Queensgate Square Phase II has been approved

Plans for phase two of the £52m Queensgate Square development have today been rubberstamped (28 September).

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Viable and deliverable, two midrises of seven and 15 storeys will transform a derelict car park on Suffolk Street Queensway, bringing 125 new homes to the plot.

The buildings will be positioned beside and to the rear of the existing 1950s Queensgate House, which itself is being converted into 67 homes and represents phase one of Queensgate Square.

Set around a communal garden and square, 56 one, 56 two, and 13 three-bed apartments – 5.6% affordability at 30% discounts – complete with high-spec kitchens and bathrooms, will be created.

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At ground level on the tall building a hotel-style covered foyer, lobby and post room will be on offer, along with 76 cycles, a first-floor communal room, an office, and a small private terrace.

Access will also be available into the garden (with 16 short-stay cycles) and the entrance of the building to the rear, which will also have its own post room and an 88-space cycle store.

Queensgate Square phase one and two comes from the London-based developer The Riverlow Group, their first Midlands site. Both schemes have been designed by D5 Architects.

Subject to conditions arising from its approval, work is expected to commence in 2024. 

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Queensgate Square, images from The Riverlow Group.

Glasswater Locks, September 2023 Update

Building work is starting to move out of the ground at Glasswater Locks, a phased canalside destination in the ever-evolving Eastside district.

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Glasswater Locks, Birmingham’s latest canalside destination, will transform a site full of industrial heritage with a thriving new mixed-use development.

Injecting new life into the canalside, the site will offer an appealing alternative to the buzz of the city, with seven new buildings of up to 38 storeys (123.85m).

Complementing the built environment will be a new market square and 155m of elevated shared podiums containing vibrant alfresco restaurants, bars, and cafes.

For residents, there will be a canalside club with elevated gardens, lounges, a concierge, balconies, reading and workspaces, a gym, and games and cinema room.

There will also be opportunities later down the line for interactive and public art installations.

Phase one is now beginning to rise and will see two nine-storey new builds containing up to 120 homes: Ashted Wharf and Belmont Wharf – set to complete in 2025.

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Subsequent phases of Glasswater Locks include two more nine-storeys: Curzon Wharf and Cardigan Wharf; the 20-storey Cameo Works; and a signature 38-storey Glasswater Tower.

Once complete, the site will provide up to 754 homes, in a mix of 341 one, 383 two & 30 three-bedroom apartments and duplexes (37 shared ownership), catering to every lifestyle.

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Words & drone photography from Stephen Giles (X).

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Glasswater Locks, CGIs from Berkeley Group.

Work starts on UK’s largest modular BTR scheme

Goodstone Living and contractor Elements Europe have officially broken ground on Smith’s Garden in Digbeth – the UK’s largest modular build-to-rent neighbourhood.

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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.

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THE SITE BACK IN APRIL 2022:

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

The Construction of Holloway Head - September 2023

Holloway Head is being re-energised with the creation of a new residential community, bringing 485 new homes to the area over the next few years.

Spread over four new builds, the site is shaping up nicely!

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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.

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PHASE II:

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

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

Birmingham commercial campus acquired in £125m deal

Praxis and Veld Capital have bought Birmingham's Brindleyplace for £125m – with plans afoot to decarbonise the buildings to deliver “the best office and leisure space in the UK”.

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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.

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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.

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Images from Brindleyplace and Jack Babington.