Planning Policies

When looking at what was possible for this site, the following planning policies were followed:

The Birmingham Development City Plan 2031 (BDP)

Place making
Policy PG3 - ‘All new development will be expected to demonstrate high design quality, contributing
to a strong sense of place.

Spatial Delivery of Growth

Policy GA1.2 – Growth and Wider Areas of Change, spatial delivery of growth.

Policy GA1.3 – The Quarters, creation of a cultural hub.

Environment and Sustainability

Policy TP1 – Reducing the city’s carbon footprint through a sustainable development

Policy TP3 – Sustainable construction by maximizing energy efficiency

Policy TP6 – Management of flood risk and water resources

Policy TP23 – Small shops and independent retailing

Sustainable Neighbourhoods
Policy TP27 – Sustainable neighbourhoods

Affordable Housing
Policy TP31- 30% affordable housing and office space

Connectivity
Policy TP39 – High quality pedestrian routes for Walking

Policy TP40 - Encouraging Cycling through the availability of bike racks.

Birmingham Curzon Station HS2 Masterplan for growth

1. Well connected with attractive walking, cycling and public transport routes 2. Breathing new life
and activity into heritage assets and historic environments, providing new uses and buildings 3.
Growing creative, media, social enterprises. 4. Vibrant mixed-use neighborhood 5. Creative high
quality sustainable residential neighborhood focused around the canal 6. Focus for innovative art 7.
Digbeth – diverse and dynamic working community of digital and creative businesses 8. Distinctive
19th Century industrial urban character 9. Start-ups 10. Social enterprises

Big City Plan

- The Digbeth area promotes the use of keeping to its historic roots as a foundation for growing its
established creative businesses and developing a vibrant urban community with existing building
fabric and delivering a high quality, exciting and safe public realm. Focus is on three areas:

1. Entertainment

2. Living

3. Culture

To facilitate the regeneration, we will address a number of key issues, including:

• Providing safe and convenient connections into and through the quarter.

• Supporting its gritty and authentic character.

• Balancing the needs of local businesses, residents, cultural and creative activities.

Fazeley Street performs an important role as an east-west route connecting westwards to Eastside
and eastwards to Liverpool Street and Adderley Street and onto the Ring Road. Improvements to
lighting, materials and spaces will need to be considered.

The traditional building types and strong street grid patterns are vital to local distinctiveness and
sense of place. Such assets will be used to create strong character for new developments. Keeping
the mix of small properties and larger industrial buildings will be important allowing
experimentation in space and place.
Birmingham City Centre Enterprise Zone Investment Plan
- Digbeth is within the ‘Enterprise Zone’, it is an established economic hub served by excellent public
infrastructure

- It is an established economic hub served by excellent public infrastructure and benefiting from a
diverse mix of cultural, recreation and leisure uses, including the regional shopping centre (The
Bullring).

- Its role as an economic hub is reflected in its status as one of the UK’s largest financial centres
outside of London and attraction as a location for business and professional services with a
significant number of regional and national HQs. The diversity of the centre’s economic role is
supported by its reputation as a hub for creative industries and as the UK’s fastest growing place for
digital media ventures.

National Planning Policy

NPPF 127

A. Development for the long term, that will function well and add to the overall quality of the area

B. Attractive architecture, layout and appropriate and effective landscaping

C. Sympathetic to local character and history, including the surrounding built environment and
landscape

D. Establish or maintain a strong sense of place

E. Mixed development, including green place and public space

F. Safety, crime and disorder stopped

NPPF 131

High level of sustainability and design

NPPF 185

(c) A positive strategy for the conservation and enjoyment of the historic environment and
desirability of new development making a positive contribution to local character

NPPF 195

(d) Harm or loss is outweighed by the benefit of bringing the site back into use.
NPPF 200

Enhance significance of conservation area

Warwick Bar Character Appraisal and Supplementary Planning Policies

• Development must be sympathetic to the conservation area

• Changes and alterations must be sympathetic to the building in scale materials, detailing
proportion and street scape.

• Positive contribution to the conservation area

• Signage must fit with design and character of building, not over scaled or visually intrusive

• Contain a continues street frontage (Fazeley street)

• Rooftop plant/service must be subtle.

• Accessibility to all users including disabilities

• Redevelopment of vacant sites is a priority and highly encouraged

• Developer contribution to public realm

Section 106
• Enhancement of the local environment

• Replacement of local wildlife habitats

• Affordable housing

• Local employment initiative