Birmingham’s new city vision adopts Westside BID’s Gas Quarter proposals
Exciting proposals for a new Gas Quarter in Birmingham drawn up by Westside Business Improvement District (BID) have been included in the city council's future vision plan.
A report called ‘Our Future City: Central Birmingham Framework 2045', which maps out the city for the next generation, has now been officially approved by the council’s cabinet.
The 194-page document spells out future ‘growth zones’, including a ‘Western Gateway’, and details major development sites, revitalised streets, and green pathways.
With specific reference to Westside, the report says Broad Street and Brindleyplace were the region’s premier leisure and night-time visitor destinations. It says these draw more than 20,000 visitors at a time to its attractions, which include over 110 bars and restaurants.
Under its vision for ‘bold proposals’, the framework describes how the Western Gateway would “unlock major development opportunities that will reconnect pedestrian links between Westside’s canals, Broad Street and the Retail Quarter, and crucial links to Southside”.
The report continues: “Ambitious proposals will bring together several major redevelopment opportunities along Broad Street, Bridge Street, and the Goods Station site on Holliday Street, transforming under-utilised and cleared sites and buildings.”
This, it adds, would “deliver high-density residential, commercial office and hotel development connected by new streets and squares and a reactivated canal frontage between Gas Street Basin and the Mailbox”.
There would also be opportunities to “reveal historic canal and railway infrastructure”, while listed buildings, including several canal-related structures around Gas Street Basin, would be retained.
The document makes reference to major development sites such as the “prime” Arena Central location on Broad Street, which has already delivered more than 42,000 sq m of office space.
Also mentioned are other sites fronting Broad Street between Ryland Street and Sheepcote Street, providing redevelopment opportunities for high-density residential led mixed-use schemes. The report adds that proposals remain “sensitive” to the former Grade II-listed orthopaedic hospital and Brasshouse Language Centre.
The framework said proposals had also been developed alongside Westside BID and residents to improve the quality of streets off Broad Street by upgrading lighting, CCTV, street furniture, signage, and reducing clutter.
Enhancements to connections to Gas Street Basin and the canals will also be explored, including supporting the existing water bus network, plus identifying locations for potential street markets and events to create a new destination in Westside.
Gerald Manton, chairman of Westside BID, said the city council had clearly adopted the BID's plans for a new Gas Quarter area.
He said: “A lot of what is in this framework is based on proposals we put forward to the council 12 months ago. We want to develop the south side of Broad Street, namely the Gas Street area, which we see as having great growth potential. The council leader was all for it and, lo and behold, they have adopted the whole thing.”
Westside BID’s proposals are included within what the report calls the ‘City Heart’, alongside four other key areas of Central North, South, East and West.
The framework said City Heart, which also includes the Bull Ring, Snow Hill and Southside, continued to grow and provide “unparalleled opportunities” for investment as the UK’s premier economic activity centre outside London. This supports more than 150,000 jobs and attracts over £2 billion of shopping expenditure every year.
The area also serves as the civic, historic and cultural hub of Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. It attracts 42 million-plus visitors a year to leisure and cultural attractions including major theatres, galleries, cinemas, the ICC, Symphony Hall and Utilita Arena.
