The Smithfield development has faced every obstacle possible. Is it finally full speed ahead?
The Smithfield development has faced every obstacle possible. Is it finally full speed ahead?
Plus, Farage's Reform return to Brum
Dear readers — Kate is taking a well-earned break from Dispatch duties this week, but fear not, we’ve assembled a crack squad of deputies to keep on top of things in her absence. That means fantastic pieces from three separate writers in the week (including two Dispatch debuts) and today’s briefing, which has been left in the hands of Jack and Dan.
Before we get into that, our heartfelt thanks to everyone for another excellent month. August may not have been the most successful on the sunshine front, but in terms of new Dispatch members, it was great. Almost 90 of you signed up, taking us to a total of 885 paying members overall. If you’re new, welcome, and if you’ve been around for a while, thanks for your continued support. We now have the big 1,000 firmly in the crosshairs.
Now, on with the show. Today’s big story is about the Smithfield development, touted as potentially transformative for the city centre (with a price tag of £2 billion, you’d hope so) but unfortunately, also a project doomed to face every obstacle imaginable in the past two years. However, since its approval in June things are looking positive, with the public consultation dates now announced. Will it be plain sailing from here? We won’t promise you that.
Weather: Autumnal change and a warm week
⛅ Tuesday: After a damp autumnal start, the week kicks into gear with sunny intervals. Max 20°C.
⛅ Wednesday: Slightly cooler but still a fine day. Sunny, gently breezy. Max 18°C.
🌧️ Thursday: A mixed end to the week: largely rainy with some sunny spells. Max 18°C.
🌧️ Friday: Same as Thursday. Rain jacket needed — but it won’t be cold. Max 20°C.
🌦️ Weekend: Will feel Spring-like. Showery, warm, sunnier spells on Saturday. Max 2°C.
We get our weather from the Met Office.
The big story: Is the Smithfield development finally full speed ahead?
Top line: The massive Smithfield development, perhaps the biggest development opportunity in the pipeline for the city, has reached the consultation phase after finally being granted approval in June. It hasn’t been a steady run for the project thus far, but things are now in motion.
Context: The Smithfield development is routinely described as among the most exciting regeneration projects in the city — often in terms like “once in a generation” or “game-changing”. It’s going to be built on the old Birmingham wholesale market site near the Bullring shopping centre and it’ll cost nearly £2 billion (£1.9 billion, but what’s £100 million among friends). It’s being overseen by the developer Lendlease.
All in all, it has the potential to transform a critical city centre site. Which is why the stop-start nature of its progress — Birmingham City Council first published its Smithfield Masterplan in 2016 — is all the more frustrating.
So what is the scheme? From the CGI renders we’ve been drip-fed over the past year or two we’ve got a good idea of what Lendlease are planning. Here are the key features:
Perhaps most significant is the promise of 3,000 new homes (including affordable ones) which will contribute significantly to the city’s house-building targets
High-quality office space totaling over one million sq ft
“Cultural, leisure and recreational spaces” and a “network of new public squares and green spaces including Manor Square and Smithfield Park” (though the amount of green space has been a key point of controversy)
Obstacle course: Unfortunately, the past year or two for the project has been a downhill slalom run dodging an assortment of obstacles and objectors.
Back in 2023, Historic England was the main objector. They believed the scheme would be damaging from a heritage perspective, saying it would harm the look of the city and disturb medieval remains
Birmingham Pride also took issue — they feared that after the scheme was completed there would be nowhere to host the festival from 2025 onwards. Pride director Lawrence Barton said the festival was being made “homeless” — but after talks with Lendlease, pledges were made and the event’s short-term future was protected
As recently as May, Councillors put off making a decision on the scheme amid concerns over the size of the planned Smithfield Park. In response, Lendlease agreed to scale it up by 23%. After that, the scheme was finally approved in June
Where are we now? With the scheme now approved, things should be able to progress. But there are new questions about how involved Lendlease will be. In May the firm said they were withdrawing from development in the UK and US (refocusing on Australia instead), cutting their involvement in existing schemes significantly and selling off Lendlease Construction. Nonetheless, the first phase of the masterplan is still expected to begin later this year. The delivery will be carried out in four phases over 15 years.
