One of the biggest regeneration projects in the Jewellery Quarter's recent history is set to receive the green light from city planning chiefs next week after undergoing yet another rethink of the designs.

The £110 million Hockley Mills development next to the district's station will see almost 400 new apartments built for rent along with space for offices, retail and leisure uses.

There will also be a new entrance and ticket office for the station.

Among the new ideas following a rethink of the designs is an escalator in the middle of the development with a bar inside, surrounded by a jewel box design inspired by the Prada store in the Ginza shopping district of Tokyo.

We reported in March how the plans had been significantly revamped from what was originally proposed when it was first unveiled in summer 2017.

CGI of revised plans for Hockley Mills looking up Pitsford Street
CGI of revised plans for Hockley Mills looking up Pitsford Street

A plan to build a hotel was dropped and the number of proposed apartments was reduced from 488 to 406 while parking was decreased from 165 to 140 spaces.

The project has been amended again over the summer, with the total number of apartments now sitting at 395 and the parking provision reduced from 140 to 116 spaces.

But Marcus Hawley, director with the scheme's developer Blackswan Property, said they had increased the number of three-bedroom units in a bid to attract more families to Hockley Mills, from one to 36.

There will also be 215 one-bedroom and 144 two-bedroom units and new public realm.

Mr Hawley added that the number of affordable units to rent had also gone up from ten to 39 and plans for 10,000 sq ft of self storage units were also included in this latest version of the project.

CGI shows the railside section of the revised Hockley Mills plans
CGI shows the railside section of the revised Hockley Mills plans

The overall development will comprise six connect buildings containing the flats and a seventh block will provide the office space.

The four-acre site is currently occupied by auto service centre Mr Tyre at the corner of Pitsford Street and Icknield Street but the company is due to relocate to a new site in Birmingham and its buildings will be demolished.

The project is expected to take up to five years to complete.

City councillors will discuss the application at their planning committee meeting on Thursday, September 27, where they have been recommended to approve the project by council officers.