BBC’s Digbeth Studios Signal Major Expansion of Creative Investment in the West Midlands

Members of the West Midlands APPG were given an exclusive behind the scenes tour of the BBC’s new Digbeth Studios in Birmingham, including a first look at The Tea Factory, which is set to become the new home of BBC Birmingham from 2027.

The visit highlighted the BBC’s growing investment in the West Midlands and the significant role the creative industries are playing in driving economic growth across the region.

During the tour, APPG members learned more about the production of major programmes including MasterChef, Silent Witness and Peaky Blinders, while also hearing how the BBC’s regional expansion is helping to strengthen Birmingham and the wider West Midlands as a major creative hub.

Around 1,000 BBC staff currently work across the West Midlands, including more than 600 employees based at The Mailbox in Birmingham. Through its Across the UK programme, the BBC has prioritised increasing programme making and creative investment in the region, supported by partnerships with the West Midlands Combined Authority and Create Central.

As part of the BBC’s latest Memorandum of Understanding agreed in September 2025, the corporation committed to nearly doubling its network TV commissioning spend in the West Midlands from £24 million per year to £40 million annually by December 2027. These commitments are expected to support ongoing programme relocations and new commissions across the region.

The Tea Factory development is due to open later in 2027, with full occupation expected by Spring 2028. The site will become the BBC’s Midlands headquarters, housing around 600 staff and supporting local digital, TV and radio services, national network radio, and key operational teams including HR, Safety, Security and BBC Verify.

The BBC estimates that its investment in Digbeth will contribute more than £280 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) to the West Midlands economy and create hundreds of jobs by 2032.

Designed around modern and sustainable ways of working, The Tea Factory will also support the BBC’s net zero ambitions while providing a flexible, future ready base to encourage greater collaboration with local creative partners and communities.

Other key highlights from the visit included new graduate and apprenticeship opportunities for local young people, significant growth in the region’s creative workforce, including freelance roles, and confirmation that Peaky Blinders is now being filmed in the West Midlands for the first time, underlining the region’s growing appeal as a destination for major productions.

The visit follows the West Midlands APPG’s flagship inquiry into Culture, Place and Liveability earlier this year and provided members with a valuable opportunity to see first hand how investment in the creative sector is creating jobs, developing talent and supporting regional growth.

The APPG also thanked the BBC for hosting the visit and showcasing the scale of ambition for the future of broadcasting and creative production in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.