'Digbeth will surpass Salford's Media City'

Mayor Richard Parker has announced two new projects as part of Digbeth's regeneration plans

A new movie production centre to attract international directors will make Birmingham's Digbeth "better than Salford's Media City", the West Midlands mayor has said.

Part of the Warwick Bar Prospectus, which details the second phase of Digbeth's regeneration, will also include 110,000 sq ft of creative workspace, along with the building of 1,700 homes.

The movie office, Production Central WM, is being designed to attract more directors to the region to make their blockbuster movies.

Unveiling the plans at Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight's Digbeth Loc Studios, Mayor Richard Parker said: "Digbeth will be bigger, better and bolder than Salford's Media City."

Knight's new studios, located within Warwick Bar, will produce the next two series of Peaky Blinders, and were used by Netflix for the movie version of the TV show.

The BBC also signed an agreement with Parker in September to further support creative growth in the region.

The Warwick Bar development will draw on the government's £25m Creative Places Growth Fund for the West Midlands, which was announced last month by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.

"Birmingham and the West Midlands are full of untapped creative potential, and this development will enable more creatives from the region to tell their own stories, create world-class content and drive economic growth," she said.

Digbeth was the right place to use the cash, Parker said, because of its "central location and abundance of investment opportunities make it unique".

"A place known for its grit and graft, it is at the cusp of its renaissance as a top location for the creative industries," he continued.

"The BBC and Steven Knight are just some of the partners who are investing heavily in Digbeth's future, because they know that this place, at the heart of the country, has the backing of industry and government - and a wealth of local talent to work with.

"Together, we'll write a new chapter in Digbeth's history that puts our region centre stage for the creative industries."

Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight urged film directors to come to Digbeth

Production Central WM, staffed by film and TV experts, would aim to provide support to enable people in the industry deliver their creative projects in the region, said the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

In a message to international film and TV makers, Knight said: "The West Midlands is old, new, green field, brown field, urban, rural, posh, poor, 16th Century to 21st Century, high-rise, high-end, low-end, back-to-backs, chimney stacks and babbling brooks…most of which have never been shot.

"And it costs less than most other places. If you want to shoot here, we now have a brand new, super-fit for purpose film production office which matches the region's ambitions.

"It's called Production Central WM and whatever location you want we can find it within an hour's drive of New Street station. Try us."

Homes England, owner of the site, is aiming to commence marketing of phase one of the regeneration project next month, said the WMCA.