Have your say: After all that, it’s finally reached the stage where the public can have their say. Three consultation events are being hosted (one online and two in person) and you can see all the details for them here. Or, if you don’t want to do that, let your opinions be heard in our very own Dispatch Town Square: the comments section.
Photo of the week
It might not quite be Da Vinci’s Golden Ratio but this photo of the tramlines in Deritend, captured by Aidan Sammons, has its own Brummie artfulness.
Brum in brief
➡️ Reform to re-hit Brum: Reform members will head to Birmingham in late September for a two-day conference as the party aims to replicate the success of right-wing movements in Germany and France. The insurgent right-wing party hopes to set up more than 100 local branches to target Labour-held seats, with a strong belief that Farage can become Prime Minister at the next election. The conference will be the starter of this campaign. But Brum has been in the party’s sights before. A couple of months ago, Reform held a conference at the NEC — billed as the biggest of his career — as he sought to win votes before polling day. More here, and here [paywall].
🍽️ Tom Cruise favourite upgraded: Asha’s restaurant, which has attracted the likes of Tom Cruise, Ed Sheeran, Pink, the Rolling Stones and Steven Gerrard, has reopened following a £500k upgrade. Closed for August, there have been serious renovations in the kitchen and dining area with a new private dining room added. The bar and restaurant has won multiple awards over the years including Best Restaurant in the British Curry Awards and Best Restaurant in the Asian Business Awards. More here — with a nice snap of the world-famous Mission Impossible star outside.
🚌 Shuttle comeback: The iconic Stourbridge Shuttle is back up and running after needed repairs. The shuttle operates on the shortest branch line in Britain and is beloved by rail enthusiasts, running every ten minutes between Stourbridge Town and Stourbridge Junction, a journey that is less than a mile long. It opened in 1879 and the shuttle makes circa 1,370 trips per week. More here, including some facts on the tiny line.
Home of the week
An 1897-built cottage with a log burner in Solihull and some very tasteful-looking kitchen cabinets in Solihull is today’s Home of the Week. The garden is also bloody lovely. It’s yours for an admittedly toppy £450,000.
Media picks
Writing for the Financial Times, Rachel Spence paints a beautiful picture of the Ikon gallery’s current exhibition by Jesse Jones. Mirror, Martyr, Mirror, Moon pairs baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi’s work with Jones’ own film and sculpture, in order to explore the position of women in the modern day. You can read FT’s vivid review of the artwork here.
And Guardian Midlands correspondent Jessica Murray has written a feature on Birmingham-based charity CASBA Advocacy. The charity aims to combat discrimination among social workers, and has now begun working in partnership with disabled parents whose children have been taken into care. You can read Murray’s interviews with the parents and social workers on the Guardian’s website.
Things to do
Tuesday
👨In the Digbeth Dining Club event series, lucky ticket holders can get a seat to listen to Professor Carl Chinn’s unique take on history. Get down to Herbert’s Yard for a chance to see the great Brummie himself. Tickets here.
📺 For Neighbours fans, Ryan Moloney (the star behind Toadfish Rebecchi) will be hosting an evening at the Town Hall sharing tales from behind the scenes. More here.
Wednesday
🥕If you can spare an entire day midweek , then head to Coventry for a day-long workshop on growing heirloom vegetables with a chance to taste rare varieties. Tickets here.
🚀 Beloved British astronaut Tim Peake hits the stage at The Symphony Hall, talking space travel, the history of heading beyond Earth’s atmosphere and the pressures of heading into space. More here.
Thursday
👭For women in business (or an interest) the relaunched Inspire and Connect is hosting an evening at the Brewhouse in Sutton Coldfield. Tickets here.
🎭 A compelling story of toxic masculinity, homophobia, men’s health and coming of age, Boy Out In the City runs till Saturday at The Rep. Further details.
Is this article being sponsored by Lendlease ?
We just have to find a way of developing high density inner city sites quicker. Or the Green belt will be under bigger threat.