Ground has officially been broken on a new build-to-rent neighbourhood at 193 Camp Hill, signalling another construction start in the city.

550 new homes will be created on the former Sulzer industrial site, with six new modular buildings set to go up ranging from three to 26 storeys over several phases.

Incorporating well-being, innovation, and sustainability, the project will nurture Digbeth’s live-work-play ethos to deliver a vibrant new community containing one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and four-bedroom townhouses, all centred around 1 acre of private green garden space.

Residential amenities (21K SF+) will include a gymnasium, creche, workspaces, and rooftop terraces affording unique views over the city.

There will also be affordable units and dedicated commercial space (15K SF) for restaurants, cafes, boutiques, community start-ups, and independent retail (including rental discounts)..

The development comes from Goodstone Living, the UK BTR arm of Macquarie Asset Management, Darling Associates architects, and contractor Elements Europe.

The first building at Smith’s Garden is expected to be completed in January 2025, with the entire scheme completing in 2026.

THE SITE BACK IN APRIL 2022:

Smith's Garden CGIs: Goodstone Living; drone image: Stephen Giles.

The site at 49 Holloway Head, just behind The Sentinels, had been a neglected eyesore for well over two decades.

In 2019, Invesco Real Estate took a punt on the area – and Holloway Head is now rising!

Spread over two phases, and four buildings, Holloway Head will ultimately deliver 132 one, 345 two & 8 three-bedroom apartments to cater to every lifestyle.

Complementing these homes will be a multitude of amenities including shared meeting and workspaces, dining areas, a residents’ media lounge, a street-facing gymnasium, courtyards, roof terraces, and spaces for 56 cars & 112 bicycles.

Phase I is well advanced and features two new buildings of up to 14 storeys fronting Holloway Head. Along with the homes it is also here where the Girl Guides will call their new HQ.

They will move from their old Trefoil House – now demolished on phase II land to the north of the site – with facilities including activity rooms, common room, a main hall, and a shop.

PHASE II:

Trefoil House is no more. It has been demolished. Work is now underway on the final two buildings.

Images from Stephen Giles; CGIs from Corstorphine+Wright/ Winvic.

Israel-based Ashtrom Properties acquired the building from Aviva Investors UK, for a reported £39.5M, in September 2021 – and they will now bring the site forward for a sustainable reinvention.

At the time the building was 60% unoccupied with rents averaging at £24 per square foot with a capital value of just over £200 per square foot.

Ashtrom plans to create a world-leading employment hub that meets and exceeds the needs of modern employers, creating up to 3,600 jobs and generating £200M in economic output.

Its design will be refreshed, recycled, and extended, rather than developed, helping to lower embodied carbon emissions and enable the construction of a low/zero carbon structure.

The existing building will be extended to create a 26-storey office tower (99.3m) with a 10-storey shoulder building with its own biodiverse rooftop terrace with private balconies on floors 1, 7, 8 & 9.

Incorporating green technologies and optimised energy strategies, Colmore Gate will accommodate 198,851K SF of additional floorspace, providing 510,619K SF of flexible floorspace for small SMEs to blue chip companies.

This will be boosted by best-in-class amenities with a clear health and wellbeing focus.

With two commercial units at street level, tenant facilities will include meeting rooms, co-working spaces, booths, a lounge, and an auditorium. There will also be the ‘Colmore Gate Club’, which will provide a mix of uses that ultimately support young businesses in the city.

Other interventions will see an enhanced public realm, improved pedestrian circulation, and provision for 299 cycles within two-tiered cycle racks.

The plans are now live and can be viewed and commented on (until November) here.

FACADE STRATEGY:

Colmore Gate, images from Buckley Gray Yeoman.

Brindleyplace, a commercial campus that comprises office, retail, hospitality and leisure space and is home to a range of national brands, has been acquired in a deal worth £125M – the largest UK regional office deal of the year.

A joint venture between Praxis, a UK property investment and management platform, and Veld Capital, a private credit specialist investor, have swooped for the 14.9-acre canal-side campus from HSBC Alternative Investments.

