Digbeth: Birmingham riverside development given green light

A development of 1,300 homes on Birmingham’s riverside has been given the go-ahead by planners.

Warner’s Fields will be built in Digbeth on land south of Moseley Street and will involve the landscaping of the River Rea which runs through the area.

A report to Birmingham City Council’s planning committee said the application presented a unique opportunity to undertake “genuine transformational change of a declining neighbourhood” in the city centre.

It said the development could be “a catalyst for further redevelopment of the Highgate area and a blueprint for development alongside other parts of Rea”.

Councilor Lee Marsham said: “We have a really good natural asset in the River Rea and I think this scheme gives us the opportunity to start making more use of that asset.

“So given it’s a good scheme overall, I’m all for it.”

Councilor Gareth Moore said the plans for the river were “fantastic” but raised concerns about the housing mix.

“There is a large proportion of one-bedroom properties that as a committee we have raised concerns about in the past,” he said.

A council officer’s report said the housing mix was “supported by evidence of local property market conditions, including other developments undertaken by the applicant”.

“As a result, I anticipate a good level of occupancy,” they added.

Rachel Allwood, director of planning at Dandara Living, said: “The redevelopment will provide much-needed new homes to meet Birmingham’s housing need and drive the ecological and environmental transformation of this part of the city by re-naturalizing the River Rea and providing a significant networks. biodiversity gain.”

Watch BBC West Midlands on Facebook, X, and InstagramSend your story ideas to: [email protected]