Video: how Digbeth is transforming and what else is to come

Birmingham is a city undergoing a huge transformation. The construction of HS2 and the Commonwealth games have lead to a lot of investment in the city.

One of the areas experiencing this regeneration is Digbeth, so we spoke to Kieran McInerney, chair of the Digbeth business forum, about the changes in the area.

Plans to transform Digbeth and bring the River Rea back into the city centre have been submitted. The River Rea, has mostly been forgotten about over the past 100 years - running behind industrial buildings and derelict sites.

But If approved, the ‘Warner Fields’ development will see the surrounding area opened up with new public spaces.

The first phase of Warners Fields would include 1,351 new homes to rent. Buildings will range in height from 6 to 10 storeys, with a select number of taller buildings between 11 and 29 storeys.

This will also include the Henry Bradford Centre, designed to support start-ups and small businesses; and the Apollo Building, a flexible hub for modern cycle and vehicle facilities, as well as gym facilities and a further community space and gardens on the roof.

Kieran McInerney, chair of the Digbeth Business Forum, says:

“I’ve been in and around Digbeth for 15 years, and there’s definitely been a massive investment in the area. Certainly in the last five years. We’ve seen a lot more retail pop up, we’ve seen a lot more hospitality and a lot more nightlife - and it’s kind of gone from this edgy part of town, you know, with a lot of creatives and warehouses, and stuff like that, into something that’s a really nice, vibrant, really fun place to go.

“HS2 - another huge national project that’s bringing investment into the area. Although it’s an East Side, Digbeth is pretty much part of the development area, so there’s huge investment happening there.

“Commonwealth Games, obviously the city’s put huge investment into regenerating areas. So I guess it’s kind of thinking about what the legacy of the games is after that as well.”

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