| AdminHistory | 'Green Ban' was an environmental protest movement that originated in Australia. Building workers in Sydney refused to work on construction projects that involved the destruction of historic buildings or on projects which were deemed to have adverse environmental consequences.
In the Birmingham context, the catalyst for 'Green Ban' protests was the proposed demolition of the General Post Office in Victoria Square. The Post Office Preservation Campaign [POP] emerged in 1976 to protest against this proposal and a Green Ban Action Committee was formed [GBAC]. Modelled on the Australian example, it drew support from a range of campaigners, such as the Birmingham Victorian Society, the building union UCATT, local politicians and interested individuals. The campaign linked in with a growing concern about the activities of property developers in Birmingham and elsewhere. Popular opposition to the demolition of buildings such as the Midland Institute and Birmingham Reference Library combined with political protest about the commercial anomaly of modern office blocks such as London's Centre Point generating profits whilst standing empty.
UCATT provided support for Banner's street theatre performances which were held in Chamberlain Square, outside the new Central Library. Rhoma Bowdler developed the script. This series records the development of these scripts and contains research material gathered as part of this process. Some of this concerns allegations of municipal corruption and the adverse effects of excessive property development. Correspondence between Banner and POP / Green Ban is also included and details of the visit to Birmingham of Jack Mundey are recorded. Mundey was the former leader of the Australian Building Labourers' Federation and a key advocate of the 'Green Ban' protests in Sydney.
Ultimately, the General Post Office was saved and converted into offices, with a smaller post office retained in a modern office complex built on the site of the sorting office behind the GPO. |