History to be remembered at Longbridge Retirement Village

Picture: Amy Watson, ExtraCare’s Community Development Worker in Longbridge.

The history of Longbridge is to be remembered at the new ExtraCare retirement village, which opens in 2017.

The street names at Longbridge Village are to include Herbert Avenue, Mini Mayfair, Metro Close, Healey Road and Allegro Avenue.

A specially formed heritage group and also potential residents were involved in discussions about street names for the village which will be home to hundreds of older people.

Amy Watson, ExtraCare’s Community Development Worker in Longbridge, said: ‘Longbridge is a name synonymous with a proud manufacturing past. We are on the site of the old car factory. Generations of family worked at the ‘Austin’ or the ‘Rover.’ At one point thousands came from all over Birmingham and the West Midlands to work at the plant.

‘It is exciting that we are part of a new town centre but I think it is really important that the past is celebrated. It was such an important history. Longbridge has a proud past and now an exciting present and future.’

Amy has visited the British Motor Museum in Gaydon along with members of the heritage group. The heritage group includes representatives from the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust including archivist Gillian Bardsley, Vicar of Longbridge Colin Corke, and John Baker who runs the austinmemories.com website.

Amy is planning to set up reminiscence groups at Longbridge Village. A friends group has already been set up to offer activities and interest groups, giving people the chance to get involved in the village lifestyle even before the village opens.

Longbridge Village, a partnership with Birmingham City Council, will have 260 one and two bed apartments and is set on five acres fronting Lickey Road on the edge of Longbridge Town Centre.

It will offer a range of communal facilities including a village hall, bar and bistro, gym, IT suite, hair and beauty salon and shop that can be accessed by residents, their families and Longbridge residents.

Up to 50 activities will be on offer each week including choir singing, IT, wheelchair aerobics and gardening.

The £35 million retirement village is part of St. Modwen’s £1 billion Longbridge regeneration scheme.