JewelleryQuarter

RegenerationCharter

working towards a

World Heritage Site

The Vision...By 2010, the Jewellery Quarter will be acknowledged as the City Region’s

Creative Village, an asset to both Birmingham and the West Midlands. A truly

unique area where design quality is an integral feature of its renaissance.

A Quarter with a vibrant atmosphere which not only attracts people to live,

work, play and visit but acts as a honey pot for creative businesses ranging

from the current jewellery business base to arts and media.

We will achieve this vision through creating: -

A Dynamic Place To Do Business -encouraging a vibrant business base whilst supporting a Jewellery Industry which makes the

Quarter a unique feature to Birmingham. All set in a safe and bubbling village atmosphere

conducive to small creative businesses with a supply of appropriate, affordable

accommodation and customised business support.

How this will be achieved:

• Supporting the jewellery industry through developing a Business Support Strategy; expanding

the School of Jewellery providing research, training and learning space; incubation provision

and local initiatives such as the Trade Directory, Made in the Jewellery Quarter Mark and Brilliantly

Birmingham

• A suitable portfolio of serviced, affordable, commercial and retail units meeting the demands

of creative business

• Introduction of Community Safety measures including CCTV to provide an environment where

people feel safe doing business in the Quarter

• Development of a parking strategy which meets the varying needs of shops, manufacturers,

other businesses and residents as much as capacity will allow. This will also include the

introduction of business permits and an improvement to the Jewellery Quarter Multistorey

Car Park

• Development of a grant scheme to encourage the use of premises for economic use

Quality Buildings and PlacesDevelopers, landowners and the local authority will be encouraged to refurbish buildings

and undertake quality new developments in line with the Jewellery Quarter Design Guide.

Location and mix of these developments will be sensitively managed in line with the

Conservation Management Plan whilst ensuring that dereliction is tackled. Wherever

possible planning obligations will provide benefits to the Jewellery Quarter.

How this will be achieved:

• Substantially reducing dereliction by 50% from the current 50 sites by working

proactively in partnership with Developers, the Regional Development Agency and

Landowners. Historic and Gateway buildings such as the George & Dragon, the Nurses

Hostel (Ludgate Hill), the Gem Building (Key Hill) are typical priorities.

• Providing a ‘destination’ which befits the status of this unique area centred around the

delivery of an iconic Golden Square. A Square that can be used both for events and as

a ‘postcard’ destination for visitors.

• Using the Design Guide and where necessary enforcement powers to ensure that both

new development and refurbishment schemes meet the quality demanded by an area

aspiring to World Heritage Site status.

• Improving the public realm through better maintenance and schemes such as the

creation of Albion Square and a Kathleen Dayus ‘Trail.’

• Implementing a programme of improvements to the area’s historic Cemeteries and St Pauls

Square to ensure they can be enjoyed by both the local community and visitors drawing in

the resources from the Local Authority and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

• Improving the City Council property portfolio to ensure that it meets the need of a

Creative Village.

• Regeneration of the Pope St, Carver St and Camden St (St Georges) area.

A Connected QuarterA Quarter which is seen as a distinctive part of the City Centre but with connectivity

maximised through good signage, public transport links and effective physical connectivity.

As part of this strategy, major routes in the City Centre will be targeted and the potential of

large flagship developments to breakdown barriers will be explored.

How this will be achieved:

• Gateway signage into the Quarter will be improved.

• Improvements will be undertaken to all 5 major routes into

the Quarter

- Completion of the subway connection between Snow

Hill Station and Livery Street which will also be

strengthened with appropriate signage and improved

lighting.

- New Street/ Bennetts Hill/ Newhall Street route will be

strengthened by a creative public art trail and CCTV

cameras.

- The development of the Great Charles Street/Ludgate Hill

car park site will include the replacement of the existing

bridge connection.

- The Paradise Forum to Summer Row connection will be

improved to ensure a safer and better signposted route.

