Local councillors are jubilant that their campaign opposing a planning application, seeking to convert Franklin House into flats, has been successful and that the application has been thrown out by the city council’s planning committee.

Franklin House, a large office block located near to the Cadbury factory in Bournville, was once used by Premier Foods but has been empty now for 3 years.

The planning application was seeking to convert Franklin House into 73 flats.

Councillors’ opposition to the application was based on two arguments. The first is that it was felt that 73 flats would place strains upon local resources in such a mature suburb. Secondly it was felt that Franklin House, being based within the Cadbury/Bournville industrial area, should remain as a building capable of providing much needed employment in the area.

This is the second application by the same London based property developer seeking to redevelop Franklin House.

Last summer a similar application was submitted seeking to convert the building into flats.

That was then opposed by councillors and Cadbury at the time and in fact Councillor Nigel Dawkins presented a petition containing hundreds of comments and signature from Bournville residents to the full city council.

The result was that the application was withdrawn by the developer at the last minute.

This latest application was submitted back in December.

Councillor Dawkins said, ‘

I am pleased that the planning committee has finally had a chance to examine this application in detail and to take account of the opposition of Bournville residents.

We three councillors were always vehemently against this planning application. We always felt that Bournville does not need more houses and flats. This is a densely populated area with huge pressures already on parking, exacerbated by the close proximity of the railway station.

The owner should now accept that this will never be an opportunity to make a quick financial killing through conversion to flats. It is an office block and will remain so. The owner should invest in this building; bring it up to modern office standards and bring much needed employment to Bournville.'