Land for Future Development in Birmingham

Land for future development consists of sites with a policy commitment for development including 'windfall' sites. Land with a policy commitment for development ('committed') includes all sites where construction has not started but where (1) a planning permission for development or redevelopment exists (excluding residential extensions, non-residential floorspace normally less than 500m² and other minor developments) and/or (2) proposals for development are shown in the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) or other approved plan.

Summary

• At April 2012, ‘committed land’ comprised 642 ha. of land on 778 sites across the City. It represented just over 2% of the total area of the City.

• 56% of ‘committed’ land area had the benefit of full or outline planning permission, 41% was proposed for development in an approved plan including the UDP and the remainder with other planning policy commitments.

• Two-thirds of 'committed’ land was in private ownership, including utility companies. The City Council owned around one fifth with the remainder made up of Health Trusts, Central Government, Housing Associations, religious & charitable organisations and the Castle Vale Housing Action Trust.

• 84% of sites were smaller than one hectare in size and only 9 (less than 1%) were larger than 10 hectares. It should be noted that a number of sites form part of larger clusters that are subdivided because of phasing, ownership and other factors.

• There were 346 ha. of ‘committed’ land that was unused/vacant including 62 ha. of derelict land. 75 ha. of cleared vacant land was in Longbridge, of which 60 ha. was due to site clearance at the former MG Rover factory in preparation for mixed use redevelopment.

• 94% (606 ha.) of ‘committed’ land sites were previously developed (‘brownfield’). Some 'brownfield' sites are affected by physical, service or ownership constraints that impede development. Over one-third of ‘committed’ sites had at least one constraint to development, including buildings, tipping, contamination from industrial processes, underground utilities and lack of utility service. Around 10% of 'brownfield' land sites were derelict, requiring reclamation before they can be recycled back into use. The remaining sites were on ‘greenfield’ land, which have been identified to meet specific needs including public open space.

• 28% (180 ha.) of ‘committed’ land were proposed for purely residential use plus a further 71 ha. for mixed residential and commercial use. In addition, 36 ha. was proposed for non-residential mixed commercial use including hotels, 28 ha. for retail use and 7 ha. for office use. Other uses proposed were: 23 ha. for transport, 11 ha. for education, 11 ha. for leisure, 4 ha. for health, 3 ha. for defence and 1 ha. for community use. There were also proposals for 48 ha. of public open space.

• 31% (201 ha.) of the ‘committed’ land area was proposed for industry/warehousing including 15 ha. mixed industrial/commercial land. Around 40% of land proposed for industry was considered ‘readily available’ employment land with no major problems relating to physical condition or infrastructure and were on the market with a willing seller.

Residential

• At April 2012, the City had an estimated total capacity of around 18,600 additional dwellings ‘committed’ but not yet started (new build and conversions), of which 49% were in the City Centre. Of this total, land with full planning permission represented a capacity of around 8,800 dwellings (60% in the City Centre). In addition, sites with outline planning permission had approval for just under 7,000 dwellings and those proposed in an approved Development Plan had an estimated capacity of around 2,800 dwellings. The City is also dependent on ‘windfall sites’ to help meet its housing requirements. These are sites that cannot be identified in advance but come forward on ‘brownfield’ land (excluding re-development from clearance and conversions) and subsequently gain planning permission.

• City Centre residential or mixed use proposals with full planning permission, included: the ‘V’ building, a 50 storey tower comprising 700 apartments, within the ‘Arena Central’ development off Broad Street with current masterplan proposals for 78,250 m² of office floorspace plus retail, hotel and residential uses. Other mixed use proposals were; ‘Typhoo Wharf’ at Bordesley Street for 353 dwellings and the ‘Connaught’ sites off Bradford Street/Deritend for over 600 dwellings (Nechells). Other commitments included 342 dwellings and a 192 bedroom hotel at ‘Broad Street Tower’ and 325 swellings at Bradford Street. Other sites with over 100 dwellings proposed included the former Westminster works site at Alcester Street (Nechells), Summer Hill Street, Wrentham Street and at Hondouras Wharf (phase 2), Summer Lane (Aston). In addition, there were existing commitments for the redevelopment of the 'Silver Blades' ice rink with leisure, commercial and 231 dwellings at Pershore street (Nechells) and a Housing Association scheme for 132 apartments on open space land at Bell Barn Road at the centre of 'Attwood green' development.

