the MRA post box in the Circle newsagents. Click on image or here for full sized copy

The Moorpool Residents' Association web site is sponsored by The Harborne Club "The Best Kept Secret in Harborne"

Harborne Tenants Junior Guild Truth is Strength Can anyone throw any light on this one? If so, please e-mail or call 0121-426 5669 or drop a note in the MRA post box in the Circle newsagents.

Wild Life Trust Day and RHS Heart of England in Bloom Judging Day It was a busy day at Moor Pool on Saturday 17th July. The morning started with a visit by Birmingham Wild Life Trust to the main hall. They put on a workshop of nest box making interspersed with 2 walks around the Estate looking at areas of wildlife interest. Those on the walks learned a great deal, realising that what might be an overgrown hedgerow to us is a haven for wildlife. This is all useful to our understanding and plans as we move forward with Moor Pools restoration. Back at the hall, children were still busily building nesting boxes. We hope to hear next year stories of new families moving into them! Later in the morning the Royal Horticultural Society arrived to assess the Moor Pool in Bloom entry as part of Britain in Bloom with the route stretching from The Square to Ravenhurst Road. Both judges were very complimentary and we are hopeful of good news when the results are announced in September. Local residents have worked tremendously hard to make the event a success and we have been well supported by BCC who have assisted with funding and frequent removal of the piles of rubbish generated. Thanks to should also go to those providing refreshments at the hall and backroom project support. Projects like this demonstrate resident's dedication to Moor Pools future and will be an important display of commitment when the HLF bid is put together. Photos

Planning Application Update Grainger lodged their planning applications on February 14th 2008 for 16 houses over three sites, involving the demolition of over 130 garages, the loss of over half of the allotments on the Valley Site, and the destruction of innumerable mature trees and hedgerows. Despite the most robust objections lodged by the MRG, MRA and MAA, supported by politicians of all colours, respected bodies such as English Heritage and, of course, hundreds of individuals, Birmingham City Council granted planning permission on July 9th 2009. The current planning process allows no appeal against decisions but does, however, allow challenge to the process by which such decisions are arrived at. Legal opinion had already been taken on this as the decision cut across the guidance given in their own UDP regarding the ratio of open spaces and preservation of allotments, but to continue the action required considerable additional funding, and it was for this purpose that we called a meeting of all residents on October 4th 2009 to raise funds by the sale of bonds. The support given at this meeting and the following days, both moral and financial, was overwhelming enabling us to instruct our solicitors to brief a specialist barrister and on October 7th proceedings were issued against Birmingham City Council for the permission stage of the Judicial Review. This was heard at Birmingham Crown Court on November 12th where, regretfully, the application to proceed was denied. Further details, as always, on the Moorpool Regeneration Group web site.

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20-Mar-2010