Digbeth will be bigger, better and bolder than Manchester’s Media City - mayor

Global investors, developers, film and TV makers were offered a compelling opportunity to help accelerate Digbeth’s transformation from a gritty, post-industrial neighbourhood into the UK’s top destination for creative industries.

Announcing the next phase of the area’s renaissance, mayor Richard Parker said he was building on a wave of investment into the Birmingham neighbourhood from big entertainment industry names like the BBC, Netflix and Steven Knight - creator of Peaky Blinders and House of Guinness.

During a visit to Steven Knight’s new Digbeth Loc. Studios, with Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, the mayor announced two new projects:

• The Warwick Bar Prospectus – setting out a vision for the regeneration of sites covering an area the size of 22 football pitches with the potential to deliver at least 1,700 new homes and upwards of 110,000sq ft of new creative workspaces
• Production Central WM - a new film production office to connect producers with the set locations, local crew and suppliers needed to bring more big and small screen blockbusters to the region

 The new film production office is just one example of how the Government's £25m Creative Places Growth Fund for the region can be used to drive new creative sector projects.

The mayor said: “Digbeth will be bigger, better and bolder than Manchester’s Media City – it's central location and abundance of investment opportunities make it unique. A place known for its grit and graft, it is at the cusp of its renaissance as a top location for the creative industries. 

“The BBC and Steven Knight are just some of the partners who are investing heavily in Digbeth’s future, because they know that this place, at the heart of the country, has the backing of industry and government - and a wealth of local talent to work with. Together, we’ll write a new chapter in Digbeth’s history that puts our region centre stage for the creative industries.” 

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “For too long, our media and creative industries have been overly skewed towards London and the South East.

“That is why we are backing the West Midlands’ creative businesses with £25 million to enable them to thrive.”

In a message to international film and TV makers, Steven Knight added: “The West Midlands is old, new, green field, brown field, urban, rural, posh, poor, 16th century to 21st century, high rise, high end, low end, back to backs, chimney stacks and babbling brooks…most of which have never been shot.

“And it costs less than most other places. If you want to shoot here, we now have a brand new, super-fit for purpose film production office which matches the region’s ambitions. It’s called Production Central WM and whatever location you want we can find it within an hour’s drive of New Street station. Try us.”

Steven Knight’s new Digbeth Loc. Studios, located within the Warwick Bar site, will produce the next two series of Peaky Blinders and were used by Netflix for the movie version of the TV show.

Nearby, the BBC is converting the former derelict Tea Factory into its new broadcasting centre.

The corporation signed a landmark agreement with the Mayor last month to further support creative growth in the region which will see spend on BBC network television production almost double from £24m to £40m a year by the end of 2027.

BBC investments are also on track to generate £282m of economic benefit in the region by 2031. 

Popular shows like MasterChef, Late Night Lycett, Silent Witness, Policing Paradise and Garden Rescue are also being produced in Digbeth and the neighbourhood boasts several creative hubs such as the Banana Warehouse, Grand Union at Junction Works and The Bond.

The Warwick Bar Prospectus has been drawn up by the site’s owner, Homes England, in partnership with Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC). Homes England is aiming to commence marketing of Phase 1 in November 2025.

The announcements came as key Government figures, international businesspeople, developers and investors gathered in Birmingham for the Regional Investment Summit.

Co-hosted by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the mayor and Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Peter Kyle, the summit provided the West Midlands and other regions with an opportunity to showcase to global investors their potential for growth, innovation, and talent. 

Pictured: From left: Steven Knight, Lisa Nandy, Richard Parker and Cllr John Cotton, Leader of Birmingham City Council at the Digbeth Loc. Studios