‘I love Chelmsley Wood – and this is why you should too’
“I’m not living in a bubble, I know there are parts of Chelmsley Wood that are bad but I love living here.”
Meet Victoria Cox, a very contented north Solihull resident.
The 32-year-old moved to Chelmsley Wood from Reading four years ago.
She was so angry by the latest Public Health Annual Report from Solihull Council about life expectancy in the area, she wanted to speak up.
The report suggested locals living in parts of Chelmsley Wood, Smith’s Wood and Kingshurst & Fordbridge can potentially die around 10 years before those living in more affluent parts of Solihull.
“I want people to know that there’s so much on our doorstep,” she said after inviting Birmingham Live to her home to see the beauty she sees in the area.
“Chelmsley Wood has got this old, bad reputation and people who have moved out say ‘I’m never coming back here’ but a lot has changed over the last few years,” she explained.
A lot of money has been spent on the area and we need to bring people in.”
In a spontaneous move, the qualified nanny upped sticks from her home almost 90 miles away in Reading four years ago and bought her smart three-bedroomed house in Lowbrook Way without even coming to see it. She just bought it over the phone.
“I didn’t know Chelmsley Wood at all but when I saw the house online and read about the amenities nearby, I had such a strong feeling about it and I’m very happy.
“I didn’t view it beforehand. The homes are built by Bellway and I couldn’t believe I could buy a two or three bed house for under £150,000. I couldn’t get that in Reading.
“I liked Birmingham and I would often travel up to go to the Bullring and the Clothes Show so it seemed good to me.
“I’m near the airport, the NEC, the motorway and Touchwood as well as Resorts World which I love.
“The estate agent said there was just one home left on this estate and someone wanted to buy it. I said ‘well how can I buy it instead?’
“She said ‘pay £500 deposit now and it’s yours’. So I did, over the phone and I haven’t regretted my decision.
“I knew if it didn’t work out I could move back to Reading and sell or rent the house out.
“I didn’t even have a job when I first moved up!”
Victoria, a keen jogger, is passionate about the community in which she lives.
“I jog for an hour most days and I feel safe.
“Obviously I am aware and I don’t put myself at risk but there’s lots of guys in hoodies that go past me and there’s never been a problem.
“I pass ducks and waterfalls and jog along the stream – I love being near the water.
“My house overlooks Kingfisher Country Park and Meriden Park is nearby. There’s also Sheldon Country Park.”
“It’s all on my doorstep.”
She is also a regular visitor to the nearby shopping centre in Maple Walk.
“It’s great. It’s just a few minutes away with a Boots, Wilkinsons, Costa Coffee, a bakery and more. The Asda is quite new and it’s a massive development with a great cafe. I can walk to it easily.
“In Reading I would have to drive 15 to 20 minutes to get to an Asda. I love the library as well. It’s always well-used when I go.
“There’s free internet and I do use it a lot.”
The area, she says, is perfect for travel with Marston Green train station just two miles away.
“I can park there for free,” Victoria added, “and, it’s just eight minutes then to the city on the train. I often get a train to Resorts World as well with my boyfriend.”
“We love it there – if we do drive it’s just 10 minutes away. We go to the cinema and we eat out a lot there. It’s just up the road so I think we are lucky here.
“Living here has improved my quality of life. My friends who come up to visit me from Reading can’t believe how close everything is.
“I want people to realise there are not druggies on every corner.
“I feel safe and I want to get rid of the reputation it has.”
Chelmsley Wood was built as a large housing estate in the 1960s as an overspill town for Birmingham. The tower blocks have been spruced up in the last few years and new shops have arrived in the area as part of a huge regeneration project.
The BBC was slammed after its 2014 documentary People Like Us, which focused on a number of residents.
Councillors in the area accused the BBC of portraying the town like a crime-ridden “down-town Johannesburg” and it was not a true reflection of the area.
The average price for property in Chelmsley Wood is currently £130,586. This is a rise of 4.04% in the last 12 months. In terms of property types, flats in Chelmsley Wood sold for an average of £85,588 and terraced houses for £128,841, according to Zoopla.
In comparison the average price for property in Knowle is currently £512,518, – a rise of 1.80% in the past 12 months. In terms of property types, flats in Knowle sold for an average of £284,052 and terraced houses for £336,479.
Read more: www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/love-chelmsley-wood-you-should-14291484