Plain English Version
Building work that is planned already is mostly within the very centre of the city (known as the ‘Core’), with some in Eastside and Westside. This work would create 670,000 square meters of offices and 35,000 square meters of shops.
We need to make sure that the other areas of the city centre get enough new offices, factories and shops.
Original Document
An analysis of present development proposals clearly shows that the majority of city centre growth falls within in the core. 70% of currently proposed office development is located in the core. The only other significant areas of proposed development are Eastside (19%) and Westside (8%). The sum total of schemes currently in the development pipeline would generate 670,000 sq m of office and 35,000 sq m of retail. There is clearly a need to ensure that the other city centre quarters benefit from higher levels of economic activity and growth.
Plain English Version
Creating too many office before they’re needed won’t work. We also need to back a choice over where the offices are built first, so that it’s clear to everyone what’s happening.
The ‘core’ (inner city centre) is a obvious first choice, but when should we add further offices in Eastside , Westside or Southside.
Original Document
Trying to create too much space before the market is ready will be counter-productive. Equally a choice may need to be made over the phasing of development areas so that they do not compete with each other and send out confused messages to the development market. For example whilst the core is the obvious first area for development a choice may need to be taken over when to bring forward development in Eastside, Westside and Southside.
Plain English Version
The City Council tries to put all tall buildings along the ridge (from Fiveways to Lancaster Circus). There is room to develop a group of taller buildings in the centre, in Westside, around Snow Hill, in Eastside and around the rebuilding of New Street Station. There may also be room for taller buildings in Southside although this is below the ridge and we could have medium height buildings here instead. We need to take care where we put tall buildings to avoid harm to conservation areas and housing conditions and to avoid affecting air travel. The City Council will continue to develop its approach to tall buildings along with other organisations it affects including Birmingham International Airport and the Civil Aviation Authority.
Original Document
The City Council operates a tall buildings policy which seeks to group tall buildings along the ridge. There is scope to develop a cluster of taller buildings in the centre, in Westside, around Snow Hill, in Eastside, around the New Street Station redevelopment. There may also be scope for taller buildings in Southside although this is below the ridge and an alternative here would be mid-rise development. Care needs to be taken in the placing of tall buildings to avoid harm to conservation areas and residential living conditions and to avoid prejudicing the operational needs of aviation. The City Council will continue to develop its approach to tall buildings in consultation with stakeholders including Birmingham International Airport and the Civil Aviation Authority.
Plain English Version
Centro have worked with Birmingham City Council and come up with four metro routes that will lead out from the city centre:
- The existing Line 1 running between Snow Hill and Wolverhampton
- The planned Line 1 extension leading through the city centre to New Street Station then heading along Broad Street to end at Edgbaston and later at Junction 3 of the M5.
- A route to Birmingham International Airport extension running along Digbeth High Street
Key (Popup full image)
Centro has got hold of a Transport Works Act Order, which allows them to carry on with the extension of Line 1 along Bull Street, Corporation Street, through Victoria Square to Broad Street. This option would need us to remove the buses from Corporation Street in favour of the tram, but would not allow us to fully pedestrianise it. Centro thinks that doing this would mean that a lot more people would use Line1 because it creates a direct Metro link to the New Street Gateway. To pick up further routes, they suggest a one-way city centre loop to serve Southside, Eastside and Westside. (See Figure 4.1 for alternative metro routes)
Figure 4.1 shows the suggested future metro network developed by Centro in partnership with Birmingham City Council. As well as the Line1 extension mentioned above, a one-way city core loop is suggested serving the Eastside, Southside and Westside districts. The route, which runs around the south of the Bull Ring and immediately north of the international markets, will mean a lot more people can use the trams and will improve public transport in these areas. This loop would be needed to have the airport extension from Digbeth High Street. A further extension is planned out to Great Barr via New Town Row. The image also shows a route along Sherlock Street which would infill a route to the south.
Proposed Metro Routes (Popup full image)
For some routes, we could have ‘Bus Rapid Transit’ (BRT) instead of the Metro. Many modern cities have seen the benefits of trams in terms of transport and regeneration, setting them up is expensive and there are other practical issues. They can also affect other modes of transport (such as pedestrians in crowded streets). Bus Rapid Transport is halfway between buses and trams, with optional features such as better vehicles, priority through guideways, and not as many stops as normal buses. BRT may be a cheaper alternative to trams in some places and along some routes. Centro have suggested routes to Bartley Green, Chelmsley Wood and (as a pre-metro) to Perry Barr.
Original Document
Centro, in partnership with Birmingham City Council, has identified four metro routes that will radiate from the city centre:
- The existing Line 1 running between Snow Hill and Wolverhampton.
