News

EXPERT OPINION - February 2008

Philip Jackson from independent, Birmingham-based estate agency, Maguire Jackson, says the Jewellery Quarter has now its best ever opportunity to put itself and the city of Birmingham on the worldwide map.

“It’s great news that the Jewellery Quarter is to be recommended as a potential candidate for World Heritage Site status.

“For this unique and charming district to have the opportunity of being mentioned in the same breath as Stonehenge and the Tower of London is one not to be missed.

“If Birmingham can secure this status, it will put the whole city – not just the Jewellery Quarter – on the radar screen of a new audience. It’s not an exaggeration to say it will bring worldwide recognition. That’s good for tourism, business, leisure, retail and my area, the local property market.

“I envisage the fabric of the area and the public realm improving as grants are made available for renovations and restorations. Glorious, old buildings that have stood neglected will benefit from a new lease of life. It’s already happening but I’m hopeful the pace of change will speed up.

“Some developers and occupiers are concerned by the current Conservation Area status and its development restrictions. Those restrictions will inevitably become tighter if the area secures a World Heritage status. However the up side is that the overall benefit will be greater than the increased bureaucracy.

“It’s not going to be easy to win the single nomination for the UK as we are up against some stiff competition such as Shakespeare’s Stratford and the Lake District.

“However, our distinct advantage is that the Jewellery Quarter would be one of only a few sites in the world that’s still in operation, rather than simply being of historic importance. The crowds will go to the other locations regardless. Ours is a real opportunity.

“I understand we now have five years to make sure the Jewellery Quarter is chosen as the UK nomination.

I think there are four steps we should take to ensure the Quarter is nominated:

• Jewellery businesses must be encouraged to thrive and expand. This could be done by giving all jewellery made here its own hallmark – a sign of status and quality. This will help obtain premium prices through association with the area.
• Let’s be bold and take a stance when it comes to local architecture. There’s too much in the way of sub-standard 1960s and 1970s buildings in the Jewellery Quarter. The recent design of some residential blocks has been candidly weak and should be addressed. Let’s retain the beautiful Georgian, Edwardian and Victorian architecture where we can and encourage new buildings to reflect the historical relevance of the district
• We need a concerted effort when it comes to the Quarter’s public realm. Visitors need to be encouraged to stay and explore the area. Personally, I would like to see a ‘golden square’ in the heart of the Quarter created, being an open space used for creative fairs and concerts.
• The Quarter needs to be more clearly defined. Every gateway and entrance point should proudly announce that you are about to enter/leave the Jewellery Quarter. It’s a great opportunity to develop some public art that makes a statement about the area.

“The Jewellery Quarter has the substance and confidence to rightly become one of just 852 World Heritage Sites on this planet.”

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