The iconic “work-live-play” campus, developed by Argent in the early 2000s, is one of Birmingham’s most popular business and leisure destinations with a community of over 8,000 people.

It is home to several prime office buildings, ground-floor retail and leisure amenities, tree-lined streets and three public squares.

The estate is currently 90 per cent occupied, hosting blue-chip and local tenants like Deutsche Bank, Michael Page, Lloyds, Deloitte, Marsh, Lloyds, Café Nero, Q-Parks, Zizzi, Pret a Manger and Piccolino.

Brindleyplace has recently benefited from a new tram extension and public realm improvements, as well as the opening of the neighbouring Paradise development.

James Hewitt, COO at Praxis, said: "This is a hugely exciting acquisition for us. We are committed to ambitious Net Zero carbon targets for the assets we acquire, and the exceptional quality of the Brindleyplace scheme makes these buildings prime candidates for our retrofit strategy.

"Our intention now is to invest significant capital to decarbonise the buildings and deliver some of the best office and leisure space in the UK."

Sebastien Wigdo, partner at Veld Capital, added: "We are pleased to have acquired such a landmark, income-generating estate with strong existing ESG credentials and clear decarbonisation potential.

"This acquisition adds to our recently assembled portfolio of UK regional office properties with Praxis in what we believe is a once-in-a-cycle opportunity to invest and aggregate best-in-class properties, with strong fundamentals, at a very compelling entry basis.

"It also illustrates our pragmatic approach as a solutions-provider for sellers of high-quality assets in an uncertain economic climate."

Gerald Eve advised the purchaser. JLL and Acre Capital Real Estate advised the vendor.

Images from Brindleyplace and Jack Babington.

The Warwick Street site, from 10M Group, just off High Street, is already an uplifting presence on the Digbeth skyline, rising to 9 storeys in an area now going through a resurgence.

Replacing a vehicle workshop, its design articulates cutting-edge features that encapsulates the rich industrial heritage of the area.

Apex Lofts will soon provide 33 one and 33 two-bedroom apartments along with 14 sizeable duplexes, including 10 discounted units.

There will be a rich array of facilities including a communal rooftop sky garden and outdoor gym space, with ground-level gardens and secure storage for 80 cycles and scooters.

The street itself is going through big changes with Hairpin House, next door, completing recently to become Digbeth’s first build-to-rent offering, bringing 237 homes to the vicinity.

In the coming months, Sapphire Court, from the team behind Apex Lofts, will deliver 166 more homes to the street – again, next door.

The site is in the process of being cleared, as seen below before full work gets underway. 

Apex Lofts, a development from 10M Group and Corstorphine+Wright Architects.

Drone photography by Stephen Giles; CGIs from Corstorphine+Wright.

JQ Rise is a contemporary residential development containing 226 stylish one- and two-bedroom apartments and a penthouse duplex.

Spread across three blocks ranging from four, eight & 25 storeys, the site is making great strides and will be set around an external communal garden, with 226 cycles and off-road parking.

JQ Rise consists of three key elements: a subservient four-storey next to a Victorian building on Goodman Street; a 25-storey corner tower with a top-floor recessed duplex; and an interlinked eight-storey fronting Summer Hill Road.

It is being developed offsite via a precast concrete modular building system before being craned into place, with each home set to feature integrated kitchens and bathroom suites, making it perfect for young professionals, couples, and even students.

JQ Rise is a development from Prosperity, designed by K4 and executed by CBP.

Drone images by Stephen Giles; CGIs from Prosperity.

The first six floors on the Essex Street facade do not have any windows. An agreement was reached with an adjacent landowner to avoid overlooking a future development plot (Trifecta Residences).

...and back in late July:

The building will soon accommodate 166 apartments, including a mezzanine level and an open-air roof garden/ cinema/ fitness space.

Images from Stephen Giles and Daniel Sturley. View the map of the site, here.

The low energy, low carbon building, rooted in wellness and sustainability, will provide a desirable new workspace when it completes in 2025.

