Pebble Mill Studios - Early History

Early History

During the 1950s and early 1960s the BBC Midland Region wase based in offices and a small studio in Broad Street, Birmingham. However, these became too small for the expanding region. Regional News remained at Broad Street until 1971, the small studio ideal for news bulletins, with other productions taking place in a former cinema in Gosta Green (now the site for Aston University BioEnergy Centre), and in office space in a regency mansion in Carpenter Road, Edgbaston.

It was during this period that sections of senior BBC management in London decided that Scotland, Wales and the English Regions should have 'National Production Centres' so as to be able to produce more effective television and radio for the areas which they covered. The lease for the site was acquired by the BBC in the 1950s but the plans for the site were not approved until 1967, the same year that construction of the studios began. The centre was designed by John Madin founder of the John Madin Design Group, who also designed other Birmingham and Midlands buildings including Birmingham Central Library, Redditch Library and the Birmingham Post building.

The nine acre site was opened by Princess Anne on the 10 November 1971. The centre had a large central seven storey office block. At the rear was the staff car park and OB (Outside Broadcasting) base; the audience entrance was to the front and centre of the complex. The main production complex was split into two sections, a TV section (to the right as seen from the road) and a Radio/Sound section (to the left as seen from the road).