BAM brews up a new home for BBC Birmingham at former Typhoo Tea Factory
BAM brews up a new home for BBC Birmingham at former Typhoo Tea Factory
BAM has begun work to transform a former Typhoo Tea factory in Digbeth into the BBC’s new Birmingham home. Once completed in 2026, the broadcast centre will house several BBC editorial teams, including: The Archers, BBC Asian Network, BBC Newsbeat, BBC Radio WM and Midlands Today.
The nearly 100-year-old factory building will form the heart of the new landmark 84,001 sq ft custom-built broadcast centre named Typhoo Wharf scheme. It will be built to rigorous modern sustainability standards and is on target to achieve a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ and EPC ‘A’ rating.
BAM is appointed by developer Stoford to deliver the scheme, which is majority-funded by Aviva Investors on behalf of its Lime Property Fund, with a grant from Birmingham City Council.
Following the recent site launch event, Alan Bell, Construction Director at BAM UK&I, said:
“As somebody that’s Birmingham through and through, I’m immensely proud that BAM will be delivering the construction of The Tea Factory, and the home of BBC Birmingham.
“The regeneration of the Digbeth area, alongside the ongoing work on the nearby MasterChef studios, and the HS2 development, will place emphasis on a revitalised part of the area.
"Significantly, the introduction of ‘Tea Factory Wharf’ will create opportunity to showcase our communities through new developments, that respect the heritage of the area, whilst adding innovative and creative spaces that drive prosperity to the heart of the country and the local community.”
Over the next decade, Stoford plans to deliver up to 800,000 sq ft of new residential, office and hospitality accommodation around the new BBC building. The wider scheme will see more than 10 acres of underutilised land around Typhoo Wharf and the adjoining canal basin transformed into a new mixed-use neighbourhood characterised by attractive public spaces and open thoroughfares.
Gerard Ludlow, Stoford Director, said: “After months of planning and preparing the site, it’s exciting to start work on revitalising this historic building and, in time, working with our partner The Gooch Estate, we will bring forward a much larger mixed-use scheme - known as Typhoo Wharf - which sits around the wider area adjacent to the Bordesley Street landmark.
“With our strategic partners, we have created an exciting blueprint that will provide a stunning home for the BBC, which will be the corporation’s most sustainable and flexible centre yet. Over the next three years, as work progresses, anyone visiting Digbeth will be able to see the scheme unfolding.”
Tim Davie, BBC Director-General, said: “This is a significant step, not just for the BBC, but for invigorating the wider creative industries in the Midlands. We are transforming The Tea Factory into a world-class state of the art production facility, which will benefit the region for generations to come.
“Digbeth will deliver world-class programmes, be a centre for excellence and bring investment and new opportunities to one of the most vibrant parts of the country.”
Learn more in the full press release from Stoford.
Check out the latest information about Typhoo Wharf.