• City Centre residential or mixed use proposals with outline planning permission included: the ‘Bull Ring trading estate’, High Street Deritend, for 475 dwellings and Masshouse (Plot7), Priory Queensway,’ Eastside’. There were also proposals for a mixed use development at ‘Eastside Locks’, Lawley Middleway and a scheme involving demolition of the former industrial premises at Carver Street, Pope Street and Moreton Street in the Jewellery Quarter providing 695 apartments plus hotels, offices and retail. Other purely residential sites include sites at Blucher Street, Northwood Street and Holloway Head.

• Outside the City Centre, proposed residential sites with full permission included 212 dwellings on land adjacent to the Warwickshire Cricket ground (Edgbaston), 155 dwellings at Browns Green (Handsworth Wood) and a sheltered accommodation scheme for 95 flats at Church Road (Edgbaston). Other proposals included sites at Elliot Road (Selly Oak) for 71 dwellings (now started), Goosemoor Road (Erdington), Longfellow Road (Bournville) and at Booths Lane (Oscott). 'Extra Care' sheltered apartments were proposed at a former industrial site at Heathfield Road (Moseley and Kings Heath).

• On local authority sites developed through the Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust (BMHT), there were 291 dwellings with full planning permission (mixed tenure); the larger sites included 55 dwellings at Grange Farm Drive (Northfield), now under construction, 31 dwellings at Brunswick Road and 30 dwellings at Villa Street (Lozells and East Handsworth), 31 dwellings at Meon Grove (Sheldon) and 49 dwellings at Owens Croft and Hillmeads Road (Kings Norton). In addition there were outline permissions for 124 local authority dwellings on the former Court Lane allotments, Baldmoor Lake Road and 316 on the Lyndhurst estate (Erdington).

• Residential care homes were proposed at Walsall Road (Perry Barr), Rookery Road (Lozells and East Handsworth), Castle Road (Weoley), Short heath Road (Erdington), College Road (Kingstanding) and Aldridge Road (Oscott).

• Outside the City Centre, proposed residential or mixed use sites with outline permission included: 250 dwellings at the former Nocks brickworks site at Holly Lane (Erdington), over 600 dwellings on Plot 7 at the ‘Battery Park’ site at Harborne Lane (Selly Oak), 139 dwellings on the former Silvermere Centre (Sheldon) and 130 dwellings on the former Siemens site off Witton Road/Tame Road (Perry Barr). Other sites included the former Hardy Spicer sports ground at Signal Hayes Road (Sutton New Hall), High Street (Harborne), the old Bournville College site at Bristol Road South (Weoley), the former Eaton Electrical site at Reddings Lane (Acocks Green) and the former Cape Hill brewery site (phase 3) at City Road (Soho).

• In Longbridge, there was outstanding planning policy commitment for residential development at the Egg Hill estate, following demolition of over 600 dwellings. There are current proposals for nearly 450 new dwellings developed through the Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust and at April 2012 around 100 dwellings were either completed or under construction. On other land formerly occupied by the MG Rover factory, in addition to the Regional Investment Site for industrial development, land has been allocated for over 1,450 new homes. (see also below).

• The Kings Norton Planning Framework for the 3 estates of Primrose, Pool Farm and Hawkesley was adopted by Council in March 2010. It proposes 1392 new homes and, after clearance, represents a net addition of 544 homes. At the Pool Farm estate, a site at Owens Croft with 43 social dwellings now completed forms part of phase 1 of the scheme. A further 140 units of mixed tenure is proposed at the remainder of Owens Croft and also nearby at Heathside Drive and Monksway, following recent housing demolition.