- The planned Line 1 extension heading through the city centre to New Street Station then heading along Broad Street to terminate at Edgbaston and later at Junction 3 of the M5.
- A route to Birmingham International Airport extension running along Digbeth High Street.
- A route to Great Barr, using the alignment of New Town Row.
Centro has obtained a Transport Works Act Order, enabling them to progress with the extension of Line 1 along Bull Street, Corporation Street, through Victoria Square to Broad Street. This option would require the removal of buses from Corporation Street in favour of the tram, but would not permit its full pedestrianisation. Centro predicts that this alignment will lead to major increases in Line1 patronage simply through creating a direct Metro link to the New Street Gateway. To pick up further routes a one-way city centre loop is proposed to serve Southside, Eastside and Westside. (See Figure 4.1 for alternative metro routes)
Figure 4.1 shows the proposed future metro network developed by Centro in partnership with BCC. As well as the Line 1 extension referred to above, a one-way city core loop is proposed serving Eastside, Southside and Westside quarters. The route, running around the south of the Bull Ring and immediately north of the international markets, will greatly improve tram system capacity and improve public transport accessibility in these areas. This loop would be required to deliver the airport extension from Digbeth High Street. A further extension is planned out to Great Barr via New Town Row. A route along Sherlock Street is also shown, which would infill a route to the south.
An alternative to Metro for some routes would be to implement ‘Bus Rapid Transit’. While the transport and regeneration benefits of trams are well understood in many modern cities, the costs and practical issues surrounding their implementation are considerable, while they can have adverse impacts on other modes (e.g. on pedestrians in crowded streets). Bus Rapid Transit is an intermediate mode between buses and trams, with optional features such as better vehicles, enhanced priority through guideways, and less frequent stops than conventional buses. BRT may be a more cost-effective alternative to tram in certain locations/corridors. Centro have suggested routes to Bartley Green, Chelmsley Wood and (as a pre-metro) to Perry Barr.
Plain English Version
Central areas include (among many things) expensive offices and other businesses, a large variety of shops, flats, leisure, tourism and cultural facilities. Mostly these are in the very centre of the city, within the Queensway (inner ring road).
However, the city can change and as it develops, we will need a larger central area. In fact, this has already been happening. Changes to the Queensway have made it for the central area to expand and in the last 10 years, it has spread out to the west around Brindleyplace. If we look at the large office area at Fiveways, we could say that changes to the central area have been happening for almost 50 years. Recently, the central area has started spreading out to the east.
Brindleyplace has been very successful and is an easy walk from New Street. The Mailbox, Baskerville House and the leisure uses along Broad Street have also expanded the central area to the west. The Bullring to the south has helped improve people’s knowledge and opinion of Birmingham. It fits in well with the shops on New Street.
The central area will expand further while the Big City Plan is happening. The Plan will help make the central area bigger and better quality. The next place that the central area will spread out into is Eastside. The Masshouse development and Millenium Point have already started this process.
We have a great chance to improve the area to the south of the Historic Core, starting with the re-building of New Street Station. The new station will be very important in improving people’s knowledge and opinion of Birmingham and will make the experience of visitors arriving in the city much better.
Also, the Wholesale Markets are a very large site near the central area. These two areas will make up a large part of changes to the south of the traditional Historic Core. They can be used to improve the quality of the streets, spaces and transport links in the whole of the southern part of the city centre. We should think about the areas of New Street Station and the Wholesale Markets together.
So, even though the way the Big City Plan is organised is based on the existing central area, it will expand into nearby areas particularly Eastside, Westside and Southside. We want these areas to have lively and different features: for example the Gay Village and Chinese Quarter in Southside, leisure uses in Westside, the learning district in Eastside and food and specialist services and markets in Southside.
So, when you are reading the following sections, please remember that although the policy areas are set up by lines on a map, the activities in the city are changing and the central area activities will not really be limited by these boundaries.
Original Document
Central areas include (among many things) high value offices and commercial uses, a varied and large retail offer, high density city centre living, leisure, tourism and cultural provision. Traditionally these were contained within the Historic Core at the heart of the city, an area mostly bounded by the Queensway.
However, the city is not static and Birmingham’s growing role as a global city will require a wider area to accommodate these central area uses. In fact, this has already been happening for some time. The Queensway has become more permeable in recent years, and in the last 10 years central area uses have expanded to the west around Brindleyplace. Arguably, this process has been going on for almost 50 years if the large scale office development in the Fiveways area is taken into account. More recently, central area functions have begun to expand to the east.
The expansion to the west in the form of Brindleyplace has been very successful and is easily walkable from New Street. The Mailbox, Baskerville House and the leisure uses along Broad Street have also expanded the city’s central area functions westwards. The iconic Bullring development to the south has made a very positive contribution towards raising the profile of Birmingham. It integrates well with the retail offer in New Street.
