Burrell Foley Fischer, working with Donald Insall Associates, have been developing a long-term plan for Bournville heritage places and spaces. This is a joint vision between Bournville Village Trust, Mondelez International and the Bournville community.
By the late 18th century, brothers George and Richard Cadbury had seen the chocolate business, started by their father John, flourish thanks to the quality of their cocoa. Unlike most factory owners of the time, unmoved by the poor working and living conditions of their employees, the Cadbury brothers were different. They had a deep-seated concern about the way so many people were forced to work and live in overcrowded, dirty and dangerous places.
In 1893, the Cadburys bought 120 acres of land close to their new factory and started to plan a model village to, in their words, ‘alleviate the evils of modern, more cramped living.’ Designed to be totally different to the typical ‘back to backs’, houses in Bournville were spacious, well-designed, and built with quality in mind. As the village grew, so did the facilities it offered, with schools, parks, recreation grounds, sports facilities and village halls all springing to life.
George and Richard had set out to give people a better quality of life, and in Bournville they did just that. So much so that Bournville later became a blueprint for many other model villages in Britain. Many have credited it with laying the foundations for the development of garden cities and introducing the benefits of open space into modern town planning.
Today the Bournville Village Trust and Modelelez International (the current owners of Cadbury) continue to be custodians of the village and have begun looking at the best options for providing; improved sports and youth provision; more community and recreation facilities; and more social and leisure facilities.
The public have been invited to give their views on the conceptual designs, which were drafted using feedback from almost 400 community surveys conducted during the Summer/Autumn 2023. Proposals being considered include:
Bournville Village Green
Making the Green the beating heart of Bournville.
Bournville Pavilion
Community engagement and commercial potential as a restaurant.
Men’s Recreation Ground
Continued sports and youth provision.
The Walled Garden and Girls' Recreation Ground
Currently a hidden landscape off Bournville Lane closed off from its surroundings and used for very little. Sympathetic to the architecture, developing a new community, living within the Walled Garden, with opportunities to provide homes for younger and older people possibly in a ground-breaking community led/cohousing scheme.
Former Cadbury Club Site
Using the former Cadbury Club site to develop community-focused facilities alongside commercial opportunities – developing Bournville as a cultural destination alongside Cadbury World. Options include a ground level café with a gym, co-working spaces and business seed bed facilities above, or a ground level café with a hotel with 112 rooms – capitalising on proximity to the station
The Clay Pits
Access this hidden gem for health and wellbeing activities. Harnessing a tranquil natural environment far removed from the bustle of the surrounding urban area. Creating a small pavilion next to the pool to foster a safe and supportive space for activities such as yoga, wellness practices, fishing, open water swimming, men’s shed projects and gardening.
Rowheath Pavilion
Rowheath Pavilion to become the focal point for intensified sports activities for all ages. A new pavilion block north of Heath Road to provide upgraded changing facilities and hospitality amenities, catering to larger athletic activities and featuring floodlit pitches
