'If it were lost, it would be a real shame': The derelict Birmingham building that campaigners hope to save
Campaigners in Birmingham are urging action to save Handsworth Park’s Lodge House, a Victorian building in Handsworth Park, from further decay and potential loss
As soon as you enter Handsworth Park, you cannot help but notice Lodge House, a stunning Victorian structure which dates back to 1897, the date itself is etched into the top of the building, along with a clock tower that was designed by Edwin Kenworthy. Another noticeable feature about the building is that it has been left in an unfortunate manner and it is in such a derelict condition in 2025.
From an onlooker’s perspective, the windows are smashed, the doors are boarded up and the garden in the back is in a dire condition, with overgrown foliage covering parts of the building’s once beautiful site.
In recent years the building has been left vacant, and it's in a deep state of disrepair - so much so that it has drawn attention from residents and campaigners alike.
In April 2024, the building was set alight and was subjected to arson attacks.
It is important to note that while this particular building is an unlisted building in its own right, it is part of the Grade II listed Handsworth Park.
It's easy to overlook the reality that Handsworth Park’s Lodge House faces as it has stood in the park for over a century.
But for many campaigners in the city, it seems as though there is a race against time to keep the building from further disrepair and an uncertain future.
The Victorian Society, which campaigns for the preservation of Victorian and Edwardian buildings throughout the country has said that Birmingham as a city has only had one part-time conservation officer since September 2025.
Prior to this date, just two officers were expected to deal with the demands created by Birmingham’s c.2,000 listed buildings and 30 conservation areas.
At the moment, campaigners understand that the building is up for sale by Birmingham City Council as a residential property, there is speculation that this is to generate much-needed funds.
“We understand that it's up for sale for adaptation as a residential property but in the meantime the building over the last two years, it's just been getting steadily worse and worse and there's been a couple of arson attacks.” Tim Bridges, conservation advisor at Victorian Society told BirminghamWorld.
Tim Bridges said that the building is a part of the city’s heritage. He said that, “If it were lost, it would be a real shame.” In addition to this, it has upset local residents. “People get very emotional about buildings like that when they're part of the local park. Lots of people have seen it, people are walking past it all the time, so they love these buildings.”
Last year, Ed Freshwater, Green Party activist for Handsworth ward in Birmingham, began a petition to draw attention to the dire situation that Lodge House finds itself in.
As of November 2025, the Save the historic Lodge House in Handsworth Park petition has 745 signatures.
With one supporter named Katie commenting that Lodge House is “A building of important historical significance and an important local landmark, this architectural delight is recognisable to anyone from the local area. It is imperative that is rescued, restored and reinstated as a community resource.”
A year after the petition was launched Ed Freshwater told BirminghamWorld that he has not heard from the local council about the building’s future.
“The council needs to look after these buildings, protect these buildings, and it's part of the heritage of Handsworth Park. It's a Victorian building, the council has a duty to look after not just the park but the buildings in it, and they've completely failed to do that. When we've reported things like broken windows, then those have been just ignored.”
Ed Freshwater has said that many residents in Handsworth would like to see the building restored for community usage and purpose.
He said, “Speaking to a lot of residents, people have said let's keep it open for the community and can't we get a community asset transfer but because it's never been a community building, it's always been a private house, then we can't apply for an asset transfer for it. So really when we've got a housing shortage, it seems really daft that a beautiful house in a sought after area has been left to fall into disrepair and decay in this manner.”
In response to these matters, Birmingham City Council shared this statement to BirminghamWorld.
It read: "At present, two accredited Institute of Historic Buildings Conservation (IHBC) officers are in post supporting the planning function, supplemented by external consultants whilst recruitment is in progress. This is an approach taken by many councils.
"The cases in Handsworth and Aston are not unusual - and are typical of issues faced by many councils - usually as a result of buildings being vacant and sometimes in poor condition; a matter facing historic buildings across the country. As such, this is not reflective of staffing resources here or anywhere else.
"We remain committed to honouring the city’s heritage, however, we have to acknowledge the significantly reduced amount of funding available, which affects councils across the UK."