It will offer 189K SF of prime office floor space, complemented by bustling new restaurants and bars at ground level, raising the bar for commercial office buildings.

With elegant florid motifs, vertical ribs, and a cantilevered base, 3CS will be run on all-electric power and heating. Facilities will include a ninth-floor 5K SF terrace, gender-neutral WCs, 24 showers and changing areas, and 200 basement cycle spaces.

Vibrant ground-level activity will naturally spill out onto the new public realm, seamlessly connecting Chamberlain Square with Paradise Street and to the tram stop adjacent to Town Hall.

3CS has been designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and is now being built out by Sir Robert McAlpine and a legion of subcontractors.

The aim of the farm is to champion local producers and food businesses and help to support the wants and needs of the local economy and people with a fresher, tastier, and more sustainable alternative to the major supermarkets.

Spread over two phases the project will include glasshouses for vertical growing, a non-odour emitting mushroom farm, plant beds, bee-keeping facilities, a community garden, an events space, three wind turbines, and a biodiversity centre with a café.

All goods to and from the site will even be delivered via electric cargo bikes and electric vans/milk floats.

“We hope that the project will foster valuable conversations about the city’s food system and create a model for change, championing hyper-local food production and education", Slow Food said earlier in the year.

Councillors unaminously approved the project with the consensus being that the initiative “will provide social, economic, and environmental benefits to the local community."

Vyse Street farm, images from Urban Design Hub.

The owner of the site, Ryland Estates Ltd, is behind plans to deliver around 550 units (tenures undetermined) at the corner of the A38 Bristol Street and Bromsgrove Street.

Called ‘Trifecta Residences’, the site will comprise three new build blocks of six, ten and 40 storeys, continuing the on-going transformation of Bristol Street and the wider area into a highly desirable city centre neighbourhood.

There will also be opportunities for ground-floor shops, restaurants, cafes, businesses, and service uses.

The development has been designed by Stephenson Hamilton Risley Studio (Exchange Square), who have designed a contextually rich scheme with a strong focus on the residents – delivering homes, not simply boxed dwellings.

All homes are expected to exceed national space standards complemented by a range of internal amenities, including co-working spaces, exercise facilities, and shared lounges.

There will also be a large natural, biodiverse garden, with a combination of walled gardens, terraced landscaping and water features providing a tranquil place for residents to share and relax.

A planning application is to be submitted in the coming months, with a planning committee decision expected in early 2024.

The public consultation will be held at 18-20 Bristol Street, Birmingham, B5 7AA on 25th July from 2.30pm – 8pm.  All are welcome to attend.

Image from Ryland Estates Ltd.

Property developer Urban Vision has lodged plans for a stepped 33-storey (103m) tower containing 294 build-to-rent flats at 100 Broad Street.

The site already benefits from planning consent, with a 61-storey – which was quickly deemed unviable to build – approved back in 2019 under different ownership.

These credible new plans, designed on the principles of viability, deliverability, and buildability, promise to be one of the most sustainable buildings in Birmingham.

Setting a new bar for healthy and sustainable urban living, 100 Broad Street will be a ‘smart’ all-electric build that integrates the latest construction techniques and regulations, whilst utilising technologies to help drive efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint and operational costs.

The modernist asymmetrical building will accommodate 134 one, 142 two & 14 three-bed apartments with 4 duplexes at 31^st and 32^nd levels (43-130 sqm). 73% of homes will benefit from dual-aspect homes, offering fantastic views across the city.

As well as rental units, there will also be a wide range of amenities at levels 1 and 25, including communal rooftop gardens, cinema/e-gaming rooms, co-working spaces, informal lounges, a gymnasium & yoga studio, plus a 338 space cycle hub.

Bringing added vitality will be opportunities for independent shops, cafes, or restaurants at street level, including a new c.£300K public realm.

You can follow this development here with us. For every other project, there's our Development Map. You can also follow us on our socials: Twitter & Instagram.

