HBD secures amendments for its Birmingham scheme

Developer HBD has secured planning amendments for its £150 million build-to-rent (BTR) scheme in Birmingham, enabling the 504-home project known as Neighbourhood to move forward.

Located on a 2.6-acre site formerly occupied by a car showroom, the development sits at a key gateway into the city’s historic Jewellery Quarter. The revised planning consent allows an additional storey to be added to four of the five proposed buildings and includes changes to the unit mix, with a greater proportion of one-bedroom apartments now planned.

Neighbourhood will offer a range of resident amenities including a gym, a winter garden, and dedicated work-from-home facilities. The development will also incorporate landscaped public gardens and a new square designed to accommodate independent bars and restaurants.

The scheme is designed to align with the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge, positioning it as a sustainability-led development. It follows HBD’s earlier project in the same area, Setl, a 102-unit scheme completed last year and now over 90% sold.

Ed Hutchinson, Managing Director of HBD, said the amendments enhance both the quality and viability of the scheme, while maintaining its alignment with the area’s heritage character.

Neighbourhood adds to HBD’s portfolio of regeneration-led residential developments. The company recently delivered Kampus in Manchester, a 534-unit BTR scheme that combines residential space with leisure and hospitality operators. Kampus has reportedly outperformed comparable schemes in the city, achieving rental premiums of around 10%.

Work on Neighbourhood is expected to help address growing housing demand in Birmingham while contributing to the wider regeneration of the Jewellery Quarter.