Set around the banks of a re-naturalised River Rea, Warners Fields will be a new green neighbourhood in Highgate, Birmingham.

The project will prioritise walking and cycling on its upgraded streets and cycleways, with over half of the area devoted to green and pedestrian spaces. It will bring Birmingham City Council’s Rea Valley Urban Quarter ambitions to life, act as a catalyst for further regeneration in the area, and bring residents closer to nature.

The River Rea was once the force behind the waterwheels of the numerous mills that lined the river before it was culverted and hidden by the Victorians’ grand engineering projects.

Warners Fields will re-activate the river by breaking it out of its hard engineered channel for the first time in over 100 years.  It will be naturalised through terracing and planting with public spaces, footpaths, crossings, shops and restaurants activating the riverside.

Recently submitted for planning, the first phase of Warners Fields will include approximately 1,300 new homes to rent along with accommodation to support start-ups and small businesses.