100 Broad Street, images from Urban Vision and Howells.

The dormant plot, which is adjacent to Port Loop, represents a major opportunity to reconnect the site with a new sustainable and green destination, providing a unique offering of high-quality amenities and quality of living.

Brought forward by Places for People and designed by Howells, two blocks ranging from four to 10 storeys are proposed, each one designed in a contemporary industrial interpretation, whilst also exhibiting low carbon design principles.

A mix of build-to-rent, market sale, and affordability is expected, delivering an eclectic range of 97 one, 141 two, and 5 three-bedroom dwellings (2-5 persons; 50-87 sqm), catering to every lifestyle.

There will be an abundance of biodiverse amenities helping to green the area, including two private courtyards with canalside seating and terrace areas – and Icknield Wharf: a new public square that will dissect the site providing unrestricted access to the canal towpath.

A 'Class E' canalside commercial unit will bring additional vitality to the area.

Further championing sustainability will see the allocation of approximately 270 secure cycle spaces, EV charging bays, and 14-car parking spaces.

You can follow this development here with us. For every other project, there's the Development Map. You can also follow us on our socials: Twitter & Instagram.

Icknield Square, a development from Places for People. CGIs from Howells 

The HUB Group scheme, designed by Metropolitan Workshop and backed by pan-European fund MARK, will deliver 462 apartments, along with terraces on the 46^th, 24^th, and 14^th floors – as well as at podium level.

The low-carbon design has been heavily influenced by Birmingham’s own grade II-listed Alpha Tower, and Marcel Breuer’s ski resort in the French Alps.

The existing site currently hosts a two-storey run of disused commercial units with surface parking at the rear. It is hemmed in by Lloyd House, and a 20-storey Holiday Inn Express hotel.

'EXCITING AND DRAMATIC': Before the meeting, planning officers considered the building’s design to be an “exciting and dramatic form” on what is a “difficult” site and should “weigh favourably” in the overall planning balance.

The committee was in agreement and, despite objections, they agreed that the public benefits outweighed the “less than substantial harm” caused – namely to the setting of both St Philip’s Cathedral and St Chad’s Cathedral.

MOVING FORWARD: The site will see a new £583K public realm with landscaping to both Snow Hill Queensway and Weaman Street, with widened pavements and steps with a 24-hour accessible lift, complemented by a brand-new ground-floor commercial unit.

At street-level the building will sport a modernist GRC concrete plinth reminiscent of Breuer’s Alps ski resort, providing a range of community and resident spaces.

Venturing upwards, the tower’s dramatic form will be largely made up of silvery light green metal cladding in a PPC finish, soaring up to 151 metres.

Internally, there will be 13.5K SF of resident facilities at levels 1, 14, 22 & 26, with a multi-levelled entrance and lobby, lounges, co-working spaces, a cycle workshop with 464 resident cycles, a gymnasium, and residential storage.

Around 38% of homes will also benefit from having their own private balconies/Juliette balconies.

AFFORDABILITY: With an estimated £110m build cost, and factoring in inflation costs for demolition, externals, infrastructure, professional fees, abnormal costs, etc., 2 Snowhill Plaza will be able to provide 9.95% affordability without rendering the project unviable.

With approval granted Hub Group will now enter into a S106 legal agreement to secure the affordable homes and the rights to acquire the entire demolition site.

2 Snowhill Plaza, images from HUB & Metropolitan Workshop.

Contractor Torsion started works earlier in the month to introduce the foundational piling following months of demolition and repair works to the canal and reinforcements to protect neighbouring sites.

The site will feature a series of linked buildings of six to 23 storeys, one that positively reactivates the canalside to cater to the demands of the Birmingham rental market.

Offering large, contemporary living spaces, with new hybrid ways of living and working for young professionals, LW will feature floor-to-ceiling windows and fully integrated high-spec kitchens, in addition to a multitude of amenities.

These include a state-of-the-art gym, a 6th-floor internal and external terrace, basement cycle storage, co-working spaces, a resident’s & TV lounge, plus a spacious waterfront garden courtyard.

