Industry in the area declined during the course of the 20th century, affected by factors such as changes in consumer demand, production methods, the impact of the World Wars and global manufacturing competition.

[9] A plan of Birmingham by Thomas Hanson in 1778 shows that most of the Newhall estate had been laid out in a grid-like pattern from St Paul's Church.

On land owned by Samuel Lloyd and Edward Harford on the northeast side of Great Hampton Street houses were constructed from the late 1780s.

The main gold products being produced at the time were keys, seals and watch chains whilst silversmiths manufactured buckles and comb ornaments using imitation stones.

The company purchased the site of Key Hill House (which for a short period, had been inhabited by James Watt), which had been demolished for the extraction of sand.

This was one of many purpose-built factories with others including the Victoria Works on Graham Street, which was built between 1839 and 1840 by Joseph Gillott for the mass production of steel pen nibs.

The group gave the Queen and the Prince an armlet, a brooch, a pair of ear-rings, a waist buckle, a watch-chain, a seal and key, together valued at over 400 guineas.

Most families earned income as a result of the trade by producing the leather or paper boxes used extensively by jewellers to protect finished articles.

[7] As the 20th century dawned the Jewellery Quarter reaped the benefit of the initiatives for jewellers, and the industry grew to a size it had not witnessed prior.

In World War II manufacture turned again to munitions and this led to the Jewellery Quarter becoming a target of bombing raids by the Luftwaffe in the Birmingham Blitz.

In 1948 it was reported that the larger factories on the northern fringe of the Quarter were experiencing a decline in manufacturing whilst those in the centre were witnessing the opposite.

The Middle Ring Road bounded the Jewellery Quarter to the west and to the north and severely restricted expansion in the postwar years.

A report by consultants Segal Quince Wickstead noted that since 1981 the council had provided a lot of support for businesses in the area and improved the environment.

[19] In 1998 the Jewellery Quarter Urban Village Framework Plan was adopted[2] to use mixed-use development to promote regeneration in the area and establish a community.

[22] In April 2003, the neighbourhood forum published a manifesto named Time To Polish The Gem in an attempt to draw attention to local issues.

[27] The coffin factory was purchased by Advantage West Midlands in April 2003 and plans were made to convert it into a museum, paid for by refurbishing part of the building into offices and letting it out tenants.

[28] In January 2008, a council report recommended plans to submit a bid for the Jewellery Quarter to receive World Heritage Site status.

One of the largest developments proposed for the Jewellery Quarter was the redevelopment of the A. E. Harris premises, on Northwood Street, developed by A. E. Harris, a sheet metal manufacturing firm, and designed by John Simpson & Partners, the initial scheme involved the demolition of the existing A. E. Harris engineering sheds to make way for 211 residential units, 1,725 square metres (18,568 sq ft) of retail and restaurant facilities, a medical centre and an art gallery, 6,065 square metres (65,283 sq ft) of new B1 space, one third of which was affordable workshop space designed to maintain and promote jewellery-related activities within the area.

[32] However, the revised scheme was submitted in 2006, and received outline planning permission in 2008, despite strong objections from conservation societies who were worried that it should increase land values in the immediate area by 900%, forcing out businesses.

[34] Another major proposal for the area was Newhall Square, which consists of a mixture of apartments, retail units, office space and a Travelodge hotel.

Chord spent more than three years developing the scheme, which included the restoration of the facade of the Thomas Walker building, the former buckle maker, which fronts onto St Paul's Square.

[51] In April 2008 the Jewellery Quarter was mentioned as being at risk of flooding by Gareth Morgan, an environment expert at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, owing to the rising water table in the city and its location adjacent to Birmingham's canal network.

These were put together into a strategy which included aims such as improving views in the area, established a museum and a trade centre to rival Germany and Italy.

[60] Jewellery is produced here for the general public and also for the wholesale and retail trade and the area is said to contain the highest concentration of dedicated jewellers in Europe.

Thomas Fattorini Ltd. is also based in the area and have designed and made the original FA Cup trophy, and still make the Lonsdale and Commonwealth belts for boxing.

[63] When the company shut down in 1999 as a result of cheap mass production of fittings made from resins and plastics, it was one of three coffin furniture manufacturers in England.

The school was founded in 1888 and moved to its present location in 1890 when Martin & Chamberlain converted a goldsmith's factory, built in 1865 to a design by J. G. Bland.

[88] On 6 May 2008 the college submitted a planning application for an extension to provide 1,413 square metres (15,209 sq ft) of additional space along with car parking.

[93] University College Birmingham owns land on Legge Lane and in 2006 commissioned Glancy Nicholls Architects to design a new campus for the site.

[95] The former City of Birmingham Fire Brigade station on Albion Street, built between 1909 and 1910 to a design by T. G. Price,[96] has been converted into a private children's day nursery.