14:12, 18 Dec 2025<\/p>\n
![\"File](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_JS259573126.jpg\")
File photo. The Birmingham safe centre will provide support for vulnerable children who have suffered trauma and experienced instability(Image: Manchester Evening News\/Anthony Moss)<\/p>\n
Proposals for a safe centre to provide accommodation for highly vulnerable children have been narrowly approved.<\/p>\n
Birmingham<\/a> Children\u2019s Trust has been given permission to build a children\u2019s home in Gravelly Hill North, Erdington<\/a>, which will support those in need across the region.<\/p>\n The scheme, named the West Midlands Safe Centre, will provide 20 bedrooms for boys and girls aged from 10 to 17-years-old, as well as healthcare, educational and sports facilities.<\/p>\n READ MORE: <\/strong>Demand issued to Black Sabbath pub owners amid council investigation<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Its aim is to provide support for children who are likely to have suffered trauma; have unmet emotional needs or experienced instability in their lives.<\/p>\n But at a council<\/a> planning meeting today, numerous councillors raised heritage concerns amid plans to demolish three buildings on the application site.<\/p>\n The site is currently occupied by a three-storey villa by notable Birmingham architect JJ Bateman and a complex of buildings, including a chapel.<\/p>\n The latter was used by Birmingham Children\u2019s Services youth offending team until it was closed in September 2023 and fully vacated in January 2024.<\/p>\n A conservation officer had previously objected to the proposals, arguing that it had not been sufficiently shown why a current building could not re-used instead of demolished.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not against in principal the kind of facilities that are being provided,\u201d Coun Martin Brooks said this morning. \u201cBut I think if an architect can\u2019t incorporate a heritage building which is of some value, another architect or another site [should be looked at].\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI appreciate there is a need for this type of accommodation and support for vulnerable children,\u201d Coun Gareth Moore said. \u201cBut we have some heritage assets here.<\/p>\n \u201cI appreciate they\u2019re not listed, that\u2019s unfortunate, but they are still heritage assets.<\/p>\n \u201cI see no reason why the buildings cannot be retained and re-purposed.\u201d<\/p>\n Coun Jane Jones added: \u201cWhilst I know we desperately need these secure places [\u2026] I\u2019ve been completely convinced about the need to relook at this.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE: <\/strong>Birmingham Council could use buying powers to bring empty homes back into use<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n But Coun Colin Green argued that he \u201cmuch more concerned with looking after vulnerable people than preserving a building.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThese buildings may be heritage assets but they\u2019re not important enough that they\u2019ve been listed so far,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Coun Lee Marsham, chair of the planning committee, said the committee had to consider the benefits of providing accommodation for vulnerable children versus the loss of a heritage asset.<\/p>\n \u201cThe scheme would enhance an untidy and underused site bringing it back into a much needed and viable long-term use,\u201d a council officer said in a report.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is my opinion that significant weight should be attributed to the public and economic benefits of the proposed scheme.\u201d<\/p>\n Speaking at the meeting, an officer said: \u201cI think it\u2019s important to note that this is an application for vulnerable children.<\/p>\n \u201cThe city currently doesn\u2019t have a facility like this to house its children.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s costing us around \u00a330k per day at the minute to go and house our children elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n Referring to the objections, he added: \u201cWe need to take into account what they\u2019re saying but also your [council] officer has set out all the benefits of the scheme.<\/p>\n \u201c[The buildings] are not listed so the weight we can give that is very limited.\u201d<\/p>\n The planning committee ultimately approved the plans by five votes to four.<\/p>\n \u2018Safe environment\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n A planning document previously described the proposed children\u2019s homes as \u2018bespoke, fit-for-purpose and modern\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cThe building will provide specialist and tailored residential care for highly vulnerable children in a safe environment,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe West Midlands Safe Centre will provide welfare placements; whereby local authorities can place children to keep them safe.\u201d<\/p>\n Explaining the reasoning for the plans, those behind the project said there was a \u201cseverely limited number\u201d of such facilities across the country.<\/p>\n \u201cOn average, there are 60 children nationally waiting for a secure bed at any one time to keep them safe,\u201d they continued.<\/p>\n READ MORE: <\/strong>20mph limits proposed for seven Birmingham roads amid school safety plan<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_West-Midlands-Safe-CentrePNG.png\")
The proposed West Midlands Safe Centre in Birmingham(Image: Design document by Keppie Design for Birmingham Children’s Trust)<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_WMSCPNG.png\")
The site where Birmingham’s West Midlands Safe Centre is proposed to be built(Image: Google Maps)<\/p>\n