Once complete, Affinity Living Lancaster Wharf will become the fifth property in the Affinity Living by Select Property brand, and its first in Birmingham.

The scheme has been designed by Corstorphine + Wright Architects.

Drone images from Stephen Giles; CGIs from Select Property Group.

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The 3-acre eyesore site, largely derelict and in a poor state and exacerbated by vandalism in recent years, would be restored to a new viable and effective use.

Strongly informed by the City Council’s aspirations for future development within the City Centre established through the draft Our Future City Framework 2040, Garrison Circus would establish a key gateway whilst delivering a new community.

Residential plans include two new builds of 11 & 37-storeys to Watery Lane Middleway & Great Barr Street (replacing the buildings below), delivering 515 Build to Rent studios & one to three-bedroom apartments, complemented by a host of top-class amenities.

They include 12^th & 36th-floor external terraces, a gym & yoga studio, a cinema room, private kitchens & dining rooms, workspaces, lounges, quiet focus zones, and a tenants’ coffee bar.

Two student builds of five to seven storeys on Little Edward Street, and 13-16 storeys alongside Watery Lane Middleway, are also proposed, accommodating 686 studios & 6-8 bed clusters.

The Myona building (below), which has historic links to Jacobs Biscuits, would see its frontage retained and a brand-new cafe pavilion & community hub at ground level.

Student amenities include social & study lounges, chill-out areas, dining rooms, a music room, a yoga studio and gym, laundry & vibrant karaoke/video games rooms.

At street level, all four of these buildings would see commercial units (six in total), with the site set to be connected via a series of greenified, pedestrianised streets and new public spaces, including a new ‘Palmer Square’, with pocket parks, gardens, and courtyards.

Garrison Circus, CGIs from tp bennett. 

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The under-utilised mid-terraced three-storey, originally known as The Great Hampton Street Works when it specialised in button manufactory, will be fully restored with a viable new use, conserving it for future generations to enjoy.

Known as The Button Works, the building will sensitively deliver 20 one- and 9 two-bedroom apartments & duplexes (3 affordable), each set around two intimate courtyards.

The biggest external change to the Grade II* listed property will be the reintroduction of its original dormer windows to the front street-facing roof slope, along with roof lights to its rear.

In the site's courtyard, an external gantry stairwell will also be erected.

The majority of the work will be focused on the internal conversion of the building, which will include mezzanine floors, the restoration of historic elements, and the installation of new windows and doors.

The historic building was designed by H.R. Yeoville Thomason, a well-renowned figure who also designed the Birmingham Council House.

These exciting plans have been brought forward by Great Hampton Street Button Works Ltd, PJ Planning, with designs coming from BPN Architects.

The Button Works, images from BPN Architects. Overview from Google Maps

Step off the tram on Hagley Road in Edgbaston and the presence of New Garden Square (NGS) suddenly hits you.

The build-to-rent development, a partnership between Moda Living and private equity firm KKR, is well advanced with the creation of a brand new 392-home neighbourhood.

Set around a new landscaped garden square, the three-build development (nine to 13 storeys) sits adjacent to Edgbaston Village, a vibrant retail, leisure and lifestyle district, and – as mentioned – a new Metro tram stop.

Prioritising strong sustainability credentials that are both GRESB and 3-star Fitwel accredited, NGS will offer the complete package: integrated tech and health and wellbeing combined to deliver the optimum rental experience.

A variety of studios, one-, two-, and three-bed apartments will be on offer, along with a concierge, lounges, dining rooms, entertainment areas, co-working spaces, and meeting and events rooms.

It's all part of Moda’s 'Select' strategy, which will deliver 5,000 generally lower-rise homes outside of city centre areas across the UK, providing state-of-the-art rental communities to cater to all demographics.

New Garden Square is set to complete in 2024.

Drone pictures by Stephen Giles (TW); CGIs from Moda & Glancy Nicholls.

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1,207 state-of-the-art student accommodation would be delivered across two new build blocks: a ‘Canalside Block’ of 34 storeys and a ‘Courtyard Block’ at 14 storeys​.

