Rockwool has secured approval for its first planning submission for a new manufacturing facility that the stone wool product specialist says would support ‘hundreds of jobs’ in the West Midlands.
The non-combustible insulation manufacturer submitted a Section 73 application to Birmingham City Council requesting permission to vary some of the details in the current planning permission for the Peddimore site, north-east of Birmingham. Now, with approval secured, it plans submitting a more detailed Reserved Matters application later in 2025 or early 2026, providing specifics on the facility’s design. If this is approved, construction could start later in 2026, with the facility becoming operational in 2029.
Rockwool – which has operated from South Wales since 1979 – has strong foundations in the UK, and the Peddimore facility would be its second local site, ‘supporting hundreds of construction jobs and creating new, long-term skilled roles’. The proposed manufacturing facility would boost supply capacity for UK and Republic of Ireland customers, while supporting the company’s global sustainability plans.
Since plans for the new facility were announced in November 2024, Rockwool has carried out the first phase of a community engagement programme to share initial information and gather feedback. It plans a second engagement phase once more detailed plans and designs have been developed.
Nick Wilson, MD, Rockwool UK & Ireland, said: “We’re very pleased to have received approval for our Section 73 application, and look forward to developing the plans further, and sharing them with the community in the months ahead. We are grateful to everyone who took the time to provide feedback on our initial plans, which we will be considering as we progress.”
