Words by Erdington Local editorial team / Pics taken from planning application documents
A large scale planning application has been submitted for a brand new business park on the site of the former GKN factory site on Chester Road.
The “hybrid” application includes the demolition of the sprawling factory, which employed thousands of local people over its seven decade history.
Replacing the factory on the 4.87 hectare site will be a 22 unit industrial park, an electric vehicle charging station – and facing onto Chester Road will be a retail unit and a restaurant.
The full plans submitted to Birmingham City Council for the CB Erdington Investment LLB led development include 128 supporting documents and are so extensive the application fee alone is estimated at over £90,000.
CB Erdington Investment LLB was incorporated in September 2023 and has a registered business address in London.
Birmingham architect firm Corstorphine & Wright have designed the new business park, which colour scheme will be a mixture of green and grey hues. Corstorphine & Wright present Birmingham development projects including Smallbrook Queensway, Upper Trinity Street, Aston Place, and Cortland Broad Street (The Square) in their portfolio.
Describing the new multi level development, the architect’s statement said: “The proposal has been subject to an extensive design process including pre-application and voice provided by the local authority.
“Particular attention has been given to the buildings’ design scale and massing in order to respond to neighbouring properties and immunity it delivers a financial variable scheme that has optimised the use of this sustainable and previously developed site to provide a modern and fit for purpose employment led mixed use scheme.”
The multi-million pound development has the potential to create hundreds of much needed jobs in the area.
The statement added: “The scheme has the potential to deliver realistic quantum of employment space given the available sites area whilst considering and respecting adjacent residents and business users.
“The design approach offers a clear and logical layout that will provide not only a safe and secure working environment but also be an enhancement to the local region.”
The developers hope Chester Road’s excellent transport links, with close proximity to the motorway network, will attract multinational companies needing new warehouses, logistic centres, or headquarters.
Bury firm HiTec Demolition has been given the contract for flattening the huge factory, and specialist teams have already cleared the buildings of asbestos.
The company said: “Asbestos removal has already been complete to the site, the only remaining asbestos on site is the roof areas, they are asbestos cement roofing, see method for removal.”
The comprehensive application also includes reports about bats and their preservation, light, noise and flooding reports, alongside a further raft of environmental impact submissions and sustainability plans.
As well as extensive landscaping there will also be a staff well-being garden and park space on Egerton Road.
Melrose Industries bought GKN for £8 billion in 2018 in a controversial and protracted takeover which included a promise the UK’s biggest engineering firm would not be sold within five years.
However, in 2021 the firm announced plans to close the Chester Road factory with the loss of 519 highly skilled manufacturing jobs – despite repeated efforts to save the site from both Erdington’s late MP Jack Dromey and the region’s erstwhile mayor Andy Street.
Following a Unite led strike, workers eventually accepted redundancy packages and the generations of motor vehicle parts production ended which an estimated 1,500 jobs being lost in the local supply chain of companies.
To find out more about GKN Automotive visit www.gknautomotive.com
Hi. I want to know what is happening to the dead piece of land between the parameter fence of the factory and the start of the gardens of residents on Gunter Road.
It apparently belongs to GKN (previous owners )
I now want to know if this is being tided and cleaned up as it is pulling fence panels down and
is very overgrown.
Thanks
Do we need more shops on chester rd .No I don,t think so .housing is needed more.would be so easy turn the building into apartments. lot cheaper planners please have rethink.
How on earth did Melrose get away with the promise of not selling for 5 years and then selling it 3 years later. They did the same to the Company I worked for ( PSM) They only thing they care about is money.
I would have thought the area would have been better served by more affordable housing as we seem to have so many industrial estates locally .The design looks ok but again traffic is very busy just there .