• Student accommodation permissions included a City Centre site at Lench Street linked to Aston University comprising 734 bed spaces with 299 studio or cluster flats (dwellings), plus other Aston sites at Cliveland Street for 456 beds (with 176 studio or cluster flats), Moland Street (271 beds) and at Bagot Street (492 beds). Outside the City Centre, there were several sites in Selly Oak linked to the University of Birmingham; Elliot Road for 331 beds (with 92 dwellings), plus a 120 bed extension to Jarratt Hall, Dale Road and at Selly Oak new road 436 beds (with 144 studio and cluster flats), both now under construction. In addition, there was permission for 317 beds at Westbourne Road (Edgbaston) linked to Birmingham City University and 103 studio flats at Wellington Road (Lozells and East Handsworth.

Industrial (including Mixed Uses) - not started

• At April 2012, there was full planning permission for 152,600m² of industrial or warehousing floorspace with a further 252,000m² with outline permission. Major sites included; 29 ha. of land at ‘The Hub’ (phases 2,3 and 6), Witton Road, Perry Barr with 110,000m² proposed, of which nearly 30,000m² had full permission. At ‘Midpoint 2’, Minworth, (Sutton New Hall), there were 16 ha. of land on 3 plots (54,000 m²) with permission in addition to 16 ha. completed. Other major proposals include; ‘Signal Point’, the former Yuasa site at Formans Road (Springfield) comprising 7.6 ha with outline permission for 25,000m² of industrial under phases 2 and 3 and the former Alstom site (21 ha.) at Common Lane (Hodge Hill) for 80,600m², but was not ‘readily available’. Land south of The Fordrough (South Yardley) also had outline permission with 15,000m².

• Employment land for industrial and mixed uses were proposed at sites occupied by the former MG Rover factory (Longbridge), including around 25 ha. as part of the ‘Longbridge Area Action Plan’, which was formally adopted in April 2009 as a Regional Investment Site. Following clearance, there are proposals for a range of industrial and hi-tech businesses, technology and research, offices, plus infrastructure improvements. As part of the RIS, the first two buildings were completed in 2007 for industrial research and development at ‘Longbridge Technology Park’ on the corner of Longbridge Lane and Bristol Road South. A new Bournville College and a youth centre/sports hall were also completed in 2012. Other land has been allocated for the development of over 1,450 new homes and as a local centre plus retail superstore (now under construction), shops, hotel, leisure/open space and community facilities.

Offices (including Mixed Uses)

• There was planning permission for 500,000m² of office floorspace of which just over 208,000m² had full permission with most (90%) located in the City Centre. 48,000m² of office space was proposed within the ‘Boerma’ mixed use scheme at Allison Street, Digbeth, incorporating a 27 storey tower and other buildings. Other sites included the former National Westminster Bank at Colmore Row (36,000m²) and Snow Hill Plaza (21,000m²). In addition, sites around the former Swan Moulinex works at Carver Street, Pope Street and Camden Street in the Jewellery Quarter (Ladywood) proposes a mix of residential flats, hotels and office floorspace.

• Sites with outline permission included 52,000m² at Masshouse Circus, Priory Queensway in the City Centre. Other office and mixed use sites included the ‘Arena Central’ scheme off Broad Street with current proposals for 78,000m² office floorspace. In addition, the ‘Eastside Locks’ scheme bounded by Jennens Road, Curzon Street and Lawley Middleway (Nechells) proposes around 60,000m² office, retail, hotel and residential use. Outside the City Centre, mixed use sites with outline permission for office use include over 25,000m² at the ’Battery Park’ site off Harborne Lane (Selly Oak).

Retail (including Mixed Uses)

• There was full planning permission for around 140,000m² of retail floor space (not started) of which 58,600m² (40%) was in the City Centre. Sites included a new John Lewis department store on land south of New Street Station, ‘Boerma’ in Digbeth and replacement of the existing Auchinlech Square shopping centre in Broad Street. There was outline permission for up to a further 170,000m² of which over three quarters was in the City Centre. These include outline plans for a convenience supermarket at Lee Bank Middleway, ‘Attwood Green’ and significant retail elements at the mixed use proposals; ‘Martineau Galleries’ (phase 2) at Priory Queensway, ‘Arena Central’ off Broad Street and ‘Eastside Locks’ at Lawley Middleway. However, there are uncertainties both economic and as to the final use mix of these developments.

