Over 100 people show up in support of Birmingham’s gay village following questions about its future

Birmingham's gay village is currently under threat due to planning proposals for residential blocks in the area. At 10am this morning over 100 people turned out to a planning committee walkthrough of the gay village to assess and discuss the upcoming developments of the surrounding area. After initial objections to planning proposals from Gay Village supporters back in December, talks have continued about if developments will go through.

The objections come from the local gay scene, as the increased development of residential areas surrounding the gay village could mean the closure of many clubs and bars due to close proximity, and curfew laws.

There are already new and ongoing housing blocks that have been put up in the area, and future plans are being opposed in a desperate call to preserve Birmingham's gay scene.

The Gay Village provides a safe space for many lgbtq+ members and allies, creating clubs where everyone can feel accepted and have fun. It's a crucial part of local experience and safety for the lgbtq+ community in and around Birmingham.

Local councillors Cal Eden, Bill Gavan, Steph Keeble, Mac Clarke, Gabe Capes, Paul Aleksandr, Steve Ball, Terry Runcorn, Adam Carver, Lee Clarke, Soriah Lewin, and more turned out to listen to attendees of the walk through from the local community. The event aimed to demonstrate the importance of this community and keeping it safe as a cultural hub in Birmingham, hoping to prevent the proposal going ahead and possibly resulting in the closing of the gay village.

The outcomes of todays walk through will be discussed at the next council planning committee meeting which takes place on Thursday the 14th of February.