During the life of the plan, there will be further expansion of the central area functions beyond the historic core. The Big City Plan will be the catalyst for expanding the scale and improving the quality of these functions. The next location for central area expansion is Eastside. The Masshouse development and Millennium Point have already started this process.
There is also huge potential to improve the built environment to the south of the Historic Core, beginning with the redevelopment of New Street Station. This transformational development will be fundamental to raising the profile of Birmingham as a global city. The proposals for New Street Station will be immensely beneficial to improving the arrival experience into the city.
In addition, the Wholesale Markets are a very large site close to the heart of the city. These two big opportunities will form the basis of a major transformation to the south of the traditional Historic Core. They form two poles of growth which can be used to transform the quality of the streets, spaces and transport links in the whole of the southern part of the city centre. To get the most out of these opportunities, New Street Station and the Wholesale Markets must be considered together.
Thus although the structure of the plan is based on the defined policy areas for the sake of convenience, central area uses will expand beyond the historic core into neighbouring areas of the city centre, and in particular into Eastside, Westside and Southside. The intention is that these areas will develop vibrant distinctive characters: for example the Gay Village and Chinese Quarter in Southside, leisure uses in Westside, the learning quarter within Eastside and food and specialist functions and markets in Southside.
In reading the following sections, therefore, it is important to bear in mind that, whilst the policy areas are defined by lines drawn on a plan, the activities within the city are changing and dynamic and the central area functions will not be confined by these boundaries. An important part of the Big City Plan will be to allow for the growth and expansion of Birmingham’s central area functions.
Plain English Version
Westside been redeveloped a number of times, with:
- the offices around Five Ways
- Baskerville House and Alpha Tower
- the cultural area including the Rep theatre, the NIA, Brindleyplace and the Mailbox
- the leisure area along Broad Street (including the Broadway Entertainment Complex and Cineworld)
all being added.
The area we’re calling Westside also includes the Attwood Green area. Attwood Green is the new name given to the Central Area Estates. It includes the areas of Lee Bank (Five Ways Estate and Cleveland and Clydesdale Towers), Benmore, and Woodview.
It also includes the development at Park Central, which the first phase of a large 10 year housing regeneration programme. It is well under way and is already occupied. Park Central has of housing sizes and tenures set around “Sunset Park”.
Near Attwood Green is the Bath Row and Holloway Head area – an area on the fringe of the ciy Core that has seen little change over the last 30 years. The area is home to a mix of light industrial / warehouse uses, some community activities and offices, some of which may have functional connections with the city centre.
Two towers block of flats mark a gateway at Holloway Head with Beetham Tower (the Radisson Hotel) beyond. At ground level it’s not easy to walk around this area.
Westside has a mixed character. The area is pulled together by Centenary Square and Broad Street and by the canal network, but it isn’t seen as a complete “area”
Centenary Square, Brindley Place and Gas Street Basin look nice, but Broad Street and Five Ways don’t look as good. The NIA is nto attractive fron outside, and has car parks spoiling the view canalside.
Some development is already planned including:
It’s hoped that these developments will bring enough people to live and work in the area to help to support niche and specialist shops.
The Bath Row / Holloway Head area is the last place avalable to redevelop and is being guided by a development brief; so far there are not many plans. There is a good chance that we could provide better pedestrian links between Park Central, Westside and Southside through Holloway Head.
As well as the existing plans, there may be other opportunities in the future. We need to think about how to make the National Indoor Arena more attractive.
We could also improve the public spaces in the area around Fiveways, along Broad Street and the NIA and along some of the canal network.
Broad Street as a brash and buzzy entertainment strip? (See image)
The Broad Street area is an important thing to think about. Although it’s now mainly for entertainment, it could turn into something like a local “high street” with shops and services for the growing number of people that would like and work around it.
Westside (See image)
Original Document
Westside has seen several waves of expanding central area uses: the offices around Five Ways, Baskerville House and Alpha Tower; the cultural area including the Rep theatre, the NIA, Brindleyplace and the Mailbox; and the leisure area along Broad Street including the Broadway Entertainment Complex and the Cineworld.
Westside also includes the Attwood Green area and the ongoing development at Park Central, the first phase of a large 10 year housing regeneration programme, which is well under way and is substantially occupied. Park Central creates a new urban neighbourhood close to the cultural, retail, and commercial heart of the city with a range of housing sizes and tenures set around Sunset Park.
