Plans for new BBC Birmingham HQ The Tea Factory approved

The new site in Digbeth will replace The Mailbox as BBC's main base in Birmingham

Plans for the new BBC headquarters in Birmingham have been given the go-ahead by the city council.

Building works can now begin on The Tea Factory, which is expected to be ready for staff to move into by 2026.

Councillors had unanimously approved plans at a planning committee on Thursday.

Once built, all teams at The Mailbox will relocate, including Midlands Today, online teams, Radio WM, Radio 1's Newsbeat and Asian Network.

Councillor Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council, said he was "delighted" the new building had successfully secured planning permission.

"This represents a significant vote of confidence in Digbeth's burgeoning creative quarter, and the BBC has a big role to play in Birmingham's future success," he said.

"Now, we aim to use this move as a catalyst for the wider regeneration and development of Digbeth as a hub for media and creativity."

The new property follows news of planning consent for new studios for flagship BBC show MasterChef, at the former Banana Warehouse in the city.

Staff are expected to move into The Tea Factory by 2026

Plans for the state-of-the-art base for BBC Birmingham in Digbeth's creative quarter were announced last year.

Staff members had been asked to name the new building and had suggested The Tea Factory, in a nod to its heritage as the former home of Typhoo tea.

The landmark project will see a 10-acre (four-hectare) plot of land around Typhoo Wharf and the surrounding canal basin transformed, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Developers said the new building would be "instantly recognisable" to everyone who travelled into Birmingham.

Stuart Thomas, the BBC's Head of the Midlands, said the new base would the BBC's greenest and "most modern" site.

"This is a crucial step on the road to 2026 and the BBC having a new home in Britain's second city," he said.

"Our upcycled, dedicated building will help turbo-charge the ambition of turning Digbeth into a world-class creative quarter."