Legal Challenge As Council Bids to Demolish Historic Buildings ; After Being Labelled 'Middle Class Idiots' for Opposing Plans to Bulldoze a Row of Derelict Victorian Villas in Birmingham, Conservationists Have Launched a Legal Challenge Against the City Council. Neil Elkes Reports

Birmingham Post › January 20, 2011

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Summary

The outburst came during a fierce debate over plans to knock down six derelict Victorian houses in Birmingham to make way for a retirement village.

Conservative councillor Len Clark launched a tirade against heritage groups which had vehemently opposed the plans to demolish the villas, including the former Lambert Court Hotel in Hagley Road.

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Extract

Legal Challenge As Council Bids to Demolish Historic Buildings ; After Being Labelled 'Middle Class Idiots' for Opposing Plans to Bulldoze a Row of Derelict Victorian Villas in Birmingham, Conservationists Have Launched a Legal Challenge Against the City Council. Neil Elkes Reports

"These middle class idiots haven't a clue what's been going on for the last 50 years. This is a major commuter route, if we don't do this it will be left as a blight on the city," he said.

But now conservation groups are calling on the Government to review the committee's controversial decision to allow the development to go ahead. They claim the planning committee ignored a raft of conservation policy and the advice of heritage experts in approving the demol...

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