Demolition has begun at Holbeche Place in Solihull, marking the next stage of the redevelopment of the former Mell Square area.
The work is taking place at the Mell Square car park and former petrol station. It will prepare the site for the first phase of a regeneration programme being delivered by Solihull Council and developer Muse.
The first phase will provide 346 build-to-rent homes. The wider scheme is intended to bring up to 1,600 homes to the town centre, alongside shops, cafes, restaurants and new public spaces.
First phase of the redevelopment
Solihull Council said the first phase has secured approximately £20 million in funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority.
The start of demolition follows three years of work between the council and Muse on plans for the area. Council leader Karen Grinsell and Heather Delaney, the cabinet member for Economy, Business and Skills, visited the site with members of the development team.
Holbeche Place is the new name for the redevelopment of Mell Square. The programme is part of the council's wider town-centre masterplan, which aims to combine new housing with commercial space and places for people to spend time.
How the project reached this stage
The council bought Mell Square in 2021 and appointed Muse as its preferred development partner in 2023. A development agreement followed in November 2024.
A planning application was submitted in March 2025, with approval for the redevelopment announced in February 2026.
The homes and other facilities planned for the wider area will be delivered in phases. The start of demolition is therefore a construction milestone, rather than the completion of the redevelopment.
Residents can follow the programme and its individual phases on the council's Holbeche Place masterplan page.