Sama Investments, a Birmingham-based residential developer and investor, has submitted a planning application (represented as applicant Garrison Group Holdings Ltd) for a flagship residential scheme at Garrison Circus in Bordesley Green that will unlock a new gateway into Digbeth and Birmingham city centre.
The proposals will secure the redevelopment of a former industrial site, delivering over 500 new apartments and 650 units of student accommodation. This will include the development of a landmark tower of up to 37-storeys in height, which will provide a focal point for the development and help define the site as a key opening into Digbeth.
The proposals also include the provision of high-quality landscaped public spaces and commercial-use units, such as for leisure or hospitality, helping to create a vibrant and dynamic community.
Our plans will deliver against local ambitions to regenerate the area and catalyse further investment by opening a new entrance into Digbeth and beyond into Birmingham’s city centre.
Who we are
Sama Investments is a Birmingham-based residential developer and investor with extensive experience delivering impactful projects across the UK.
We primarily operate within the centres of Birmingham and the West Midlands, Sheffield, Plymouth, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, and Leicester, where our local knowledge and established networks enable us to deliver successful residential and student accommodation schemes.
We have a strong track record of identifying and delivering regional real estate opportunities with a focus on quality, sustainability, and long-term community benefits.
We also manage student accommodation under our student housing brand, VELO Student Living, with an £80 million portfolio across the country. From Bristol to Manchester, and Plymouth to Sheffield, we have exceptional experience in creating and managing places where students can thrive.
We have already brought forward numerous schemes across Birmingham, enriching local communities through developments that are sensitive to local heritage while realising their potential. This includes the 520 student-bed Globeworks, planning consent for our 184 student-bed Lawson Street proposals, and approval for our 85-bed Brickwork Canalside residential scheme in the heart of Birmingham.
Garrison Circus today
Situated at the northern edge of Digbeth, the 3-acre site is largely derelict and in a poor state, exacerbated by vandalism in recent years. As a result of the condition of the buildings, this has detracted from the quality of the area.
However, Birmingham City Council’s vision for central Birmingham, as outlined as part of the Curzon Street Masterplan and the recently published Our Future City Central Birmingham Framework 2040, has identified this area as a location for growth and a new gateway into Digbeth and the city centre. This would enrich the area’s thriving arts and culture industry which is experiencing significant growth, with Digbeth Loc. Studios and the BBC’s new Birmingham HQ, the Tea Factory, set to open in the near future.
Our Vision
Our proposals respond to the site’s recognised potential by seeking to deliver a flagship residential-led scheme that will create a new integral gateway into Digbeth and Birmingham’s city centre. The proposals will also set the standard for high-quality development within the wider Garrison Park Quarter.
- New homes for residents and students
Our plans to redevelop this underutilised brownfield site will deliver over 500 new homes and over 650 units for student accommodation, making a strong contribution towards meeting Birmingham’s housing needs.
The scheme will be delivered across four blocks and will include a landmark tower of up to 37 storeys. This will act as a focal point for the area on the corner of Great Barr Street and Watery Lane Middleway.
- Nurturing a vibrant new community
With a strong emphasis on resident wellbeing and fostering a sense of community, the proposals will deliver a dynamic variety of amenities, with active frontages on the ground floors.
This could include a dedicated space to support the local arts industry, creating a link to Digbeth’s strengths as a centre for culture.
These amenities will create interest and activity at street level, with the provision of new high-quality public spaces integrating with this, making for a vibrant and active community that can be enjoyed by both residents and the wider community.
- Sensitively incorporating local heritage
Located within the site is the locally listed Myona Building, which has historic links to Jacobs Biscuits. The proposals include the retention and restoration of the building, as well as opportunities to incorporate information boards, which can be explored to better reveal the heritage of the building.
The redevelopment is sensitively designed to complement the heritage of the Myona building and the wider area, ensuring that the development is brought forward holistically. In doing so, this development will help secure the retention of this building for future generations.
- Improving connectivity
Given the site’s location within the City Centre, it benefits from good public transport links – this includes bus stops located on Great Barr Street, and Bordesley train station within walking distance. Meanwhile Birmingham New Street Station, offering extensive connections to the wider city and country, is equally close.
It is well located in relation to emerging public transport improvements and will be within walking distance of HS2’s multi-million-pound Curzon Street Station and the Birmingham Eastside Metro extension.
The site is also just a short walk away from Aston University and Birmingham City University, providing high-quality student accommodation within reach of each of these campuses.
Encouraging residents to use sustainable transport methods has been placed at the forefront of our proposals, with a keenness to ensure that residents can take advantage of the existing public transport network, as well as the generous provision of cycle parking and storage that will be available to residents.
Further improvements and landscaping to Great Barr Street frontage could be identified as a way of providing improved walking routes to the city centre.
- Community Benefits
Our plans will not only deliver high-quality new homes but create economic and social benefits for the local community.
- Open a new gateway into the city and the thriving hub of Digbeth
- Support the area’s regeneration and catalyse further investment
- Nurture a sense of community through creating welcoming new green spaces and amenities, with the potential for a dedicated space to support the local arts and culture industry
- Providing a meaningful boost to local shops and businesses by encouraging the ‘Local Pound’ from new resident spending.
- Create new jobs during construction and long-term job opportunities from amenities
