Selly Oak Triangle is located in Selly Oak, Birmingham. Sainsbury's was on the site until late 2018.

Sainsbury's Selly Oak (June 2012). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

At the Bristol Road, in Selly Oak, where it has junctions with Harborne Lane and Chapel Lane. This was being rebuilt in 2020 for the extension of the Selly Oak Bypass.

Snow blizzard from Oak Tree Lane towards Selly Oak Triangle (December 2020). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

With the closure of Sainsbury's near the end of 2018, the building was boarded up, and graffiti vandals kept tagging it.

The former Sainsbury's in Selly Oak (February 2019). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

There are proposals to build yet another unwanted student accommodation block in Selly Oak on this site. It is unneeded as Selly Oak is over-saturated with new student developments, and will cause massive traffic problems here, especially now it's part of the bypass. My proposal is to instead develop it into a new square (or triangle). Or another public park. Or get someone like Tesco to open a new supermarket here instead? A square or a park will be good for the local pigeons, plus were need more trees around here.

Pigeons flying near Sainsbury's Selly Oak (March 2018). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The proposed demolition of the old Selly Oak Sainsbury's will result in the sad loss of this sculpture of The Oak of Selly Oak. Is there a way to save it without it being destroyed unnecessarily?

The Oak brick sculpture at Sainsbury's Selly Oak (June 2012). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

At the top of Harborne Lane near the Bristol Road, there used to be a smaller triangle with trees, bushes and benches. This was all dug up and removed in 2019 or 2020 during the Selly Oak New Road Phase 1B works. Delayed completion due to the pandemic.

Selly Oak Triangle (January 2014). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Bus routes include the 11A, 11C, 38, 42, 42H, 48, 61, 63, X20 and X21.

 

Selly Oak Bypass roadworks

Signs like this one were placed on Chapel Lane and Oak Tree Lane, in the summer of 2019, claiming the bypass extension would be complete by Summer 2020. But due to the pandemic, they were still working on it well into the autumn and winter of 2020.

Selly Oak New Road Phase 1B sign (August 2019). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

In February 2020, there was a new path on a former section of dead end road on Harborne Lane near the 11A bus stop. Meanwhile the part of Harborne Lane towards Oak Tree Lane was being rebuilt to be bidirectional.

Selly Oak Bypass roadworks (February 2020). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

By the end of October 2020, Harborne Lane was being opened to two way traffic towards Oak Tree Lane and Bristol Road. Meanwhile there was a lot of traffic going up Chapel Lane (some of which was trying to go into the Battery Retail Park). Chapel Lane was also planned to be changed to two way traffic by November 2020.

Selly Oak Bypass roadworks (October 2020). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Near the end of December 2020, in a snow blizzard, and by now traffic could go from Oak Tree Lane to Harborne Lane in both directions, whereas previously they had to go down Chapel Lane, Bristol Road and onto Oak Tree Lane (like the 11A bus does). Most of the roadworks here were complete, but hard to tell in the snow.

Top of Oak Tree Lane, Selly Oak (December 2020). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Both Harborne Lane and Chapel Lane are bi-directional as of 2021. Also a new blue cycle lane has opened alongside the former Sainsbury's store. New trees have been planted as well. Plus some new bike racks.

New blue cycle lane at Selly Oak Triangle on the Bristol Road (April 2021). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

There is a section of the new blue cycle lane on Harborne Lane outside of Homebase, and not too far from the Selly Oak Shopping Park. Bi-directional traffic on Chapel Lane and Harborne Lane, but not many cyclists using the new cycle lane, probably as they are still riding up and down the towpath of the Worcester & Birmingham Canal.

New blue cycle lane at Selly Oak Triangle on Harborne Lane (May 2021). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The former Sainsbury's building is being demolished as of the end of 2023. But this site might become student accommodation, despite the last scheme being rejected.

Former Sainsbury's demolition at Selly Oak Triangle (December 2023). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

By the end of March 2024, the former Sainsbury's at Selly Oak has been completely demolished.

Former Sainsbury's demolition at Selly Oak Triangle (March 2024). Photography by Elliott Brown