Smithfield Birmingham – Mixed-use Regeneration

Smithfield is one of Birmingham’s most significant regeneration opportunities. Once home to the city’s historic markets, the 17ha site is now being reimagined as a vibrant, mixed-use district

We were entrusted with project managing Smithfield Marketplace (Plot 5) and supporting the wider Smithfield Masterplan through to planning approval.

A masterplan that respects the past and shapes the future

The £1.9 billion vision will bring new cultural and leisure attractions, more than one million m² of office space and thousands of homes to the city centre. It aims to create around 8,000 jobs while working within Birmingham’s Zero Emissions City Framework, balancing modern needs with heritage, sustainability and viability.

Our work centred on coordinating a large, international team of specialists, including signature architects and experts in fire, façade, arts and sustainability. With tight finances, we scrutinised the design, pinpointed cost drivers and set a clear route to viability.

We created detailed deliverable schedules for each design stage and the planning submission, then developed a master schedule that aligned outcomes across every plot team – each with its own challenges and priorities.

Sustainability shaped every decision. We drove design choices that reduced embodied carbon and supported targets for BREEAM Excellent, NABERS and Whole Life Carbon in line with LETI standards.

A vibrant, inclusive city hub in the making

The revised masterplan, approved in June 2024, will see Smithfield reborn as a lively urban quarter. Anchored by the Bull Ring markets, the scheme introduces new public squares, landscaped parks and Festival Square – a major events venue – as well as extensive residential, commercial and cultural spaces.

A sustainable and people-focused transformation

Smithfield is more than a development – it is a chance to reimagine the historic heart of Birmingham. Our role has been to bring structure, clarity and momentum to an ambitious brief, ensuring the project remains visionary and deliverable.

By restoring the site’s heritage and unlocking new homes, jobs and public spaces, Smithfield will become a thriving, inclusive district that strengthens the city’s identity and sets a new benchmark for regeneration across the UK.