The developers set to build an employment park on Sutton Coldfield’s green belt land have said they want to create ‘a great place to work’ which will deliver ‘long-term social and economic benefits’ for the people of the town.

IM Properties which was chosen by Birmingham City Council to build a 71 hectare industrial zone on the Peddimore site by Minworth, and neighbouring the new 5,500 Langley homes development, has taken the first technical steps to get the development underway.

This week the company said it wanted to create an ‘economic asset’ that the town and city could be ‘proud of’ and issued an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Scoping Request the city council, which will look at the environmental impact of the development both during construction and once built.

The EIA request sets out how the company will assess the likely effects of its planned development and will take in to account all ‘permanent and temporary activities propose’, including construction, and any landmarks, features or communities that could be affected. The study will also go beyond the just the 71 hectares of the site itself.

Artists impression of potential Peddmore development

David Smith, planning director at IM Properties (IMP), commenting on this initial work said: “This is an important first step in the development of a planning application and our longer journey to create a best in class development which can attract leading national and international manufacturing and logistics businesses.

“We want to create a great place to work which also delivers long-term social and economic benefits for local people.

“By working together with businesses, schools and the community, we can deliver new jobs and ensure that Peddimore can be the catalyst for greater opportunities for local people who may not work directly at the site.”

The company said: “Peddimore will be built to the highest standards of building design and will include substantial and attractive landscaping to help integrate the development into the local area. It will include measures to reduce environmental impact, and provide on-site amenities and first-class management throughout construction and operations to deliver growth in a considerate way.”

IMP said it is committed to consulting with local people and stakeholders to gather feedback on its plans, which will help it to shape the best possible scheme for Peddimore. The company will present its proposals at a series of public exhibitions later this year, providing local people with an opportunity to have their say on the plans.

The area of Peddimore that is to be redeveloped
The area of Peddimore that is to be redeveloped

IMP will prepare a planning application which will be submitted to Birmingham City Council in November 2018. If the application is approved, infrastructure works would commence in September 2019.

The new development is against a ‘Midlands-wide shortage of strategic employment sites’ IMP said and to ensure that high quality industrial space is available to businesses, the company has said it has committed, once planning permission has been granted, to speculatively build 484,376 sq ft of buildings at Peddimore.

The company has a leading track record of sustainable development along the M42 corridor. In north Warwickshire it transformed Birch Coppice from a disused colliery into an award-winning business park, creating 6,500 jobs locally. The company is also the owner of Blythe Valley Park, a ‘thriving 260-acre mixed-use community’ near Junction 4 of the M42.