Longbridge

Longbridge owes its very existence to the car factory at Longbridge. Visitors to Longbridge cannot escape the maze of factories and flyovers across the main roads as they pass through. The Longbridge factory has a long and historical past as a major player of the UK car industry. Prior to 1894 there was only one house at Longbridge. It was an agricultural area outside of the city boundries. The building of the Longbridge car factory changed it beyond recognition.

The recent scare and the possibility of closure of the Longbridge plant shook the very foundations of this predominantly working class community. A national scandal in the making was finally overcome by common sense and the success of the Phoenix Consortium's bid to buy Rover from BMW. Had this not been successful the community of Longbridge would have been decimated by the closure of the Longbridge plant.

Sceptics proclaimed their opinion that Rover would fail within 12 months and that closure was inevitable. Mercifully this has not been the case and the Rover factory continues to produce quality cars and look towards the future. Lets hope it can put the turbulent years behind it. There are signs that the recent deal with 'Brilliance' of China could shape the future of the company and secure jobs both at Longbridge and for the West Midlands components industry.

Longbridge is located on the South West side of Birmingham city. Apart from the Longbridge plant it is mainly residential with pre war housing and more modern council properties. It is fairly close to Lickey Hills where local residents get the chance to look over the whole of Birmingham and the magnificent countryside views on the outskirts of the city. Lickey Hills is a popular destination for many Birmingham folk and most people from the city will be familiar with Longbridge having passed through it on route to Lickey Hills.