Planning chiefs in the Midlands are expected to approve major regeneration proposals that give Birmingham's fruit and veg wholesale market a new home.
Coleshill-based IM Properties lodged plans earlier this year to build on 17 acres of land at The Hub, in Nobel Way near Witton train station, where it is hoping to create a replacement for the city centre-based wholesale markets, in the news recently after a fire broke out on the site.
Officers at Birmingham City Council have wholeheartedly supported the proposals and recommended councillors approve the application when it comes before the planning committee meeting next Thursda (3 September), Birmingham Post has reported.
IM Properties wants to build a large wholesale market building at The Hub covering 224,500 sq ft, or 5.6 acres, along with sprinkler tents, a pump house and a 450-space car park.
The facility will have 78 individual business units and operate 24 hours a day, but will not be open to the general public.
IM has previously said the development would result in multimillion-pound investment and save up to 620 local jobs, while the wider regeneration of The Hub is expected to employ around 2,100 people on 1.6m sq ft of employment space.
The current Birmingham Wholesale Markets site close to Bullring will be demolished to make way for a mixed-use district containing residential and business accommodation, leisure and cultural uses.
It forms part of the wider, £500 million Birmingham Smithfield (see gallery below) project which also incorporates the Bull Ring Markets and Moat Lane gyratory and is believed to have attracted the attention of both UK and international investors.
However, work cannot begin in earnest until the Wholesale Markets move is completed.
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