Dickens Heath

It was a journey of two halves today as we stopped mid way at the Blue Bell Cider House where Will enjoyed a crisp dry cider and free range ham and egg. We are travelling on the Birmingham Plain now so there was thankfully no locks or bridges to operate.

Our surroundings are growing ever more urban and as the population density increases so does the number of boats in permanent moorings. We don't know if we'll ever tire of commenting on the clever names and quirky adaptations people have made.

We moored alongside the Nature Reserve on the edge of Dickens Heath; a New Village built in the late 1990s. It really felt as if we were back on the continent in somewhere like the Netherlands! We crossed a gently arcing metal pedestrian bridge towards stepped water feature. Around it was a rectangular courtyard with arcade fronted businesses on the ground floor and accommodation above. The builders had varied the bricks and stones used, which provided distinctive areas and interest within the cohesive development.

Rather than just fulfilling the demand for extra housing, Solihull Council ensured Dickens Heath included the infrastructure and services to fulfill its residents' needs.

According to Wikipedia Dickens Heath was to have:

1 have a clear identity which gives residents a sense of place and belonging
2 echo the traditional features of village development including homes, employment, recreation, social and welfare facilities intermixed to create a cohesive whole
3 provide a range of housing, from first-time buyer housing through to family housing and smaller units suitable for the elderly, thereby creating a mixed community of all ages and incomes
4 create a safe and pleasing environment for pedestrians while still accommodating the motor car, but without allowing it to dominate the environment

From the outside they seem to have achieved this. It was really pleasant strolling down the mainstreet which provided places for people to sit under trees. We stopped in at the Ale Hub bar for a drink. There were only a few others in and the atmosphere was a bit flat but it was a Thursday afternoon so we wouldn't expect much more.Leia mais