Developer seeks further views on £260m Digbeth scheme
Developer Cole Waterhouse is seeking further views from the public on its plans for a £260m scheme in Digbeth.
The firm says it has a “vision for a new cultural, commercial and residential neighbourhood” on Upper Trinity Street. For the last year Cole Waterhouse says it has been working with local groups and businesses to work up plans before submitting a planning application.
It said response to its plans so far has been “overwhelmingly positive” following a public event to showcase the scheme. The team is now actively seeking further views from the community on its proposals.
Damian Flood, CEO of Cole Waterhouse, said: “We’re taking a deliberately different approach to this development in Digbeth so it’s is imperative that our future plans for Upper Trinity Street are shaped by the local community. We had a fantastic response on the day to our proposals and to how the exhibition was curated and we now want to encourage those who couldn’t make it down to The Engine Room to get involved and give us their feedback at utsdigbeth.co.uk.”
Jez Collins, the project’s local cultural lead, has been appointed by the team.
He added: “Cole Waterhouse is creating a new neighbourhood right in the heart of Digbeth and neighbourhoods need communities, culture and connectivity to thrive and prosper. We’ve worked really hard to involve the local community as much as we possibly can and have set out from the very beginning to ensure our consultation programme is deep, wide and purposeful. As an example of this we held a focus group of young people, led by Beatfreeks, to ensure the Upper Trinity scheme responds to young people‘s aspirations for Digbeth.”
Plans include creative, cultural and commercial spaces at ground level, new urban housing at heights of up to 31 storeys, a new public park with public art and a network of yards, connecting the existing canal network and proposed Skypark on Duddeston Viaduct to the rest of Digbeth.
Cole Waterhouse is aiming to submit a planning application to Birmingham City Council in the spring.
The company said feedback is requested by the end of the month as they finalise the plans.
