Vistry pens deal with Homes England at city hospital site
Senior officials at the government’s housing and regeneration agency say a deal which will deliver a 750-home regeneration of the former Birmingham City Hospital marks a “new chapter” for the historic site.
This week, a planning application for 52 apartments set to be built in the hospital’s 19th century former infirmary building was given the thumbs up by Birmingham City Council – the final part of a planning jigsaw which also saw detailed proposals for 698 homes approved earlier in 2025.
Now, Homes England has today announced that it has entered into a formal agreement with Vistry to build 750 homes and a retail convenience store at the Dudley Road site, which has now been fully decommissioned after closing its doors nearly two years ago.
The former hospital was vacated in October 2024, with patients and staff transferred to the purpose-built Midland Metropolitan Hospital in Smethwick.
The development will comprise the demolition of most of the existing hospital buildings to provide 698 new homes across the 32-acre site, alongside the redeveloped infirmary.
Mike Goulding, Director of Development at Homes England said this development marked a “new chapter for a historic site”, and would bring much-needed, high-quality homes to Winston Green.
“We’ve worked closely with the NHS Trust, Birmingham City Council, and the local community to enable a smooth and safe transition from a working hospital to a site ready for demolition and construction,” he said.
“We’re grateful to all our partners for their collaboration and we look forward to working with Vistry to deliver the first homes in this well-connected new community next year.”
Preparation of the City Hospital site has already begun, with asbestos removal works starting in December 2025 to ensure safe demolition. Following completion of the demolition, construction is expected to commence in the second half of 2026, with the first homes due to complete in early 2027.
“This project is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when partners work together with a shared vision,” added Cllr Nicky Brennan, Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness at Birmingham City Council.
“By collaborating with Homes England, Vistry, and the NHS Trust, we are transforming the former City Hospital site into a vibrant community with high-quality homes, including 35% affordable housing.
“This development reflects our collective commitment to tackling housing challenges and marks a significant step forward in delivering much-needed affordable homes for Birmingham.”
The long-planned migration of services from the City Hospital site to the new Midlands Metropolitan Hospital was a joint exercise across three public sector organisations, Homes England, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust and Birmingham City Council, eventually completed in 2024.
The move was complicated by the late running of the Smethwick project, delivered around six years behind scheduled following the collapse of building contractor Carillion in 2018.
Diane Wake, group chief executive for Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust and Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust said the regeneration of the site was an “an exciting time” in the wider regeneration of the area.
“Obviously, it is a significant moment in our journey to finally say goodbye to City Hospital which has served the local population for over 130 years, however it has been a goodbye we have planned for many years, and we look forward to the site being developed to continue the tradition of serving its local people,” she said.
“Homes England has exciting plans for the site and we look forward to watching the site return to a vibrant hub in the coming years.”
Michael Moore, Managing Director of Vistry North West Midlands, added: “This major regeneration scheme will transform a challenging brownfield site into 750 high-quality, mixed tenure homes and new commercial uses.
“We share the government’s ambition to deliver new homes at scale and pace, and by working closely with Homes England and Birmingham City Council we can create a vibrant, sustainable new community that will not only meet the housing needs of the area but will bring both regeneration and valuable investment into the city.”
The new build element of this is abysmal!
By Heritage Action
When public bodies, including quangos such as Homes England, enter into agreements with delivery partners, do they ascertain the ethics and payment practices of those delivery partners, to ensure they are not being unduly ruthless to the supply chain?
By Anon