A Sustainability Vision for Eastside
Following conversations at the Sustainability Forum between members of FOE and
Groundwork and Environmental Services, the City Council's Environmental Services
Dept has commissioned Groundwork and ourselves to coordinate the production of
a Sustainability Vision for Birmingham's Eastside, in conjunction with some 20
other groups.
We are taking the broadest possible definition of sustainability: vibrant local
economic development in which all people can realise their potential and improve
their quality of life, in ways which both protect and enhance the Earth's life
support systems locally and globally. This encompasses everything from size of
birdboxes and tree species to safety to fair and sustainable economic practices.
The vision will include examples of best practice as well as practical projects
demonstrating sustainable development. The report, to be finished by February,
would influence social and environmental policy within Eastside and if successful
other areas of the city, to be placed on the Internet and made available to the
City Council for planning purposes.
We are being paid by the council, via Groundwork, to coordinate the process of
the project, but we are also one of the organisations invited to contribute,
as both a resident of the area and an environmental group. Luckily we have a
good head start in our response to last year's Eastside consultation.
I realise a definition of Eastside may also be useful, as you may quite rightly
say there's no such place. Eastside is the working name given to a section, obviously,
east of the city centre, including Digbeth, which has been parcelled together
for regeneration measures. For a more poetic definition see John Davison's piece
opposite!
Part of Eastside is a conservation area and there are many other sections with
a strong architectural character. This provides the challenge of eco-renovation
rather than wasteful destruction and new build. The area also includes a large
proposed City Park with the potential to be either a green desert or a haven
for biodiversity linked by wildlife corridors across the city. The area could
be much enhanced by further mixed use development with mixed income accommodation,
facilities and traditional and new industries side by side. Small scale recycling
schemes could be introduced to take care of the area's waste/resources. Urban
meadows, urban forests...
Birmingham FOE's suggestion that Eastside could become an exemplary Sustainability
Quarter has been met with general enthusiasm - perhaps this document will be
the first stage in achieving this.
Karen Leach