A disused former go-kart and racing track could be turned into a major new industrial estate capable of creating up to 3,000 jobs and traineeships.
Birmingham City Council has unveiled plans to regenerate the old Birmingham Wheels Raceway site, close to Adderley Park station, to create almost 900,000 sq ft of employment space.
A newly submitted planning application is seeking consent to demolish all of the existing buildings and structures on the 51-acre site, remove vegetation and carry out other decontamination and remediation work before creating four separate development zones.
These could eventually house 895,000 sq ft of distribution, storage and warehousing property across the quartet of plots off Adderley Road South, in Bordesley Green.
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Owned by the council, the development site is now vacant and unused but was once home to Birmingham Wheels which was capable of hosting stock-car racing, go karts and roller skating and other activities. Alongside the race track, there is cleared employment land, a builders' merchant and a yard.
A statement lodged by the council in support of the application said: "The development is for an industrial-led scheme on the east edge of the ring road within an industrial area designated as core employment land.
"The proposed development is a key part of the city's growth strategy to deliver industrial land and job opportunities therefore is a crucial site for employment. It will significantly boost the economy and development of the zone."
The Birmingham Wheels site forms part of the wider Bordesley Park Area Action Plan which sets out the policies for the future growth and development of this part of Birmingham.
According to the council, the action plan identifies this part of the city centre as one which offers "real opportunities" and its regeneration will complement proposals for other long-term transformational change set out in Birmingham's master blueprint, known as the Big City Plan.
The Bordesley Park Area Action Plan covers around 1,430 acres to the immediate east of the city centre including parts of Washwood Heath, Bordesley Green and Small Heath.
Its overall aim is to deliver a focus for growth including a wide range of employment opportunities for local people, housing, local centres, connected public transport and infrastructure which will meet the current and future needs of businesses and residents.
Birmingham Wheels was constructed in the late 1970s but closed in October 2021 after the city council received £17 million from the Government's Levelling Up Fund for its regeneration.
It was reported last month the site could be used as the home of a brand new stadium for Birmingham City FC but these newly lodged plans appear to signal the end of that as a potential project.
