A month after the final Christmas huts were packed away, Birmingham’s busiest street, New Street, has entered a new phase of transformation. Festive lights have been replaced by rubble as workers remove pavement sections, marking the start of extensive public realm improvements.
In the area known as the ‘Chicken Quarter,’ parts of the road have been cordoned off as the under-foot brickwork is uncovered, revealing the layers beneath. This is all part of a comprehensive plan to revamp the city centre with new granite surfaces, enhanced lighting, improved drainage, and upgraded street furniture.
The project kicked off on January 5 with initial work focusing on the steps at Victoria Square, along with parts of Temple Street and New Street. The entire transformation will unfold in six phases over approximately two years.
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Despite the ongoing construction, businesses on New Street—between Nando’s and KFC and from The Apple Store to Watches of Switzerland—remain open and accessible. Nearby, work continues along Temple Street between Fumo and Flight Club, with dedicated staff managing traffic flow around cordoned-off zones.
To minimize disruption, noise-cancelling equipment is employed to direct sound away from local businesses during heavy concrete-breaking activities. Future phases will extend improvements to other key locations including Bennetts Hill, Ethel Street, Lower Temple Street, Eden Place, and Chamberlain Passage.
The project contractor, CPC Civils, emphasizes that the changes will create wider footways for safer pedestrian routes, revise traffic regulations to prioritize pedestrians and cyclists, and introduce clearer signage to enhance navigation throughout the city centre.
Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) barriers, currently used to protect pedestrian areas from vehicle encroachment, will be replaced with more permanent yet less intrusive solutions, improving both safety and aesthetics.
Meanwhile, rain has caused large puddles to form on the lower part of New Street near the Bullring, where work is yet to commence. As the project progresses, Birmingham’s city centre is poised to become more pedestrian-friendly, safer, and visually appealing.