The BBC’s new home in Birmingham has been approved by city council planners.
Developer Stoford and the BBC plan to turn the former Typhoo Tea factory in the city’s Digbeth district into an 84,000 sq ft centre known as the Tea Factory. Work is now expected to start later this year.
The building is on target to achieve a BREEAM Outstanding rating and an energy performance certificate of A. Stoford then plans to deliver up to 800,000 sq ft of residential, office and hospitality accommodation around the BBC building over the next decade.
The BBC announced last August that it would leave its base in Birmingham’s Mailbox, confirming its deal with Stoford a few weeks later.
Gerard Ludlow, director at Stoford, said: “Our hard work over the past couple of years has built up to this and we are excited to be given the go-ahead to begin transforming and reusing the building.
“We’ve been working closely with the BBC to ensure we not only keep the historic legacy of the almost 100-year-old factory but also deliver a pioneering scheme using low carbon principles. We are looking forward to breathing new life into it.”
Birmingham City Council leader Ian Ward described the scheme as “a huge vote of confidence in Birmingham and our creative sector”.
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