Construction of the Birmingham facility could start next year if plans are approved, those behind the project have said
A visualisation of what the Birmingham manufacturing facility could look like if approved.(Image: Press release)
Major plans for a new manufacturing facility that would ‘support hundreds of jobs in the West Midlands’ have taken a step forward.
ROCKWOOL, which provides insulation products for the construction industry, wants to expand its UK operations with the development of the new facility near Minworth.
If approved, the Peddimore site to the north-east of Birmingham would be its second UK production facility alongside its existing South Wales plant.
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“Our proposed state-of-the-art manufacturing facility would boost supply capacity for UK and Republic of Ireland customers,” its website reads.
“This would create skilled, long-term jobs and local supply chain opportunities, as well as support the UK’s net zero targets and a safer built environment through ROCKWOOL’s stone wool product portfolio.”
ROCKWOOL says it has signed an agreement to buy 114 acres of land at the Peddimore site, which has already been designated specifically for manufacturing use and already has outline planning permission.
In February this year, it submitted its first planning application for the facility to Birmingham City Council, requesting a change to the existing height permissions for the site.
This has recently been approved and ROCKWOOL now plans to submit a ‘reserved matters’ application later in 2025 or early 2026, which will provide greater detail about the proposed design of the facility and landscaping on site.
A general view of Birmingham City Council House(Image: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
If this application is approved, construction could begin in 2026 with the facility becoming operational in 2029.
The manufacturer added that the new facility could support hundreds of jobs in the region.
Nick Wilson, managing director of ROCKWOOL UK and Ireland, said: “We are very pleased to have received approval for our Section 73 application and look forward to developing the plans further and sharing them with the community in the months ahead.
“We are grateful to everyone who took the time to provide feedback on our initial plans, which we will be considering as we progress.
“The West Midlands has a skilled, local workforce, a strong manufacturing tradition, and excellent transport links, so we believe the Peddimore site is an ideal location for us to expand our business and bolster our service to customers across the UK and Ireland.”
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ROCKWOOL says it plans to carry out a second phase of engagement once more detailed plans and designs have been developed.