Paragon tweaks plans for Longbridge residential plots
Changes to the number of homes that could be built on two vacant sites in Longbridge have been approved by Birmingham City Council.
Outline permission for up to 160 apartments was granted at Two Park Square on College Street in 2023, with indicative proposals put forward by then-landowner St Modwens showing a five-storey apartment block envisaged for the 1.7-acre plot.
Similar outline plans for up to 200 homes were also approved for the 2.4-acre site immediately opposite, at One Park Square.
High-end developer Paragon Living bought both sites as part of a £4m deal earlier this year, and the firm has now successfully applied to tweak the outline permissions for both sites to allow for “more flexible future development options.”
Under the variation granted last week, the references to the number of dwellings on both applications has now been removed, potentially paving the way for more apartments to be brought forward as part of a detailed scheme.
The land, snapped up by Paragon in April on the site of the former Longbridge MG Rover works, has been in use most recently as temporary car parking for the adjacent South and City College.
A covering letter put forward with the application said the variation “does not materially alter” the outline development already approved.
The MG Rover factory in Longbridge has seen around £1bn of regeneration effort since the collapse of the car giant in 2005, part of a masterplan which will eventually see up to 3,000 homes built across the former industrial site.
The wider area includes Longbridge Technology Park, a 260‑home retirement village, alongside retail and leisure uses such as Sainsbury’s, Premier Inn, PureGym, Marks & Spencer and Herbert’s Yard.
Carney Sweeney provided planning advice for both applications.
- Plans and documents relating to the proposals can be found on Birmingham’s planning portal using references: 2026/04598/PA and 2026/04602/PA
