Smithfield: the plan for Birmingham's old markets site

Birmingham Smithfield, the site of the city's former wholesale markets, is one of the largest regeneration projects in the country. Here is what is planned and how far it has got.

The site

The site lies on the southern edge of the city centre, between the Bullring and Digbeth. For generations it was home to Birmingham's wholesale markets, which moved to a new site at The Hub in Witton in 2018. The Bullring's retail markets have also been part of the wider area.

The vision

The Smithfield masterplan, estimated at 1.9 billion pounds, is expected to create around 3,000 new homes, along with offices, shops, restaurants, public squares and new leisure and cultural spaces. It is designed to link the city centre with Digbeth and with the area around the future HS2 station at Curzon Street.

Pressworks

One of the first pieces to win planning permission was Pressworks, a scheme by Prosperity Group for 687 homes, approved in 2023 after a two-year application process. It includes two seven-storey blocks and a 23-storey tower, with 15 per cent affordable housing, commercial units and community roof gardens.

Joe Billingham, chief executive of Prosperity Group, said at the time that it represented "the first piece of the puzzle for one of Birmingham's most important regeneration projects".

Challenges

Large regeneration schemes have been hit by higher construction costs and interest rates in recent years, which have made some projects harder to fund. The council's financial difficulties have also affected how quickly it can move forward on major projects.

Why it matters

Birmingham needs tens of thousands of new homes over the coming decades, and building on brownfield land such as Smithfield helps protect the green belt. The scheme is also seen as important for creating jobs and bringing new life to the southern side of the city centre.

Keep up to date

Planning applications for individual parts of Smithfield are published on the council's planning website.