Multimillion-pound brownfield investment secured for Birmingham scheme

A multimillion-pound investment package to drive forward the next phase of a housing scheme in central Birmingham has been confirmed by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

The funding commitment will now trigger detailed negotiations with developer House by Urban Splash to transform another six acres of derelict land at Port Loop in Icknield Port Road, Edgbaston, delivering a further 133 factory-built modular homes.

Once complete, Port Loop will see 43 acres of derelict industrial land transformed into 1,150-home waterside district featuring two, three and four-bedroom houses, apartments, public and communal green spaces, cultural hub Tubeworks, and new spaces for walking and cycling along the nearby Old Main Line Canal.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMCA, said: “Port Loop is a great example of how the West Midlands is leading the way nationally in bringing derelict former industrial land back into use for homes and jobs. By building affordable, low carbon homes, on sites like this not only are we helping to protect the Green Belt while creating new jobs and communities, we’re also helping to tackle the region’s climate emergency as part of our #WM2041 plans.

“As the home of the green industrial revolution we are driving forward modern ways of building to make homes more sustainable and affordable and support the new low carbon industries that will help create the well-paid jobs of the future.”

The Port Loop development has so far been delivered by a joint venture partnership of Urban Splash and Places for People, alongside the landowners, Birmingham City Council and the Canal & River Trust charity.

The WMCA board approval of the commitment into the next phase of the development follows a £4m investment by the combined authority last year into Phase 2 of Port Loop which unlocked three acres of brownfield land and paved the way for Urban Splash to build 138 homes.