A new report commissioned by Berkeley shows that Birmingham is rapidly strengthening its position as one of the UK’s most compelling destinations for property investment. With strong price growth, rising rental demand and billions of pounds of infrastructure investment, Birmingham is set to challenge cities such as Manchester and London.

In fact, the report, commissioned by Berkeley and prepared by PriceHubble, shows that Birmingham is projected to see proportionally more price growth than either city over the next four years, while still retaining its cheaper house pricing.*

The past decade has also shown proportionally more growth: average new-build prices in Birmingham have risen by 57%, significantly outperforming London, where growth has reached 25% over the same period.

Rental performance reflects this demand. Average rents in Birmingham have increased by 37% over the past five years, with a further 14% of growth forecast by 2030. At the same time, average apartment yields have risen significantly, from 4.5% in 2021 to 8.1% in 2026, outperforming both London and Manchester and highlighting the city’s strong income potential for investors.

This growth is being reflected in developments such as Glasswater by Berkeley. The canalside development in Birmingham’s Eastside sits at the heart of Birmingham’s £4 billion Knowledge Quarter, a major innovation district designed to drive long-term economic growth.

The development is also set to benefit from forthcoming HS2, with the new Curzon Street station just a short walk away, a project which is expected to deliver a £10 billion economic boost to the West Midlands by 2034, alongside nearly 31,000 jobs.

In fact, the West Midlands has become the UK’s leading destination for inward investment outside London, securing 130 foreign direct investment projects in 2024–25 alone.

This harmonises with the city’s growing reputation: in 2025 Birmingham was ranked the 13th best city to visit in Europe by Time Out, while the West Midlands welcomed a record 101.5 million visitors in 2024.**

Stephen Kirwan, Managing Director, said, “Birmingham is undergoing a period of sustained transformation, with investment in infrastructure, employment and regeneration driving long-term growth. For buyers and investors, the city offers a compelling combination of strong fundamentals, relative value and future potential, which is increasingly positioning it alongside other major UK cities.”

Reece Parkinson, Founder & Director of Birmingham-based company Swift Property, added, “The market in Birmingham over the past five years has been phenomenal. We’ve seen huge spikes in demand and significant growth over that time.

“With new developments like Glasswater Locks coming on to the Birmingham scene, there’s been a massive boost to the housing quality in the area. As a result, we’ve seen a wider range of purchases being drawn to the city. The high quality and luxury feel of developments like this are significant factors in enhancing the Birmingham rental market and helping the city challenge both London and Manchester.”

Set alongside the Digbeth Canal in the city’s Learning Quarter, Glasswater Locks offers a collection of one- and two-bedroom apartments within a new waterside neighbourhood close to the future HS2 Curzon Street station and Birmingham city centre. The development also boasts a selection of exclusive resident facilities including a new Hyrox gym, cinema and gaming room, lounge and coffee bar as well as a 24 hour concierge.

Prices start from £212,000. For more information, visit Glasswater Locks.

*PriceHubble, Glasswater Locks, Birmingham, April 2026.

**Birmingham is Officially One of the Best Places to Visit in Europe in 2025, According to Time Out

The post Birmingham challenges London and Manchester for property investment appeared first on PHPD Online.

Product substitutions made for the wrong reasons have become a justifiable point of focus for the construction industry, resulting in an examination of their impact on quality and safety. But when a product is substituted for good reasons, it can help to achieve the standard of installation and performance that we all want to see.

Nowhere was that demonstrated better than on a residential development in Birmingham, explains Kieran Basi, Regional Sales Manager at Proctor Group.

It’s become something of a mantra for us at Proctor Group: “not all membranes are the same.” Two different products might look similar in terms of their performance data on paper, but that doesn’t mean they will perform the same once installed. There are a host of factors to take into consideration when comparing: third-party certification; accessories and extra processes; the testing behind the declared performance data. And then there’s something that is arguably thought about much less, if at all.

What is a product like to install? To understand that means listening to the installers, which is what happened at Great Charles Street in Birmingham.

Changing AVCL specification to get a better result

Moda Living’s 722-home build-to-rent scheme comprises a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, including some penthouses. The 16-storey block B and the 5/6- storey block C of Great Charles Street both feature a concrete frame with brickwork finish. The choice of external wall build-up meant the airtightness line was specified internally.

The specialist contractors delivering the internal fit out package therefore began installing the chosen air and vapour control layer (AVCL) membrane to the internal face of the walls.

However, it quickly became clear that a change needed to be requested. The Project Manager started receiving feedback from the team on site that the membrane wasn’t the easiest to cut or handle. A decision was therefore made to change to Proctor Group’s Procheck® A2 membrane.

The reviews improved immediately. The installers found it better to use and easier to install, saving time. From that point, the team continued to use the new product. Procheck A2 is a vapour and airtight membrane. Its composition gives the membrane a high degree of vapour controlling properties, as well as being airtight. That allows it to be used as an AVCL and helps contribute to the thermal efficiency of the building due to its reflective surface.

It is also rated A2-s1,d0 when classified to BS EN 13501-1, meaning it is considered non-combustible with limited contribution to fire and can be used in relevant buildings and those over 11m/18m. Better handling and faster installation make a big difference on any project, but especially on sites like Great Charles Street. With an internal airtightness line, installers have to work around a lot of penetrations, including ducts, pipes and brackets. When any single penetration could be a source of failure when it comes to airtightness testing, a product that cuts and handles well reduces the potential risks of failure. Combining product performance with quality control. Even when installers find a product is easier to handle and use, long-term building performance still depends on a high standard of quality control.

Thorough checking of the on-site team’s work also played a significant role at Great Charles Street. That meant encouraging as many people as possible to view the installation and provide feedback before it was covered up. Block managers from the main contractor checked all the work. The specialist contractor also requested a site visit from Proctor Group’s technical team, who produced a report on the quality of the installation.

The change in product and the approach to quality control has paid dividends. Finished apartments that have been airtightness tested have averaged results below 2.0 air changes per hour (ACH) at 50 Pascals pressure. Compare that to the minimum standard of 5.0 ACH required by the Building Regulations, and it gives an indication of the performance and thermal comfort that eventual occupants can expect to enjoy at Great Charles Street – thanks in part to a well-made product substitution.

Find out more about Procheck A2 at www.rdr.link/dbe026

The post Development in Birmingham demonstrates installation standards appeared first on PHPD Online.