Rewind time by a couple of decades and parts of Birmingham city centre would look completely unrecognisable from what they are now. And as we approach 2025, Brum’s skyline continues to rapidly change as major developments and skyscrapers take shape.
This past year in particular may be one of the most significant when it comes to the transformation of the city centre, with a number of huge schemes being given the green light. The Smithfield plan, which could create an important new destination in the heart of Birmingham, was approved as were the controversial proposals to demolish the Ringway Centre.
Meanwhile a new scheme could create a ‘sky park’ and change the face of Digbeth, an industrial area which has since evolved into a blossoming creative quarter. With all that in mind, here’s an in-depth look at some of the enormous developments which were approved in 2024.
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1) Smithfield
The ‘once-in-a-generation’ Smithfield plan is set to transform the former Birmingham wholesale market site, near the Bullring shopping centre, into a major new destination. The huge city centre scheme could boast homes and cultural spaces as well as a theatre/cinema, market, park, office space and more.
There has been optimism over the years that the project will celebrate Birmingham’s heritage, become a must-visit place and boost the city’s international standing. According to a council report, the benefits the development could bring to the city include the creation of new jobs, further investment in the area, housing, a new public square and publicly accessible open space.
“This is an opportunity, in my view, to transform an area of the city that I have represented since 1996,” Councillor Yvonne Mosquito said in June when the plans were approved. “It’s also about generating jobs for local people who are struggling.”
2) Digbeth
Duddeston Viaduct in 2024/a visualisation of what Viaduct Park in Digbeth could look like. Taken from a design and access statement prepared by Studio Egret West on behalf of Oval Real Estate
An enormous project will bring huge changes to Digbeth after taking an important step forward in 2024. The major plans, considered back in 2021, could see new homes, bridges and a ‘sky park’ being built along with a nightclub, car parking, student accommodation and public realm works.
They would mean a site of roughly 18.9 hectares in the Digbeth area would be transformed. One of the most striking aspects of the scheme is the proposed ‘sky park’ on the 400m long Duddeston Viaduct, a disused but prominent landmark in Digbeth.
According to a council report from three years ago, the reinvention of the viaduct as a public park has been a “driving factor” from the first inception of the proposals. The project also included plans for a number of new bridges in Digbeth, including pedestrian ones across the River Rea and the Grand Union Canal.
“The existing routes of the River Rea and Grand Union Canal are proposed to be revealed via a series of open spaces along the waters‘ edges,” the report added. The city council recently confirmed its approval of the planning application following the completion of a legal agreement.
3) Ringway Centre
Birmingham’s Ringway Centre along Smallbrook Queensway
(Image: Martin O’Callaghan/Birmingham Live)
Plans to demolish Birmingham’s landmark Ringway Centre to make way for three huge apartment blocks were approved in February 2024. The proposals have split opinion, with those in favour arguing that they would ‘open up Southside and Chinatown to the rest of the city centre’ as well as address a housing shortfall in the city.
But opponents called the Brutalist Ringway Centre one of Birmingham’s most significant heritage buildings, with Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud describing it as “beautifully built”. There were cries of “shame” from frustrated campaigners when the plans were approved early in 2024.
Developers Commercial Estates Group (CEG) said the scheme would enable “significant investment into Birmingham” and deliver much-needed new homes. Its head of residential development previously said: “Our proposals will transform the gateway to Southside – creating safer public places and drastically improving the connectivity with pedestrian links between New Street station, Digbeth and Smithfield.
“New public spaces will revitalise the area, attracting new visitors and boosting local businesses”.
4) Canalside community
CGI of the proposed development from application’s design and access statement.
(Image: Places for People/Glenn Howells Architects.)
Plans for a new canalside community close to Birmingham city centre were approved in 2024 and could provide “numerous benefits”. The proposals were for 234 apartments, which would be housed within a number of interlinked blocks across three plots, ranging from four to ten storeys in height.
The development is set to be built on land north of Icknield Square in Ladywood, close to the Birmingham Main Line Canal. According to a council officer’s report, it will provide “significant public realm and access benefits” by delivering a new public plaza as well as walking/cycling connection between the mainline canal and Icknield Square.
“This would thereby deliver large improvements to the canalside environment, which are seen as highly positive and of benefit to both existing and future residents of the site,” it continued.
5) River Rea project
Proposals for a new Birmingham neighbourhood centred around a “re-naturalised” river were given the green light in 2024. The development, which will be built on land south of Moseley Street near Digbeth, is set to feature over 1,300 new apartments as well as commercial space.
An image of what the development could look like. Sent through by developers Dandara Living.
(Image: Dandara Living)
Those behind the project have also said they will invest in landscaping the River Rea, which runs through the area, potentially creating “desirable new public spaces” along its banks. Councillor Gareth Moore described the plans for the River Rea as “fantastic” when the scheme was considered by the planning committee.
Rachel Allwood, planning director at Dandara Living, added: “The redevelopment will deliver 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-naturalising the River Rea.”