When a former allotment was turned into a green space at the turn of the Millennium in Acocks Green it was named the Westley Vale Millennium Green. Located on The Avenue, it runs alongside the Westley Brook towards the Grand Union Canal. The area is quite small. Visitors are expected to take their litter home with them. Street art by Hoakser was unveiled in 2015 at The Avenue entrance.

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Westley Vale Millennium Green in Acocks Green


Westley Vale Millennium Green in Acocks Green


When a former allotment was turned into a green space at the turn of the Millennium in Acocks Green it was named the Westley Vale Millennium Green. Located on The Avenue, it runs alongside the Westley Brook towards the Grand Union Canal. The area is quite small. Visitors are expected to take their litter home with them. Street art by Hoakser was unveiled in 2015 at The Avenue entrance.


Westley Vale Millennium Green

The Westley Vale Millennium Green was created as one of the Millennium Greens to provide Breathing Spaces in the early 21st Century. The New Labour Government in 1998 gave support for schemes like this, and this one opened in the year 2000. The area is leased to Birmingham City Council, and a group of Trustees supported by local volunteers manage the site, clean it up, plant and maintain the site as a conservation area.

In 2015, the Birmingham street artist Hoakser was hired to paint a wall at the entrance path from The Avenue. With various birds and animals on it.

Acocks Green Station is a short walk away from the site (as well as the shops on the Warwick Road high street).

2014

I first walked past the Westley Vale Millennium Green in February 2014. This was after a short walk from the Grand Union Canal at Lincoln Road North, I found this gate on The Avenue. I did not enter it at this time, but would a year later.

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On the railings was this Millennium Greens Breathing Spaces sign. A Millennium Project. An initiative of The Countryside Agency.

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2015

My first proper walk into the Westley Vale Millennium Green was during May 2015. Entering from The Avenue, the street art mural by Hoakser was on the right. With owls, foxes, badgers etc.

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The far end of the mural had various birds painted onto it.

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Many different paths to take around the Millennium Green.

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Cow parsley near the footbridge over the Westley Brook.

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An area with benches. It looked like the turf was newly laid at the time.

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Following the path past the cow parsley on the left.

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Another bench and another path to the left.

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The path continues. Lots of tree and very green in the spring.

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Now a dirt path through the trees.

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Some steps to go up.

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Railings on the left. The Grand Union Canal was nearby, but you can't get onto it from this side.

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A gate with an exit to Woodcock Lane.

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A look at the steps down from Woodcock Lane North onto the towpath of the Grand Union Canal.

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Just a look at the steps, I don't think I went down to the canal towpath for a walk down there that time around.

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This is a view of the Grand Union Canal from the Woodcock Lane Bridge. I've not walked that section. Sometimes the towpath can be muddy or wet. This is the direction towards Yardley Road, South Yardley and towards Tyseley.

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Back into the Millennium Green, and heading around the paths towards Malvern Road.

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The path leads to a closed gate at Malvern Road.

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Another path from near Malvern Road leads back to The Avenue entrance / exit.

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The gate is closed, so you have to use the latch to open the gate, then close it behind you. This was on Malvern Road.

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The Millennium Greens Breathing Spaces, Westley Vale Millennium Green and Conservation Area signs at the Malvern Road entrance.

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Close up of the Westley Vale Millennium Green signs. Don't dump your rubbish. Pick up and bag your dog waste.

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Close up of the Conservation Area sign. Please respect the environment. Bin or take your litter home. Clean up after your pets. Do not damage trees or pick the flowers. No motorcycles or other unauthorised vehicles.

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2020

Didn't get around to coming back to the Westley Vale Millennium Green until doing an afternoon walk around Acocks Green during July 2020. Weren't here for long, before walk a stretch of the Grand Union Canal as well.

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The footbridge over the Westley Brook. Everything looking lush and green in the summer.

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The grass near the path looked to be cut short near the bushes.

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Straight on the path under the trees.

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Google Lens says this flower is called Asian pigeonwings. But who knows, Google Lens might be wrong?

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Up the steps on the path towards Woodcock Lane.

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No sooner had we got here, we were almost out of the Millennium Green.

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The area is quite small anyway.

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A bag on the tree for litter (I think).

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A look at the Grand Union Canal. You can not get onto it from this side.

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Back to the Woodcock Lane gate. Next headed over the bridge then down onto the canal towpath.

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Near the Woodcock Lane Bridge was these signs from the Canal & River Trust. This area is adopted by Acocks Green Neighbourhood Forum.

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A look at the Woodcock Lane Bridge from the towpath of the Grand Union Canal. Walked towards the Lincoln Road North Bridge. The Millennium Green is to the far left of here. It is Grade II listed, dating to the late 18th Century, and made of red brick. The canal was built as the Warwick and Birmingham Canal. It later became part of the Grand Union Canal from 1927 onwards.

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Photos taken by Elliott Brown. Can be found on Twitter: ellrbrown.