Birmingham Post

Residential Property: The Subtle Rosy Hue of Hollington

The fine geological legacy of the northern Midlands has left its lasting mark on Warwickshire. And there are several prominent corners of Shakespeare's county that will be linked forever with Staffordshire.

Residential Property: For What It's Worth ; Abberley, Harley, Edgbaston or Harborne - All Prime Midland Locations Worth a Look This Week If You Are a Buyer with Up to Pounds 700,000. Similarities End with the Price Band, However. Two Need Some Improvement - Refurbishment or Remodelling - and the Hard Work Is Largely Done On the Others. The Real Choice, However, Is Between Country and Town, Reports Marsya Lennox

12, Heaton Drive Robert Powell & Co is quoting a guide price of pounds 700,000 for 12 Heaton Drive in Edgbaston, a 1970s house on a premier plot within the Calthorpe Estate.

Post Debate: Click of a Mouse Beats Flashing Reindeer Horns ; the Christmas Shopping Season Is in Full Swing, but New Research Claims More of Us Are Abandoning the High Street in Favour of Doing Our Shopping Over the Internet Emma Pinch Reports

It's the second week of December. One more dose of Slade blasting out over a pack of frenzied shoppers, plastic snowflakes and strategically-placed strollers, and you're ready to leave the country.

Residential Property: St John's Court

The Bridgnorth office of Lane Fox is marketing new apartments in the old town of Bridgnorth, two bedroom apartments off Severn Street in the Low Town. The homes at St John's Court come with the option of private parking space, a rarity in such period locations and a real bonus here, so close to the centre.

Residential Property: Hawkesford Expands to Leamington

Warwickshire agency, Malcolm Hawkesford is expanding in Leamington Spa. The company is doubling the size of its operation at Euston Place to accommodate a special team to deal with the forthcoming HIPs, Home Information Packs.

Residential Property: Preserving Rural Character

Indignant developers are standing up to be counted in the national debate about barn conversions. Smarting from comments about "horror" conversion projects and the "suburbanisation of the countryside" made recently by English Heritage, the specialists are answering their critics.

Residential Property: Show Apartment

Bryant Homes has unveiled its new show apartment at Monmore Grange in Wolverhampton. The housebuilder has picked the two bedroom, two bathroom Hilston as the latest scheme showpiece, one of a range of apartment styles, priced from pounds 118,000.

Residential Property: A Touch of Classic Parisian Chic

Crest Nicholson decided on a Parisian theme for its latest show property at Catherinede Barnes near Solihull. The housebuilder is known for its flair with show themes and successful collaboration with top Midland designers.

Residential Property: Enhanced Georgian Elegance

It might have been "just another" nice country house. But the pictures tell a different story. The selling agents go as far as to say that Hilderstone House has "rare elegance" for Staffordshire, looking more like "an elegant London residence".

Perspective: Beast Sees Trick That Blair Missed

The new spirit of partnership at Westminster was rudely shattered yesterday by that old warhose, Dennis Skinner. David Cameron, the new Conservative leader, has promised to work in partnership with Tony Blair on issues such as school reform.

Perspective: Protect Our Heritage, Build Our Libraries ; Given the Apparent Deadlock in Reaching a Decision About a New Library, the Birmingham Civic Society has Come Up with a Plan. Chairman Freddie Gick Explains

First, we must reiterate our strong preference for a single library building in Eastside. Not necessarily the Rogers design, but forming the nucleus of a new 'learning quarter'. However, our alternative proposal has been developed on the basis that.

Perspective: Helping Childline While Having a Ball

Last year ChildLine counselled almost 120,000 children and young people about a wide range of problems. But as well as listening to children, ChildLine gives them a voice - taking what they say about their lives and relaying it to policy-makers, parents and people who work with children, so that children's lives can be changed for the better.

Residential Property: The Willows, Marston Green

George Wimpey has launched a scheme of 10 larger homes in a semi rural corner of Marston Green near Solihull. The housebuilder has bagged a prime plot off Coleshill Road, one of the better residential addresses here in the north of the borough.

Residential Property: Plots for Two New Huge Homes

There is nothing there yet, but a pair of proposed homes at Coventry's top address might command some pounds 2 million apiece. Two building plots are for sale in Cryfield Grange Road off the Kenilworth Road, for many years, aspired to by the biggest local spenders.

Culture: The Mane Attraction ; the Kids From Narnia Tell Mike Davies They Know What They Like in Their Wardrobe

Although there have been stage productions and two TV series of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (for ABC in 1967 and the BBC in 1988) as well as BBC adaptations of Prince Caspian and The Silver Chair, CS Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia saga has never found its way to the cinema screen. Not that there's haven't been attempts made. Ten years ago Paramount studios had a version in development that relocated the story to contemporary California and instead of young Edmund being tempted by promi...

Culture: Dvorak Strictly for the Fans ; Cbso Symphony Hall

Lovers of Dvorak have had a real treat this autumn, with no fewer than three of the Czech composer's nine symphonies featuring in CBSO programmes. And two of those have been rarities, including his Third which we heard on Wednesday night. Its infrequent outings are perhaps understandable, as only an ardent Dvorak fan could avoid feeling queasy at this inexperienced, eventually great, composer's difficulty in deciding whether he spoke with a Brahmsian, Wagnerian or merely folk-fiddling voice.

Culture: Hosts Are Spreading the News ; Mo Ilyas Reviews This Week's Dvd Releases

Have I Got News For You - The Best of the Guest Presenters - Volume 2 2entertain RRP: pounds 19.99

Post People: The Creative City Awards 2005

The Creative City Awards, hosted by Birmingham City Council, took place at the International Convention Centre. Hosted by Mark Durden-Smith, the ceremony saw awards being presented in eight business categories.

Residential Property: Bargains for the Urban Buyer

First time urban buyers may be drawn from the city centres by the outward ripple of regeneration into new improving areas. Among the latest on the residential map is Freer Court at Freer Street, Walsall where a piece of the historic core is now transformed as 12 apartments.

Residential Property: Room at the Top at Award-Winning Jupiter Scheme

Redrow has four penthouses for sale at its award-winning Jupiter scheme in central Birmingham, top-level apartments, priced from pounds 200,000. They come with generous roof terraces and offer keen city value, says the housebuilder.