Major redevelopment plans lodged for Bull Ring market
Hammerson has submitted plans for the redevelopment of the Bull Ring’s Indoor Market and Edgbaston Street Car Park.
The outline proposal for ‘Edgbaston Street Gardens’ seeks flexible approval for either: a fully residential development with up to 745 units, a purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) with up to 1,544 beds, or a hybrid of the two, not exceeding 1,544 units in total.
Both the market and car park would be demolished to make way for the scheme, which would link with the broader Smithfield Masterplan and improve connectivity between Bullring, Grand Central, St. Martin’s Church, and Upper Dean Street.
The Bull Ring’s indoor fish market dates back to the 1800s, with a range of fish, fruit and vegetables on offer. Hammerson has written to the traders of the Indoor Market through Birmingham City Council as the traders’ landlord to advise them that an application was going to be submitted.
The car park, despite its 850-space capacity and prime location, is significantly underused, with occupancy rates below 15% and less than 50% capacity during peak periods. Documents prepared by Avison Young say its current design creates dead frontage and contributes to antisocial behaviour.
Hammerson says it has aligned the application with the Birmingham Smithfield Masterplan, which looked to relocate and consolidate the markets in the northeastern section of the site. It cites Lendlease’s approved plans for a new building to house the Indoor and Rag Markets to replace the demolished Bull Ring Indoor Market.
Lendlease secured approval for its £1.9bn Smithfield regeneration scheme in June and is now set to deliver 82,000 sq m of office space, 3,079 apartments and 44,000 sq m of retail space.
Plans include a new home for the city’s historic Bull Ring markets, and new leisure and cultural spaces, including a festival square and landscaped park.
