Residential construction in Birmingham set for boost

Residential construction in Birmingham is boosting the construction industry in the city and the wider West Midlands.

The latest Crane Hire Survey from consultants Deloitte found that a record 4,594 units were completed in Birmingham in 2025, and another 6,822 homes are under construction in 2026, with 55% coming from Build-to-Rent proposals.

According to Glenigan’s construction data, 147 private and public residential schemes in Birmingham have detailed planning permission and are expected to start on site in the next 12 months.

These range from Places for People’s £78 million Icknield Square development of 243 flats (pictured), which has a June start date (Project ID: 22380486), to Latimer’s £112 million development of 481 units in Digby, where work should begin in January 2027 (Project ID: 23348979).

Regional boost

Birmingham is the main hub for the construction industry in the West Midlands, and this confidence in the future of the residential development sector is spreading across the region.

Including Birmingham, Glenigan has identified 954 residential schemes across the West Midlands region with detailed planning permission and expected to start on site over the next year.

According to Glenigan data, the bulk of this workload – 640 schemes – is at an underlying level, so valued at below £100 million. These range from 70 homes planned by Platform Housing for Broomhall in Worcester (Project ID: 21386845) to 200 units proposed by Miller Homes at Streethay in Lichfield (Project ID: 19249907). A start on both schemes is imminent.

Public/private split

At an underlying level, the private sector is set to drive prospects over the coming year.

Glenigan’s data shows that 544 of the residential schemes with planning and due to get going in the coming 12 months are private developments, such as David Wilson’s Keresley Sustainable Urban Extension in Coventry. Work on the planned 388 homes should begin in May (Project ID: 18067114).

The balance of the approved pipeline is for social housing, such as Aspire Housing Association’s Zanzibar residential development comprising 634 flats in Newcastle-under-Lyme, where contractor HBC is expected to start construction in July (Project ID: 23015348).

West Midlands’ Top Contractors

Winvic won the most work in the West Midlands in the 12 months to February 2026, according to Glenigan’s construction market research, with contracts totalling £230 million booked in.

This includes Birmingham-based residential jobs, such as the £130 million Oasis Southside residential and commercial scheme (Project ID: 21291011). Winvic is expected to start on site in April.

West Midlands – Top 10 contractors March 2025 to February 2026

Malvern-based Speller Metcalfe ran in second with work totalling £109 million across the West Midlands, including a £15.6 million job to relocate Shottery St Andrew’s Primary School in Stratford-upon-Avon that is also due to break ground in April (Project ID: 24152992).

Three other contractors had annual order books of £100 million or more in the West Midlands, including Graham, whose workload includes a £31 million residential scheme at Bentilee in Stoke-On-Trent, that has a June start date (Project ID: 23082224).

Positive outlook

With a stream of residential work in the pipeline, opportunities in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands look set to continue.