Digbeth has always been a vibrant place, not least because of the influence of our local Irish community. That community is sizeable - not so long ago, Birmingham was named the most Irish place in Britain, when data showed there were 22,021 people in the city who defined their ethnicity as "white Irish".

And it’s in Digbeth that this strong sense of identity has always been tangible, because of big events like St Patrick’s Day Parade and places like the Irish Centre and St Anne’s, and also because Irish culture is reflected in pubs and smaller businesses. It’s in the fabric of the place.

However, Digbeth isn’t just the spiritual home of Birmingham’s Irish community, it’s also the epicentre of the city’s creative industries, a place that the Times once dubbed the 'Coolest Neighbourhood in Britain'.

It’s a cultural melting pot where the ultra-modern rubs shoulders with the old, where new buildings spring up next to old factories that have been repurposed for a new use – the Custard Factory, once the home of Birds Custard, is probably the best-known example of this.

I want to use this column to tell you how another former industrial site is about to be reborn in a move that will further cement Digbeth’s place as the cultural heart of the region.

BBC Birmingham has announced it will move out of The Mailbox and into new premises built at the former Typhoo Tea factory. The new broadcast centre at the heart of Digbeth's creative quarter is expected to be ready for staff by 2026.

This tremendously exciting news means that all the BBC teams at The Mailbox - including Midlands Today and BBC Radio WM - will relocate to Digbeth, along with Newsbeat and Asian Network News which move to the city later this year.

The old factory site, in Bordesley Street, has stood derelict since it shut in 1978, but once plans are approved it will undergo a major regeneration to become the Beeb’s most sustainable and flexible centre.

I believe the move will act as the catalyst for the wider regeneration of Digbeth to become a global creative quarter. It will also act as a magnet for young creative talent right across the West Midlands and the wider UK.

The BBC is the latest addition to a cluster of TV production companies and facilities taking shape there.

It’s reported that Steven Knight, creator of Peaky Blinders, aims to end the gangster saga with a feature film – and that he wants to film it at his new Digbeth Loc. Studios development.

This 38-acre complex aims to create a Brummie equivalent to London’s Soho.

And right now, in Digbeth, a new world class Creative Content Hub for independent TV production and creative content developers is taking shape.

The £18m facility, based at The Bond, has had an investment of £3m from Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP).

In fact, before work begins on the BBC’s new base, the Beeb has already committed to moving production of MasterChef’s four series to the Digbeth Loc. complex - which includes: BBC One’s MasterChef, MasterChef: The Professionals, Celebrity MasterChef and the recently announced Young MasterChef (WT) for BBC Three, as well as any festive editions.

Thanks to the influence of our Irish community, Digbeth has always been alive with culture and creativity. It’s no wonder this vibrant place is quickly earning the nickname ‘Brummiewood’.

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