Birmingham Post

Digbeth riverside plans revealed

- Tamlyn Jones Business Correspond­ent

ANEW urban regenerati­on project containing hundreds of homes and a dedicated business and community centre is set to be built in Birmingham.

Developer Dandara has unveiled detailed proposals for its ‘Cheapside’ scheme in Digbeth which could also help breathe life into parts of the River Rea.

The company, which led the Aston Place apartment scheme next to the city’s Alpha Tower office block, says it wants to build more than 1,500 homes and new public areas either side of a river.

Completing the scheme would be the Henry Bradford Centre which will be aimed at start-ups and small businesses focused on innovation and entreprene­urship as well as being available for the benefit of the wider community.

The name is a nod to the 18th century landowner and business figure who helped bring trade to this part of Birmingham. The scheme would be built across three neighbouri­ng plots which currently contain industrial buildings on land next to Moseley Street, Rea Street South and Charles Henry Street.

The proposals are some of the first detailed plans to be unveiled as part of Birmingham City Council’s wider Rea Valley Urban Quarter project which was first announced in 2019.

The 180-acre masterplan comprises a series of five connected regenerati­on schemes which will include housing, commercial and new green space alongside a focus on cycling and walking in the Digbeth and China Town districts and bring a renewed focus back to the neglected River Rea.

Leanne Allen, who is associate director at Dandara and leading the Cheapside scheme, said: “We have been working with Birmingham City Council for some time now so it’s great to finally be able to shout about all the ambition and hard work we have been putting into this developmen­t. This is a long-term vision for the Cheapside area and for Dandara.

“We love this part of Birmingham and can’t wait to start new conversati­ons with stakeholde­rs this summer as we continue to develop our plans.”

Birmingham-based practice Glenn Howells Architects and planning consultanc­y Turley are also working on the scheme. A consultati­on will launch later this summer.

 ??  ?? The new Cheapside scheme will form part of the the wider Rea Valley Urban Quarter project, above
The new Cheapside scheme will form part of the the wider Rea Valley Urban Quarter project, above

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