NEW tenants of Birmingham's Fort Dunlop site will have to get used to the patter of tiny feet.
The iconic landmark, which reopens today, has been derelict for years and in that time it has become a haven for wildlife.
But developers of the 89-year-old former tyre factory beside the M6 plan to encourage its inhabitants to stay put with the installation of a grass roof above the offices and shops.
Incorporating mosses and grasses that will encourage black redstarts and other foraging birds, the roof is expected to cover a space larger than a football pitch.
Guy Jackson, West Midlands director of developers Urban Splash, said: "The site had been left so empty for 20 years. It was completely derelict.
"It was surprising to find the amount of biodiversity that had grown up, particularly birdlife.
"We thought it would be a great idea to keep the wildlife and encourage it. We worked with the city council, wildlife consultants and the architect on the habitat and we're delighted."
The grass roof will be laid next spring, nest boxes are being put in and several hundred "bat bricks" - bricks with hollowed frontages - have already been installed.
Mr Jackson added: "The building's in the heart of the city, in what is a very urban, harsh environment. It's amazing how many species can flourish in the area.
"We're hoping to have bats and more species of birds. When you look at a roofscape of Birmingham most of them are black and dark.
"The roof is going to be open to the Fort Dunlop tenants."