Both buildings would be framed by new public open space and active frontages, reinvigorating an underutilised section of the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal.

Cambrian Hall (below), an existing UCB student accommodation building constructed in the 1970s that no longer meets the aspirations of today's student market, is in line to be demolished.

Transformational change is ongoing in the area, with Paradise Birmingham and the 49-storey Octagon under construction, and the 46-storey Ora - next door - set to start soon.

A full planning application will be submitted in due course. In the meantime, the public consultation runs until Wednesday 14^th June.

Get your views in!

Images from University College Birmingham & the IYB Development Map.

Piling works is underway across the site, with Bespoke Construction tasked with the job of building out the six building, 278-home development​.

A two-phased affair, the Investin PLC development will deliver an initial 145 one & two-bedroom apartments in Phase I, across three new builds of four, six & 15-storeys. 

Phase II will deliver the three remaining buildings of five and six storeys. 

Residents will have access to a gymnasium and cinema, spacious lounges, co-working areas, a roof terrace, and a podium courtyard, all of which will set the standard for the city's burgeoning rental sector.

VIRTUAL REALITY TOUR LINK HERE.

Boulevard @ Southside, drone images from Stephen Giles; CGIs from Investin & Connells.

View the site on our development map HERE.

S&K Buildings, a vastly underutilised site, is to be reanimated and remodelled with an attractive build to rent community containing 484 new homes.

EDR Demolition are now onsite demolishing the majority of the site (plan below), deemed in very poor state of disrepair, with the exception of the S&K building fronting Bradford Street.

Once cleared, six new builds of up to 10 storeys will be erected, each one set around internal courtyards, with the transformative scheme also bringing the River Rea into the mix with a fluid publicly accessible canal-side walkway, with terraces, cafes and restaurants.

The visually aesthetic S&K building is to be retained, converted and upwardly extended with a new two-storey extension.

The site will ultimately offer an attractive selection of one-, two- & three-bedroom apartments (c48 affordable), and spacious duplexes to cater to every lifestyle.

Yellow denotes retained, with demolition in red.

Drone images from Stephen Giles; CGIs (Riba 1-4) from Future High Street Living Ltd & Corstorphine & Wright.

Maker's Yard is located adjacent to Smithfield and the visionary Rea Valley Urban Quarter, which will be transformed into a truly sustainable and desirable neighbourhood in the coming years.

The six-build project (5-30 storeys) will accommodate a selection of one-, two- & three-bedroom apartments – 47 affordable – along with substantial street-facing commercial, new pedestrian routes, and a whole host of amenities to boost the living experience.

These include a series of connected green spaces for communal and private use, including a centrally located 'village square' that will serve as a community Hub to house a gym and yoga studio, a range of lounges and flexible workspace.

This will be reinforced by a vibrant, high quality landscape inspired by the site's industrial heritage.

There will also be a 24-hour concierge, large double height reception areas, podium gardens and a sky lounge.

Maker's Yard is Watkin Jones' largest build to rent development to date – with Get Living, the UK’s pioneer of large-scale BTR communities, forward funding and operating the site once it completes in 2025.

Images from Stephen Giles; CGIs from Watkin Jones, Howells & Stride Treglown.

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The former Queen’s Hospital site on Bath Row is to be reimagined with 728 student beds and 189 Build-to-Rent apartments​.

The gated site, housing 1990s student stock that no longer meets the aspirations of today's market, will be demolished and opened up to make way for contemporary new builds – a 31-storey (100.8m), two 10-storeys, and two seven-storeys – each designed with a commonality but with subtle differences giving each its own identity.

With an emphasis on wellbeing and movement, each building will be set around two retained Grade II listed properties which face out onto Bath Row.

The 1873-built Western block (below) will be revived and transformed into a brand-new community hub with café, gym, workspace, and cycle storage. 1840-built Eastern block (second below) will accommodate 52 post-grad studios.