- As part of the Big City Plan proposals, the future of Great

Hampton Street will be reassessed in terms of its uses and

its design.

- Caroline Street will be improved through Urban Realm

measures and the use of the planning system to ensure a

more user friendly and attractive route.

A Sustainable

CommunityA Quarter with vibrant representation from both the business

and residential communities who are encouraged to become

actively involved in decision making. Facilities supporting the

community will include a Post Office, Churches, a Police Station

and Health Centre. Providing more affordable housing and

commercial accommodation will encourage a growing and

sustainable community stake in the Quarter.

How this will be achieved:

• Provision of a Health Centre and Pharmacy and other

necessary support facilities for the residential and business

communities.

• Supporting and growing the Jewellery Quarter

Neighbourhood Forum, Jewellery Quarter Association,

Jewellery Quarter Marketing Initiative and Friends of Key Hill

Cemetery so they become sustainable and autonomous in

the future.

• Provision of affordable housing and/or affordable workspace

in the Quarter in liaison with Birmingham City Council Housing,

Planning and developers.

A Unique Place

to VisitA Quarter where people enjoy the area’s museums and

galleries, historic buildings and cemeteries, shopping for

jewellery and eating in the Quarter’s restaurants and bars. As

part of that experience Festivals and Events will be a regular

feature.

How this will be achieved:

• Development of a World Heritage Site Bid.

• Expansion of the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter fulfilling its

potential as an anchor attraction.

• Consolidating the future of voluntary and charitably owned

visitor attractions such as the Royal Birmingham Society of

Artists and the Pen Museum.

• Refurbishment of the Newman Coffin Works in Fleet Street and

JW Evans in Albion St to create further visitor attractions.

• Providing a distinctive and appropriate public realm including

an expansion of the Jewellery Quarter In Bloom and Christmas

lights initiatives.

• Development of Festivals and Events

PzazzA Quarter that is known and marketed for its uniqueness not

only in Birmingham and the West Midlands but nationally and

internationally. This will be through a partnership between the

local business community, Birmingham City Council and

Marketing Birmingham to ensure both prospective leisure and

business visitors are made aware of and take advantage of the

Quarter’s attractions thereby help supporting the local

economy.

How this will be achieved:

• Provide a professionally presented Information Centre.

• Develop a customised Website to attract in visitors.

• Provide effective marketing material including a high quality

Tourism Guide.

• Working with the Jewellery Quarter Marketing Initiative to

effectively ‘spread the word’ with joint initiatives with travel

operators, TV and radio, hotels, conference organisers etc.

A True PartnershipCommitted to the regeneration of the Quarter through an

open, creative and joined up approach where partners feel

genuinely included in the process and therefore ownership

and responsibility on how their actions impact on our Vision

for the Quarter.

How this will be achieved:

• Provide a base in the Quarter with a dedicated team to

support the delivery of the Charter through involvement of

the local community

• Provide specialist support as necessary.

• Ensure partner commitment to both an agreed delivery

structure and regular representation/ attendance at

Partnership Boards and the sub group structure of Steering

Groups - Land and Property, Community Safety, Parking and

Transportation, Cemeteries and Green Space.

The Charter PurposeThis Charter sets out the common aims and priorities that need to be achieved in

regenerating the Quarter and fulfilling the vision of a City Region Creative Village. It also

provides a regeneration template which will dovetail with the developing Big City Plan

and the proposals for a World Heritage Site.

Members of the Partnership are:

Independent Chair

Advantage West Midlands

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

Birmingham City Council (Cabinet Member for Regeneration)

Birmingham City Council (Director of Planning & Regeneration)

Birmingham City Council (Head of Museums and Heritage Services)

Birmingham City University

Birmingham Forward

British Jewellers Association

Business Link

English Heritage

Groundwork UK

Jewellery Quarter Association

Jewellery Quarter Neighbourhood Forum

Urban Splash

Ward Councillor