Oval’s plans for a £1bn transformation of the area surrounding the legendary Custard Factory in Digbeth have been approved. Earlier in the year, this application was deferred to allow for a site visit that was undertaken on 20 May 2021. The hybrid application has now been approved and the plans set out by architects and masterplanners from Studio Egret West, Glenn Howells Architects and BPN Architects, along with Turley and Birmingham City Council can now proceed.

Oval’s plans for a huge mixed-use scheme in Digbeth include building 1,850 homes and 2.2m sq ft of commercial space over the next 15 years.

A phased approach will be used, starting with an extension to the Custard Factory itself, Custard Factory Living and Wild Works.

Designed by Studio Egret West, Wild Works will comprise a cluster of four new buildings to provide office space, communal incubator workspace and a restaurant. It would rise up to eight storeys.

The Custard Factory rooftop extension, designed by Glenn Howells Architects, will provide three additional storeys to form a garden and open plan offices.

Also designed by the firm, the Custard Factory Living scheme will be the first residential accommodation to be delivered as part of the framework.

It will comprise of 40 new homes with ground floor retail and café uses along the River Rea and would be connected to the Custard Factory by a new bridge.

A council document published ahead of the planning committee meeting said: "The proposed hybrid application would deliver a significant contribution to the wider regeneration of Digbeth delivering new homes and jobs alongside new retail, hotel, leisure and community opportunities.

"As such it would provide an effective use of previously developed land at a sustainable location and meet important local growth objectives as set out in the BDP and the Curzon Masterplan for the area."