There will be four new courtyards and terraced gardens, offering fab new spaces for BBQs, games, and seating. Three of these will back onto the canal: two for PBSA, with one for BTR.​

The other will form a new community garden and social space, located directly to the centre of the site.

With spill out envisaged around the two heritage assets, an enhanced public realm to Bath Row will offer fluid routes into this vibrant central setting, allowing residents space to lounge, eat, and socialise.

You can follow this development here with us, as well as view it on Birmingham's first and only Interactive Development Map. You can also follow us on Twitter and on Instagram.

Plans are being brought forward via a McLaren Property and Aventicum partnership, with designs from Chapman Taylor and Churchman Thornhill Finch.

Images from Chapman Taylor, Turley, and Wellcome Collection Gallery.

The proposed development will bring 220 bedrooms to two underutilised plots, adding to the existing 156 beds across the wider project, which will cater to the growing demand for high-quality, modern living spaces in the city.

Two new builds of 6-7 and 8-14 storeys (45m) will be built on existing vacant plots, delivering four different types of studio accommodation, along with energy and water efficient appliances, air source heat pumps and rooftop photovoltaics.

An 8-14 storey comprising 133 beds will be built to the corner of Hanley Street & Cliveland Street [here], with a 6-7 storey, delivering an additional 87 bedrooms, adjacent [here].

With the needs of students in mind, each unit will feature high-spec amenities, ample storage space, high-speed internet, and en-suite bathrooms, complemented by indoor and outdoor amenity spaces, including study areas, cycle spaces, and a gym.

Each build has been meticulously designed to complement the existing and emerging context, in both its red-brick materiality and massing.

After completing Phase I at 37 Hanley Street, in 2021, with Phase II at 41 Hanley Street currently well advanced for a further 108 bedspaces, Volume teamed up with Hortus Investments to deliver on the wider Volume Works project.

Founded in 2019 by members of the prominent Horton family, Hortus will finance the final phase and are perhaps best known in recent times for bringing The Grand Hotel on Colmore Row back into use.

“The student accommodation sector is changing rapidly, and today’s students expect a better level of product and service than ever before. At Volume.Property, we’ve been pioneering new ways of enhancing the student experience, and that’s been evident in our results.” - Anthony Laville, CEO of Volume.Property.

The application is now under review and, if approved, construction is expected to begin later this year with a scheduled completion for the start of the 2025/26 academic year.

Images from Volume Property, Corstorphine+Wright & the IYB Development Map.

It positions Birmingham as the UK’s leading smart and sustainable city, and one that fully complements the forthcoming ‘Our Future City: 2040 Birmingham' masterplan – due to launch in the coming weeks​.

A process of over seven years of consultation with the Council, public, and a team of regeneration and built environment specialists, Curzon Wharf has secured outline approval for four new buildings. They include:

• up to 130K of Life Science floorspace over nine floors;
• up to 732 PBSA within Watt Tower (41 storey);
• up to 122 residential units within Galton Skytree (14 storey); 
• up to 498 BTR units with Boulton Tower (53-storey, 172m);
• and 3K SF of retail & over 15K SF of vibrant leisure across the site.

Full planning approval was also given for the partial removal of a listed canal wall, which enables the site to move forward with upgraded walking & cycle routes, as well as the delivery of a £2.49M public realm - the latter will now be secured via a S106 legal agreement.

With outline planning now secured, a Reserved Matters application providing more in-depth information for each building (accommodation numbers, layouts, etc.) will need to be submitted.

Following a three-phase strategy, together with a strict design code, all buildings will be highly energy-efficient and powered by renewable energy sources, but would also be capable of operating more traditionally.

Luxury and leading student and Build to Rent (BTR) operators for these buildings have already been secured, according to Woodbourne.

COSTS: The basic costs have been laid bare: CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) will cost £2.1M (paid on the 41-storey/ equivalent to 9% affordable housing); public realm upgrades will cost in the region of £2.5M (equivalent to 11%); and Net Zero Carbon (NZC) could cost a whopping £11M.

