St Chad's Circus, Birmingham - A wonderful open space!

Outside of St Chad's Cathedral is now a lawn with trees at St Chad's Circus. This was developed following the demolition of the old island and subways around 2006-7. 


Where is St Chad's Circus green?

St Chad's Circus green is at Shadwell Street, Old Snow Hill and St Chad's Circus Queensway. Next to St Chad's Cathedral and opposite Three Snowhill.

 

In brief

The green space at St Chad's Circus was developed around 2007 after the demolition of the old island and subways here, near St Chad's Cathedral. This was ahead of the building of One, Two and Three Snowhill. Today you can cross at pelican crossings with traffic lights at street level.

St Chad's CircusSt Chad's Cathedral and St Chad's Circus from Two Snow Hill (April 2013). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

St Chad's Circus - history

The inner ring road was built around the City Core during the 1960s.

This included islands called Circuses.

St Chad's Circus was built in the mid to late 1960's. It included two mosaics created by Kenneth Budd and company.

The original JFK Memorial was unveiled in 1968, and faced St Chad's Cathedral. It was destroyed in 2007, but later recreated by Kenneth's son Oliver Budd in Digbeth in 2012-13.

St Chad's CircusThe original JFK Memorial at St Chad's Circus. Birmingham Mail archive

 

On the other side of St Chad's Circus was the original History of Snow Hill mosaic by Kenneth Budd. It was installed here in 1969, and later destroyed during the 2007 redevelopment. It faced the old Birmingham Snow Hill Station (which was demolished in the 1970s) and later the 1987 station. But was recreated either side of the steps up to the Snow Hill Station Square in 2013 by Kenneth's son Oliver Budd and company.

St Chad's CircusThe History of Snow Hill by Kenneth Budd at the old St Chad's Circus in 1977. Photograph by David Stowell, Geograph via Wikimedia

 

After the road layout was changed in the late 2000s, St Chad's Circus Queensway now had a new junction with Old Snow Hill. They also installed pelican crossings at road level.

St Chad's CircusSt Chad's Circus Queensway (September 2009). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Of the three Snowhill blocks, One Snowhill was completed by 2009. But the recession meant that Two Snowhill wasn't completed until 2013. And the plans for Three Snowhill changed, resulting in the cores being demolished, with a tempoary green area, before the current building was built, which was completed by 2020.

The green at St Chad's Circus has trees close to Shadwell Street and Old Snow Hill facing St Chad's Cathedral and Three Snowhill.

St Chad's CircusSt Chad's Circus green (May 2022). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

There is also a large lawn near St Chad's Cathedral.

St Chad's CircusSt Chad's Circus green (May 2022). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

 

St Chad's Tram Stop

The original Midland Metro extension was built between 2010 and 2016. A bridge was installed over the Queensway in 2010, but the line was only built from 2012 to 2016. The old Snow Hill Tram Stop closed in 2015, and initially the new site was called Snow Hill, but was renamed to St Chad's. Later a lift and steps was built and this opened by 2017. If you walk down the steps, you face the green at St Chad's Circus and St Chad's Cathedral.

St Chad's CircusSteps at St Chad's Tram Stop (September 2017). Photography by Elliott Brown

Project dates

15 May 2022 - On-going

Passions

Environment & green action, Green open spaces

Contact

Your Place Your Space

Jonathan Bostock

0121 410 5520
jonathan.bostock@ yourplaceyourspace.com