£1bn regeneration plans tipped for green light

Plans for a £1bn transformation of the area around the iconic Custard Factory in Birmingham’s Digbeth area have been recommended for approval.

The hybrid planning application from Oval Real Estate was submitted to Birmingham City Council last May.

Oval says the scheme would include up to 2.2 million sq ft of commercial space and 1,850 homes alongside shops, restaurants, cafes, and leisure facilities.

The developer says that more than 16,000 jobs will be created if the 42-acre scheme is approved.

Approval of the plans will also will also pave the way for Viaduct Park that will see the Duddeston Viaduct, built in 1846 by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, made into a new publicly accessible sky park.

Since acquiring the Custard Factory and other Digbeth buildings in 2017, Oval have been refurbishing some of Digbeth’s best known buildings and helping to introduce new independent
dynamic companies to the area.

Most recently, this included plans for a major new creative content hub at the Bond, a centre for film, TV, games and virtual production, which will help to expand Digbeth’s creative vitality.

The application will be decided by members of the City Council Planning Committee on Thursday.

James Craig, founder of Oval, said: “We are delighted that City Council planners are supportive of our vision for the regeneration of Digbeth, which builds on its heritage and post-industrial charm. We have been discussing these plans with the City Council and a wide range of local stakeholders for a number of years and we are excited to be nearing the next stage of our plans. This news will also be reassuring to local businesses who have suffered over the past year due to restrictions. We hope it will give them confidence and reassurance that Digbeth is back in business.”

Steve Sanders, head of development at Oval, said: “We are extremely proud of our framework which has been shaped through our personal and local experience, careful design and collaboration with the community and local stakeholders.

“We believe our vision fully embraces the existing urban fabric, opening up the area to new opportunities which will ensure Digbeth continues to thrive whilst change inevitably happens with the arrival of HS2. We are fully committed to Digbeth and are looking forward to playing an important hands-on role in the regeneration of the area.”