Should the public realm improvements cost less than £2.5M, then the difference will be provided to the Council to be spent on off-site affordable housing.

Incorporating affordable dwellings into the site has materialised, despite the huge costs. It has impacted on viability, but has stopped short of scuppering it. Woodbourne has agreed on 5% (31) – up from 3% – with a deal also in place for 51% of the homes to be two and three-bedrooms.

A mechanism will also be put in place for an increase in affordable homes should Woodbourne deviate away from NZC.

Curzon Wharf was approved unanimously.

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“Birmingham is now at a turning point and our generation has the opportunity to transform the city into one of the most sustainable and leading cities in the world. The support received by Curzon Wharf is a reflection of that. It has taken us years of hard work to get here, and I hope the committee supports these unique proposals.

“This isn’t just another development, it’s a manifesto that will position Birmingham as the UK’s leading smart and sustainable city – as demonstrated by the highly successful eco-friendly delivery of the Commonwealth Games – helping to pave the way for the country’s Green Revolution. 

“It will act as a catalyst for the wider transformation of the Eastside area where a number of masterplans have been earmarked which otherwise would not be possible. It signposts Birmingham’s route to delivering transformational change to the city, promoting social, cultural and economic exchange in a truly transformative urban neighbourhood.”

Tani Dulay, Chief Executive, Woodbourne Group

Curzon Wharf images from Woodbourne Group + Associated Architects.

Woodbourne Group is seeking outline consent for the demolition of the above site, to be replaced with four new net zero carbon (NZC) buildings comprising:

• up to 130K of Life Science floorspace over nine floors;
• up to 732 PBSA within Watt Tower (41 storey);
• up to 122 residential units within Galton Skytree (14 storey); 
• up to 498 BTR units with Boulton Tower (53-storey, 172m);
• and 3K SF of retail & over 15K SF of vibrant leisure opportunities across the site.

Full detailed planning is also sought for the partial demolition of a listed canal wall, enabling the site to undergo walking and cycling route improvements, as well as the delivery of a new £2.49M public realm - the latter will be secured via a S106 legal agreement.

With a three-phase strategy in place, together with a strict design code, all builds are to be built to be highly energy efficient and powered by renewable energy sources, but would of course also be capable of operating more traditionally using non-renewable energy.

Luxury and leading student and Build to Rent (BTR) operators for the buildings have already been secured, says Woodbourne.

More details on each building, accommodation, layouts, etc., will come via a Reserved Matters application should planning consent be achieved on Thursday.

What we do know is that at least 51% of the residential units to be built is required to have two or three-bedrooms, with the affordability offering now up to 5% (31 homes).

A mechanism will be put in place for an increase in affordable provision should Woodbourne not move forward with NZC in any of the phases.

This increase particularly impacts Curzon Wharf's viability. Why? CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) will cost c.£2.1M, to be paid on the PBSA element (equivalent to 9% affordable housing); public realm improvements will cost £2.5m (equivalent to 11%); and implementing Net Zero Carbon (NZC) will cost around a cool £11M.

Should the public realm improvements cost less than £2.5M, then the difference will be provided to the Council to be spent on off-site affordable housing. Much more to come here!

“Birmingham is now at a turning point and our generation has the opportunity to transform the city into one of the most sustainable and leading cities in the world. The support received by Curzon Wharf is a reflection of that. It has taken us years of hard work to get here, and I hope the committee supports these unique proposals.

“This isn’t just another development, it’s a manifesto that will position Birmingham as the UK’s leading smart and sustainable city – as demonstrated by the highly successful eco-friendly delivery of the Commonwealth Games – helping to pave the way for the country’s Green Revolution. 

“It will act as a catalyst for the wider transformation of the Eastside area where a number of masterplans have been earmarked which otherwise would not be possible. It signposts Birmingham’s route to delivering transformational change to the city, promoting social, cultural and economic exchange in a truly transformative urban neighbourhood.”

Tani Dulay, Chief Executive, Woodbourne Group

Curzon Wharf images from Woodbourne Group + Associated Architects.

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