The Jewellery Quarter lies just northwest of Birmingham’s city centre, occupying around 1.1 km², with roughly 19,000 residents. It has Europe’s largest concentration of jewellery businesses, and is where approximately 40% of jewellery produced in the UK is made.

Why was regeneration needed?

This area has a long history of jewellery making, metal work and toy making - in the 18th century many workshops opened, and people moved into the area to work in these industries, making it one of the city's most densely populated areas.

However, from the mid‑20th century onwards, deindustrialisation set in and industry declined sharply - the number of firms fell from about 8,000 in the 1960s to around 600 by the 1980s, which led to the loss of thousands of jobs. As a result, workshops closed down and people moved away, leaving behind vacant and derelict buildings, and urban decay set in.

There had been redevelopment plans in the 1970s, however these failed due to high rents and displacement of small firms and the area was no longer seen as a viable place to invest in.

Features of the regeneration

Heritage-led conservation

From the 1980s onwards, local and national bodies supported the creation of conservation areas, restoration of hundreds of historic buildings, and protection of key landmarks, such as St Paul’s Square, Big Peg and the Assay Office.

Between 2018-22, the Jewellery Quarter Townscape Heritage (JQTH) project used National Lottery funding to repair eight historic buildings and engage residents in heritage activities - with the aim of increasing place meaning, but also encouraging future investment from creative industries who were attracted by the industrial heritage of the area.

Mixed‑use development

The 1998 Urban Village Framework Plan led to a partnership, which included the council, English Partnerships, universities and business groups, to deliver mixed-use regeneration combining affordable housing, workspaces, public areas, and creative industries.

One part of the development was St Paul's Quarter - a £125 million mixed-use scheme set across 20 buildings, that provided 305 new homes (including lofts, townhouses and duplexes), leisure and workspace. Another was Newhall Square which provided 234 residential units as well as office and retail space. These two projects introduced residential, commercial, and public spaces while keeping the heritage facades which the area was famous for.

There are further plans for 1,500 homes in the area, along with new commercial spaces near St Paul's Square and restoration of listed buildings and structures to preserve the area's history.

Connectivity and culture

In late 1990s the Jewellery Quarter Railway and Metro station re-opened (pictured below), improving public transport access to cultural sites such as the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter (which opened in a preserved Smith and Pepper workshop), and the School of Jewellery, which is the largest of its kind in Europe. These have the strengthened educational and tourism appeal of the Jewellery Quarter.

Jewellery Quarter today

The Jewellery Quarter is still a working jewellery district with over 600 businesses that employ over 4,000 people, and generate around £767 million annually. It was recently named a 'World Craft City' by UNESCO.

It has a mix of homes in restored historic buildings and modern apartments, which attract both young professionals and creatives. It is also an important tourist attraction with heritage landmarks, such as the Chamberlain Clock (pictured below) and self-guided trails, like the charm bracelet sculpture trail, as well as the popular Museum of the Jewellery Quarter.

A neighbourhood plan was adopted in July 2023 to ensure that future development have community-led design, opportunities to enhance biodiversity, local business spaces, and managed growth.

Has regeneration been a success?

Heritage preservation has been integral to the regeneration, so has safeguarded the Jewellery Quarter’s distinct character, and has re-established the area as an important site for culture and craft, particularly being globally recognised with UNESCO status.

The regeneration has supported the creation of a thriving mixed-use urban village, combining live-work space, tourism, and creative industries, whilst maintaining a functioning jewellery industry alongside new residential and leisure uses.

However, there has been an issue with gentrification - the creative appeal of the area and brought with it wealthy young professionals, which has led to rising rents and property prices, which has made the area less affordable for the original residents, and some of the smaller makers have been priced out too.

There have also been concerns around how to balance the industrial heritage with modern residential towers, which is why the neighbourhood plan was adopted in 2023, to ensure that future plans follow strict conservation principles.