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The Civil Parish of
Alvechurch consists of four electoral wards – Alvechurch,
Bordesley, Hopwood and Rowney Green. Alvechurch ward comprises
the village of Alvechurch and Withybed Green; the Hopwood ward
includes the north half of Weatheroak, whilst the southern half
is contained within the Rowney Green ward that also encompasses
the Holloway and Grange Lane.
Sited within the Worcestershire district of Bromsgrove,
Alvechurch is one of Bromsgrove’s 20 parishes and shares
boundaries with Beoley, Wythall, Barnt Green, Cofton Hackett and
Tutnall & Cobley Parishes. The parish also borders both the city
of Birmingham and Redditch new-town and is therefore a vital
part of the West Midlands Green Belt that serves as a buffer
between conurbations.
The only part of the parish that is not covered by the Green
Belt classification is the built-up area of Alvechurch village
itself. The resultant restrictions on new building development
in the Green Belt mean demand for new housing in the parish is
high.
The Bromsgrove District Local Plan has identified parts of the
parish as Landscape Protection Areas, Special Wildlife Sites,
Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and a Scheduled Ancient
Monument.
Alvechurch Village Centre is a designated Conservation Area,
host to a number of listed buildings originating from the 15th
century. The parish church of St Laurence is listed grade 11*.
The parish is host to good transport links of all types
including (by road) the north/south A441 and the east/west M42,
(by rail) the Redditch/Lichfield cross-city service, and (by
canal) the Worcester Birmingham canal. The river Arrow flows
from its source in the nearby Lickey Hills through the parish
and out towards Alcester. The village of Alvechurch lies in a
valley surrounded by Hob, Scarfield, Coopers, Hopwood, Wast,
Weatheroak and Newbourne Hills.
Some employment in the parish is related to transport services,
such as the Hopwood Park M42 motorway service area, the
Alvechurch marina and the car manufacturing plant at Longbridge.
The impact of the recent closure of the latter with the
attendant changes to work patterns, social health and
prosperity, has yet to be assessed.
The two schools in Alvechurch, Crown Meadow First School and
Alvechurch Church of England Middle School, cater for children
from Reception age to Year 8. At the time of writing both
schools and the library share a site on Tanyard Lane, but are
due to move to a new site on Birmingham Road within the next
three years.
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