• Addendum: Since April 2012, building has started on the new John Lewis department store adjacent to New Street Station. This involves part demolition of 8 existing retail units in the Pallasades and development of 23,225m² of comparison floorspace plus 6 smaller A1 units and restaurants

• Outside the City Centre, there was detailed permission for a major supermarket development at Barnes Hill (Bartley Green) and for smaller convenience supermarkets at Moseley, South Yardley and Aston. A Morrisons supermarket at Coventry Road (Sheldon) is now under construction. Other existing proposals include 22,000m² for non-food retail at Haden Way, Belgrave Middleway (Sparkbrook), and the re-development of part of Mere Green shopping centre (Sutton Four Oaks) including a convenience store. Outline permission exists for replacement of Sainsbury’s supermarket at the ‘Battery Park’ site at Harborne Lane (Selly Oak), and a new superstore on former industrial land at Hazelwell Lane/Pershore Road (Bournville).

Education

• Education use detailed permissions included a learning and resource centre at Holland Street for University College Birmingham, extension to Worlds End Junior and Infant school (Quinton) and demolition of Sheldon Heath school and the building of a new King Edward V1th Sheldon Heath Academy (Sheldon), now under construction. There was also outline permission for a college campus for Birmingham City University at Fazeley Street in the City Centre and for a new primary school at Alum Rock Road (Washwood Heath).

Health, Community and Leisure

• Health related permissions included outline proposals for a new Primary Care Trust medical centre at Sutton Road (Erdington), a dentistry hospital and school at Pebble Mill Lane and Bristol Road (Edgbaston) plus new buildings at heartlands hospital and visitor accommodation building at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (Edgbaston).

• Community and leisure related proposals included an aquatics/leisure centre at St. Vincent Street (Ladywood) in the City Centre which will include a new swimming pool. Other leisure permissions included a 5,000 seat stadium with rugby pitch and clubhouse at Billesley Common and a sports hall at Woodcock Street, Aston University, now under construction. There were also proposals for a mixed use redevelopment of ‘Silver Blades’ ice rink with leisure, commercial and residential at Pershore Street (Nechells).

Land without Policy Commitment

There was additional land without a policy commitment for development that was unused, in temporary or uncertain use comprising around 145 ha. on 450 sites across the City, as at April 2012. These included 101 ha. where planning permission had expired.

Note
The data and comments contained in this summary relate to the position at 31 March 2012. Floorspace figures stated for outline planning permissions on commercial developments may be subject to change.

Source

Most of the information on land availability and development in Birmingham comes from a computer database maintained in the City Council’s Development Directorate Planning Service. Information updates come from a variety of sources, including planning applications. All ‘live’ sites with outstanding full planning permission are visited as part of an annual stock-take.

Further Information

'New' Ward boundaries came into effect on the 10th June 2004. New Ward Boundary Map

The City Council Planning Policies for Birmingham web page includes land use and policy information. Details about current and future major schemes including the new Library, Selly Oak Action Plan, Attwood Green, Eastside, Snow Hill and Arena Central can be found on the Developments web page. For other detailed Plans and proposals for new development and regeneration see our Planning Policies page.

The statutory Development Plan is currently the Birmingham Unitary Development Plan Alterations. The Birmingham Plan (UDP) 2005, the main land use planning document up to 2011, contains strategic plans and policies covering the whole City. The emerging Birmingham Development Plan (formerly the Core Strategy) is not yet adopted and will largely replace the UDP. As a key part of the Local Development Framework for Birmingham, it will set out the statutory planning framework to guide decisions on development and regeneration in Birmingham until 2031. It outlines planning and regeneration for the 'North and West', 'South', 'East' areas of Birmingham as well as the City Centre.

 Last Updated : 26th March 2013