The building was designed in the early 1960s by local architect James Roberts and is considered by experts to be among the best of mid-Twentieth Century urban design in Birmingham: "Its curvature, rhythm of vertical fins, together with its characteristic projecting concrete uplighters, make it still the most impressive piece of modern streetscape in the city, even 54 years after its completion.” Architect and urban planner, Joe Holyoak Roberts is responsible for Birmingham's most famous building, the iconic Rotunda, which has been both listed and sensitively redeveloped in recent years. But at present there are no such intentions for Smallbrook Queensway, despite it being of similar cultural value to the city. Instead the owner, Commercial Estates Group, wants to replace the concrete panels with cladding and glass, add two extra floors on top and replace the section over Hurst Street with a 22-storey office block. The proposed redevelopment would result in the loss of yet another fine example of Birmingham’s postwar heritage, which, we are warned, would be: “...especially crass at a time when the singular merits of 1960s architecture are at last being widely acknowledged.” Author and film-maker, Jonathan Meades Furthermore, the site does not fall within the Council’s tall building zone, meaning a high-rise block should, in theory, be discouraged. We therefore call upon the City Council to reject CEG's current proposals and urge the developer to draw up an alternative plan that respects and enhances the original features of the building. Here's a link to the article by Joe Holyoak, which features a CGI image of the new proposal: http://goo.gl/d1QNzZ Thank you for your support! Please follow BRUTIFUL’s campaign to save the best of Birmingham’s threatened C20 heritage on Facebook and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/Brutiful-Birmingham-139223999758814/?fref=ts https://twitter.com/brutifulbrum Photo credit: 'photo by D.J. Norton'. More great archive pictures at: http://www.photobydjnorton.com/NewBham/NewBham5.html

Access to Walden Recreation Ground is vital to the interests of many residents, particularly those with young children who use the local primary Schools. Pedestrian access to shops, bus stops and health services will be severely affected by the proposed actions. The quality of life of many of the residents will be severely affected, as they will lose pedestrian access to the open spaces nearby. Those residents who cannot afford or who choose not to rely on a car will be heavily penalised by this action. Increased levels of road traffic are inevitable, thereby making the area less safe for children. Young people generally in the estate will suffer as a result of this closure, as safe access to their nearest open space will be removed. It is understood that the closure of the pathway is being undertaken in an effort to reduce the levels of anti-social behaviour in the area. We would like to hear the views of residents, to see if an alternative strategy can be employed to deal with this serious issue. Our aim is to preserve this essential pedestrian access to the local green spaces, schools, bus stops and local facilities via this pathway, whilst at the same time coming up with a strategy to alleviate the fears of all those who are affected by anti-social behaviour in the area. We hope we're not too late, and that decisions which have been made can be un-made.

Please help us get over well over 5000 local people supporting this campaign as it will force Sheffield Council to properly debate this issue in the open. We have until the end of September to do just that. Help get Sheffield City Council to finally bring in urgent traffic safety measures to protect over 100 children who regularly use this route to go to three local schools in the area. The urgency of this was brought home to us when our daughter sustained serious injuries in late 2015 from a car going less than 20 mph when she was on her way to High Storrs School. This school is the closest catchment school for Nether Green and Fulwood. However the walking route has no footpath in places and no crossing. The path opens up into a T junction (picture). The Council has admitted that the lack of footpath across this junction is dangerous and they won’t even place a School crossing warden there because of the danger. Now the Council have said after months of talks that they will not consider installing a crossing or altering this dangerous footpath to what is the most direct route to High Storrs School, Notre Dame School and Nether Green Junior School. It is only a matter of time before a child or another member of the community receives life changing injuries or death as a result of the council's inaction.

People in small towns and villages need internet just as much as people in big towns and cities. Decent broadband connection is essential for everything from paying bills to running businesses. But for some places in the UK, the internet speed is either painfully slow or non-existent. It's time the government stepped up and fulfilled it's promise of decent broadband for everyone. Fibre Optics laid by BT Open Reach, who have the monopoly on upgrading but are far behind schedule, managed to get the service up and running in Swanage. but the service providers responsible for the cabinet to residence copper wiring didn't/don't buy in enough broadband width for the service to adequately provide consistent speeds. Having upgraded to fibre optic super broadband rates we are still have inconsistent speeds and don't ever expect to have adequate speeds for technological advances like 4K on television.

People in small towns and villages need internet just as much as people in big towns and cities. Decent broadband connection is essential for everything from paying bills to running businesses. But for some places in the UK, the internet speed is either painfully slow or non-existent. It's time the government stepped up and fulfilled it's promise of decent broadband for everyone.

People in small towns and villages need internet just as much as people in big towns and cities. Decent broadband connection is essential for everything from paying bills to running businesses. But for some places in the UK, the internet speed is either painfully slow or non-existent. It's time the government stepped up and fulfilled it's promise of decent broadband for everyone.

People in small towns and villages need internet just as much as people in big towns and cities. An adequate broadband connection is essential for everything from paying bills to running businesses such as my own. But for some places in the UK, the internet speed is either painfully slow or non-existent. Here in Upper Rissington for example, despite 300 plus new homes now largely occupied, broadband speed is worse than 96% of the UK. (checked 16/05/2016 using http://www.dslreports.com/) It's time the government stepped up and fulfilled it's promise of decent broadband for everyone. I suggest this should mean a speed of c.5 megabit/sec download and c. 0.75 megabit/sec upload, ie roughly the median rates for the UK. That's asking for 5 times faster download and 1 to 2 times faster upload than we have in my part of the Cotswolds. Please Sign Up! Fraser Morphew.

People in small towns and villages need internet just as much as people in big towns and cities. Decent broadband connection is essential for everything from paying bills to running businesses. But for some places in the UK, the internet speed is either painfully slow or non-existent. It's time the government stepped up and fulfilled it's promise of decent broadband for everyone.

Mr Willie Welsh of Welcare Homes was planning to build a care home and sheltered housing on a site at the southern end of Langholm. He had the site dug out and foundations laid but was then unable to proceed with building works. The site has been left in a terrible mess for some years, which he has of yet refused to reinstate to its former condition. This is to the detriment of Langholm residents and visitors to the town. Action originally started by residents living next to the site, has broadened in to a community wide campaign. Langholm is worth more than the current treatment by businessmen living outside its bounds who do not have to suffer the every day implications to residents and the local tourism industry.

People in small towns and villages need internet just as much as people in big towns and cities. Decent broadband connection is essential for everything from paying bills to running businesses. But for some places in the UK, the internet speed is either painfully slow or non-existent. It's time the government stepped up and fulfilled it's promise of decent broadband for everyone.

People in small towns and villages need internet just as much as people in big towns and cities. Decent broadband connection is essential for everything from paying bills to running businesses. But for some places in the UK, the internet speed is either painfully slow or non-existent. It's time the government stepped up and fulfilled it's promise of decent broadband for everyone.

People in small towns and villages need internet just as much as people in big towns and cities. Decent broadband connection is essential for everything from paying bills to running businesses. But for some places in the UK, the internet speed is either painfully slow or non-existent. It's time the government stepped up and fulfilled it's promise of decent broadband for everyone.