Permaculture Manchester . . . lets put some green on the urban scene

Email ciculated amongst Hulme residents, May 20th 2008:

Important: 7.00PM today, MMU to unveil proposals to develop Birley Fields green space in Hulme.

A small selection of residents of Hulme have received a letter from John Brooks, vice chancellor at MMU, inviting them to a short presentation and question and answer session TONIGHT (May 20th), in order to unveil their proposal to develop Birley Fields.

The meeting is scheduled to last for 1-1.5 hours, from 7.00pm, in room G.01 on the ground floor of the Sandra Burslem building, which is situated by the side of Grosvenor Park (Oxford Road / Cavendish Street).

The invitation letter included a 2.5 page ‘Hulme Campus Briefing Note’. The letter and briefing note can be downloaded in PDF format from the Friends of Birley Fields web site at: http://www.fobf.org.uk/index.php/Section9.html.

The new campus is envisaged to comprise:

-    5,000 students per year
-    the Faculty of  Health Psychology and Social Care, and the Institute of Education buildings (currently located in Rusholme and Didsbury)
-    student catering, services and accommodation
-    a 750 spaces multi story car park

The university’s strategic aim is to, “provide a sustainable estate which is truly fit for purpose, providing improved student experience, better space utilisation and increased engagement with our local and regional stakeholders.” The briefing paper states that the development will maintain green space, and will have a focus on community engagement.

In 2006 Friends of Birley Fields was established to campaign against council plans for the commercial development of Hulme’s green community spaces, including more empty offices, car show rooms, cheap budget hotels and housing. During this period FoBF conducted an independent consultation that revealed that the overwhelming wishes of the local community, for the future of Birley Fields, is to maintain them as urban green space, and to develop social and ecologic functions and services in the area.     

The proposed campus was originally intended for Didsbury, but these plans have been suspended, and attention is now on the Birley Fields, after residents of Didsbury rejected plans for the campus development in their area. Given that the University claims that the development will have a strong focus on community engagement, it is surprising how few people in the Hulme neighbourhood have heard of this development, or received an invitation to the presentation.

If possible, please come to the meeting at the Sandra Burslem building tonight, and find out about the development proposals, and tell MMU what you think about their plans to develop our urban green spaces at Birley Fields in Hulme.
  
Hopefully I’ll see you there … xxxx
 

Click on the file below [Birley MMU Proposal.pdf] to view a copy of the letter and proposal that was circulated by MMU to businesses in the Hulme ward in May

This is what MMU currently have to say about the development plans: http://www.mmu.ac.uk/change/capital-programme/hulme/