A £200m city centre development site could be opened up if plans to relocate Birmingham’s wholesale markets come to fruition.
City Council leaders are in discussion with wholesalers from the 21-acre Digbeth market complex which has been on its present location since 1974.
The move would open up a site linking Digbeth, Eastside and the city centre, and could be valued at as much as to £10m per acre – the price that developer HGB properties paid for a 2.5-acre Great Charles Street site.
The relocation has become necessary to increase accessibility to the markets for retailers and restaurateurs and several out-of-town locations are being considered including the former MG Rover site at Longbridge.
Councillor Ken Hardeman, Birmingham cabinet member for regeneration, said: “We have established there is a case to be made for moving the markets.
“You can say with confidence that the markets will move out of the city centre.”
Hardeman refused to comment on speculation that the markets would be relocated at the former IMI factory site at Witton, close to Junction 6 of the M6.
The MG Rover site proposal was contained in an action plan for the redevelopment of the 330-acre site published by the city council and Bromsgrove District council this week.
Various other options were presented for the St Modwen-owned site including an entirely industrial scheme in line with the zoning of the land for high-tech industrial development.
Nanjing Automotive Company lease 105-acres of the site and intend to re-start car production next year.
References: EGi News 19/10/06
