Transforming a long forgotten industrial site into a green, connected neighbourhood of 451 new homes.
Client Rochda Group
Project Role Masterplanning, Design
Scale 451 homes
Status Planning Approval
For more than thirty years, Great Western Close stood empty. Once a railway siding and industrial yard in Winson Green, the 7.1 acre inner city site had become a symbol of stalled ambition, with multiple planning applications rejected over time.
Rochda Group approached us, following a recommendation from Birmingham City Council, to unlock its potential. The local authority had previously earmarked the site for low density housing. The challenge was clear: could we demonstrate that a higher density neighbourhood could sit comfortably within its surroundings while dedicating meaningful space to ecology and community life?
We reshaped the brief around people and place. Rather than spreading homes thinly across the site, we organised 451 one, two and three bedroom homes into seven carefully positioned buildings, creating space for landscape to lead.
At the heart of the masterplan, we designed a generous green corridor that runs through the development. A public square anchors one end with active commercial uses, while a children’s play space brings energy to the other. A linear biodiversity pond and suspended boardwalk weave through the landscape, inviting residents to slow down, connect with nature and move through the site safely and intuitively.
We carefully considered scale, massing and orientation to respect neighbouring homes while increasing housing provision and delivering a strong sense of identity.
Planning approval marks a significant turning point for Great Western Close. The scheme replaces dereliction with homes, green space and opportunity. By prioritising biodiversity, public realm and everyday experience alongside housing delivery, the development will provide much needed affordable homes and a healthier environment for the Winson Green community, transforming a dormant site into a place where people can live, meet and belong.