Near Attwood Green is the Bath Row and Holloway Head area - an area on the fringe of the city core that has seen little change over the last 30 years. The area is still home to a mix of light industrial / warehouse uses, some community activities and office uses, some of which may have functional connections with the city centre. Two towers, ‘the sentinels’, mark a gateway at Holloway Head with Beetham Tower (the Radisson Hotel) beyond. The pedestrian-level environment here is not of high quality.
As a result Westside has a mixed character. The area is pulled together by Centenary Square and the Broad Street movement axis and by the canal network, but still tends to function as a series of disparate elements. The high quality environment in Centenary Square, Brindleyplace and Gas Street Basin does not continue into Broad Street or Five Ways, and the NIA has a poor frontage with multi storey car parks fronting the sensitive canalside.
There are still a number of landmark projects in the pipeline, including the Cube, the V building, Arena Central, Baskerville Wharf, Paradise Circus and the relocation of the Library of Birmingham. These quality developments will bring a critical mass of people into the area which could help to support niche and specialist shops.
The Bath Row / Holloway Head area represents the most significant remaining redevelopment opportunity in the area and its redevelopment is being guided by a development brief; so far, not much development has come forward. There are major opportunities to provide better pedestrian links between Park Central, Westside and Southside through Holloway Head.
In addition to these development proposals which are already in the pipeline, there may be other opportunities in the future. The National Indoor Arena occupies a valuable city centre location adjacent to areas of major change, including Arena Central and as discussed above does not have an attractive presence. We need to think about how further improvements might be made in this area. There are also significant opportunities to improve the quality of the public realm within the Westside area, particularly in the area around Fiveways, along Broad Street and the NIA and along some of the canal network.
The Broad Street area is an important focus for Westside; although it developed an entertainment function in the 1990s, its role in the future may be more akin to the local “high street” with shops and services for the growing residential and business communities around it.
Plain English Version
Westside as a commercial quarter.
This would encourage higher value office, shops and leisure facilities to build on the success of Brindleyplace and act as an extension to the legal and financial core of the city.
Original Document
Westside as a commercial quarter. This option would encourage future commercial redevelopment within the Westside area, including higher value office, retail and leisure uses. This would build on the success of Brindleyplace and capitalise on the proximity of Westside to the legal and financial centre of the city.
Plain English Version
Westside as a specialist shopping area.
This option would develop more high end, specialist shops in the area with a focus on the canal, The Mailbox, The Cube, the area around Bridge Street and the National Indoor Arena. The Cube would play a significant part in encouraging such shops.
Original Document
Westside as a specialist shopping area. Specialist retailing would develop further in the area, focused on the canal, The Mailbox, The Cube, the area around Bridge Street and the NIA area. This option will encourage higher end retailing to locate in Westside, therefore consolidating the existing retail offer at the Mailbox. The Cube would act as an anchor and as a springboard for future specialist retailing.
Plain English Version
Westside as an entertainment quarter.
Broad Street would become a major entertainment street. Much more commercial leisure development would be encouraged with bigger buildings, wider pavements and vibrant advertising to create a brash and buzzy entertainment boulevard.
Original Document
Westside as an entertainment quarter. Broad Street would become a major entertainment boulevard. Much more commercial leisure development would be encouraged with larger scale buildings, wide pavements and vibrant advertising along the street to create the character of a brash and buzzy entertainment boulevard.
Plain English Version
Westside as a local centre.
Broad Street and Fiveways would be the focus of a growing residential and business community. They would provide a range of local shops with good links through to Park Central, Ladywood and Icknield Port Loop.
Original Document
Westside as a local centre. Broad Street and Fiveways would be the focus of the growing residential and business community and would provide a range of locally-oriented shops and services for those communities, with good links through to Park Central, Ladywood and Icknield Port Loop.
Plain English Version
Walking Westside.
Create a tree lined avenue along Suffolk Street Queensway to create a pedestrian friendly boulevard. This could mean replacing the slip road next to the Orion Building with a wider pavement and trees. It might even involve getting rid of some of heavy duty concrete roadssuch as the flyover over Navigation Street. Thisn option would alos involvee more detailed work to improve walking routes between the Core and Westside through Paradise Circus and Holloway Head, and those between Broad Street and the neighbouring residential areas. Pedestrian crossings should be at street level.
Original Document
Walking Westside. Create a tree lined avenue along the route of Suffolk Street Queensway, lined with tall buildings, to create a pedestrian friendly boulevard. This could require the removal of the slip road adjacent to the Orion Building and its replacement with a wider pavement and trees. It might even involve the removal of some of the heavy duty highway structures such as the flyover over Navigation Street. Further attention would be given to improving the pedestrian links between the Core and Westside through Paradise Circus and Holloway Head, and between Broad Street and the neighbouring residential areas. Road crossings would be ‘at grade’ wherever possible rather than via bridges and underpasses.