Chelmsley Wood - History

History

Chelmsley Wood is a relatively new area, which was built by Birmingham City Council in the 1960s on ancient woodland (part of the Forest of Arden) as an overspill town for Birmingham. Permission for the construction of the overspill estate on green belt land was granted by Richard Crossman as Minister of Housing and Local Government. A shopping centre (which opened on 7 April 1970), a library (completed in 1970 at £240,000), hall and a few public houses. With the adjoining neighbourhoods of Fordbridge and Smith's Wood it became part of Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in 1974.

Today, the name Chelmsly Wood is synonymous with one and a half thousand across of brick, concrete and glass to provide fifteen and a hald thousand dwellings in houses and multi-storey began in May. 1965 and the first rates were levied on houses in Oak croft on 6th March, 1967. Such was the scale of the operation that a development company was to design finance and build a complete town centre which was officially opened by H.M. The Queen on 7th April 1972. The decision to build at chelmsley wood was taken by the Minister of Housing on 17th September, 1965, following a public enquiry. Objections were raised to the scheme, particularly from Meriden Rural District Council and the local Parish Councils, on grounds of amenity and the threat to the green belt separating Birmingham and Coventry. The Minister also considered a similar application for the use of nearly 300 acres at Wythall to the south of Birmingham, but this was turned down. By the end of the Second World War, in 1945, three thousand homes had been destroyed by German bombers IN Birmingham and there was to be no house building in the city for six years. So the program of slum clearance had been halted. This meant there was a terrific demand for homes. Estates were built within the city in such areas of Castle Vales and “Battle Of Britain’ R.A.F. base, and at Bromford Bridge on the site of the city’s former racecourse. By 1963, there was no land available within the city boundary, the population was increasing and it was estimated that there would be a deficiency of 43,000 dwellings in 1971, which would have been worse than it had been in 1959. At a meeting of the Houses Building Committee in February, 1965, it was decided to name the new Development “Chelmsley Wood” The Name “Chelmsley” is of considerable antiquity. It indicates settlement of Saxon origin- the enclosure of Ceolmund. Ceolmund Crescent is the name of the road that passes by the police station, and the Post Office Tower in the town centre.