Typhoo Tea Factory proposals form part of 4ha masterplan for city鈥檚 Digbeth district

Glenn Howells Architects鈥� proposals to transform Birmingham鈥檚 former Typhoo Tea Factory into a new regional hub for the BBC have been submitted for planning.

The scheme is at the centre of transformation plans for a 4ha chunk of the city鈥檚 Digbeth district that are being driven by developer Stoford.

Planning consultancy Turley said this week it had lodged a detailed application for the Typhoo Factory proposals with Birmingham City Council, which represented the first phase of the wider area masterplan.

220906_Typhoo_Bordesley Street Entrance lr (c) GHA

Source: Glenn Howells Architects

View of the Typhoo Tea Factory in Birmingham, where the BBC plans to move in 2026

Glenn Howells鈥� designs for the new BBC base emerged over the summer and were the subject of pre-application consultation events in September.

Stoford director Gerard Ludlow said feedback on the proposals had been 鈥渙verwhelmingly positive鈥� and demonstrated a genuine excitement about the prospect of the BBC making its home in such a recognisable and prominent building.

鈥淭yphoo Wharf is a significant opportunity, which will not only catalyse reinvigoration of the wider area, but will also help to kickstart further private and public-sector investment into Digbeth鈥檚 built environment and transport connections,鈥� he said.

鈥淐entral to our Typhoo scheme is the commitment to conserving the historic building, which dates back to 1929 but has been left empty for decades.鈥�

220906_Typhoo_BBC Atrium View lr (c) GHA

Source: Glenn Howells Architects

Atrium view of proposals for the BBC鈥檚 new base at the Typhoo Tea Factory in Birmingham

For almost two decades the BBC鈥檚 Birmingham operations have been based at Associated Architects鈥� Mailbox development 鈥� a repurposed Post Office building close to the city鈥檚 Gas Street basin.

Before that the corporation鈥檚 home in the city was the John Madin-designed Pebble Mill Studios in Edgbaston.

Stoford is targeting a 2025 completion for the Typhoo Factory conversion, ahead of BBC staff arriving the following year. The BBC is understood to have agreed a 20-year lease on the building.

Turley said designs for the wider area masterplan were currently being updated following September鈥檚 consultation and would be published for further comments 鈥渋n the coming weeks鈥�.

The Typhoo Tea Factory closed in 1978 and has long been disused. The building fronts Bordesley Street, roughly 200m east of Birmingham鈥檚 Selfridges building, built by Laing O鈥橰ourke and designed by Jan Kaplick媒 and Amanda Levete鈥檚 Future Systems practice.