Core Five on Digbeth Loc Studios team picked by Homes England for Fazeley Street regeneration

Construction cost consultant Core Five is part of the Digbeth Loc Studios team that Homes England has selected as its preferred development partner for the next stage of development at Fazeley Street in Digbeth, Birmingham.

Homes England announced the selection on 8 October 2026. The agency said it had chosen Digbeth Loc Studios Ltd, subject to contract and a standstill period, to deliver a creative and mixed-use neighbourhood on the site.

Core Five, which describes itself as an independent firm of construction cost consultants, said in its own announcement that the team had been selected as preferred bidder. It said the appointment follows its involvement in the relocation of MasterChef to its new Birmingham home.

Jo Nugent, Executive Director, Midlands, Homes England, said: "This is an exciting opportunity to build on Digbeth's unique identity and growing reputation as a centre for creative excellence."

Nugent said Digbeth Loc Studios had already played a pivotal role in the area's growth as a destination for film and television production, and that the partners would seek to create a mixed-use neighbourhood that supports economic growth and delivers new homes.

The scheme

Homes England described the aim as a destination where creative businesses, residents and visitors can live, work, create and collaborate. It said the scheme would build on the creative organisations already in Digbeth, including BBC Studioworks, The Bond, The Custard Factory and The Tea Factory.

The agency said the development team's track record includes the redevelopment of Television Centre and the Truman Brewery in London.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said in the Homes England release that Digbeth would be bigger, better and bolder than Manchester's Media City.

Steven Knight, Founder, Digbeth Loc Studios, said the team would work over the coming months with Homes England, Birmingham City Council and the West Midlands authorities on implementing the plans.

In Core Five's post, Knight said: "Our ambition is to create a place where creative businesses can grow and local talent can build a future, strengthening Birmingham's reputation as a global destination for film and television production."

The MasterChef studio

Core Five provided cost advice on the MasterChef studio at the site. According to the firm, the project comprised the refurbishment and extension of the Grade II listed Banana Warehouse to create filming space, new office space and back of house areas.

Core Five said its experience of working within listed buildings allowed it to give detailed early cost advice at feasibility stage, and that detailed cost planning through design development allowed costs to be monitored at each stage.

BAM was lead contractor for the studio works on Homes England land at Fazeley Street, with construction starting in December 2023. BAM said the scheme converted a Grade II listed warehouse beside the Grand Union Canal, with construction due to complete in autumn 2024.

BAM said Digbeth Loc Limited is owned by Brydell Partners, with Stanhope as development manager and Steven Knight as asset manager. BG Projects, the architect for the studio, is based on the Digbeth Loc site at Warwick Bar.

Background

Homes England first agreed a Memorandum of Understanding with Digbeth Loc Limited and its partners in February 2022 to bring the MasterChef studios to its Warwick Bar site. Under that agreement the agency said it would look to lease part of its land at Fazeley Street to Digbeth Loc Limited for a mixed-use scheme starting with a film studio.

At that time Homes England said Warwick Bar, a collection of derelict and brownfield sites around Digbeth that it had assembled, could deliver around 1,000 new homes and 25,000 square metres of employment and educational floor space. BAM's December 2023 release described the studio as the first step in a wider masterplan for the 20-acre site, including over 900 new homes.

The October 2026 Homes England release gives no number of homes, site area or value for the Fazeley Street scheme.

Homes England said the selection remains subject to contract and a standstill period.