Taking a Holistic Approach to Regeneration

Birmingham Post - February 2008

Driving economic development in partnership with considering social and environmental concerns is a 21st century phenomenon for many companies, but not so for property investor and developer Calthorpe Estates.

The company has taken a holistic approach to the management of the family-owned 610 hectare Estate since it was originally bought by Sir Richard Gough in 1717.

During his ten years in the area he rebuilt Edgbaston Hall and the church as well as enclosing Edgbaston Park. His son, Henry Gough whose second marriage to Barbara Calthorpe saw the family take the Calthorpe name, preserved his father’s legacy. He purposely chose to maintain the rural and scenic character of the area by prohibiting warehouses and workshops being built on the Estate.

Move forward nearly 300 years and whilst Calthorpe Estates has evolved and adapted, its core ethos, focusing on improving the area, diversifying facilities and supporting the community remains.

Regeneration in Action

The process of continually improving the Calthorpe Estate is carefully planned and with a focus on enhancing the 610 hectare Estate as a whole, the company takes a uniquely integrated approach to regeneration. Committed to sustainable development, Calthorpe Estates invest in their land to preserve and enhance this unique environment for the benefit of future generations.

Currently, Calthorpe Estates have three landmark developments on site that will transform the area and create a wider range of high quality office accommodation and retail and leisure facilities.

The construction of Calthorpe House, just off Five Ways Island, is well underway and the scheme is on target to deliver over 105,000 sq ft of sustainable, Grade A office accommodation to the market in March 2009. With large, open floor plates and an excellent car parking ratio, the building is designed to meet the demands of future occupiers.

Just metres away, Calthorpe Estates are now demolishing the 1960s Edgbaston Shopping Centre to make way for the creation of the £110 million Edgbaston Galleries development. This will offer a new range of facilities for local residents and workers, including a food store, retail and leisure facilities, hotel accommodation, further Grade A offices and 800 car parking spaces.

Opposite the world famous Edgbaston Cricket Ground, the Edgbaston Mill scheme is visibly taking shape by the day. Many of the 344 apartments at Redrow Homes’ Hemisphere development are already occupied and work is well underway on the creation of the new public square fronting the scheme. Calthorpe Estates are progressing negotiations with occupiers for a food store, retail and leisure facilities and hotel and office accommodation to deliver a wide range of new facilities to the area.

Any regeneration project Calthorpe Estates undertakes is purposely designed not just for today, but to stand the test of time. The delivery of Birmingham’s first two BREEAM* ‘Excellent’ rated office buildings at 19 George Road and Calthorpe House is clear proof of the company’s commitment to sustainability. 19 George Road has also won three awards for its environmental credentials and striking design.

Supporting the Community

Calthorpe Estates’ approach extends beyond just business and the economy. The company considers the needs of its entire community, identified as everyone that lives, works or simply spends time in the area.

The Estate has a thriving business community with over 18,000 workers and 2.7 million sq ft of office accommodation. It is home to a wide range of businesses of varying sizes, including globally renowned companies in the field of manufacturing, electronics, computing and financial and professional services.

To support these businesses, Calthorpe Estates has established The Calthorpe Business Alliance, an independent association set up to promote the mutual interests of all business customers on the Calthorpe Estate. The alliance acts as a support network and provides excellent networking opportunities.

Recognising the importance of education for the successful future of a community, Calthorpe Estates is also working with many of the schools in Edgbaston to relate classroom teachings to the real world.

Local schools were recently invited to participate in an art competition where the children were encouraged to think about and create their vision of Edgbaston. The company’s next planned initiative will invite local children to one of their development sites where they can see curriculum topics such as recycling and sustainability being put into practice.

Calthorpe Estates also endeavours to support local community initiatives and projects. Most recently, it has sponsored ‘Reality Estate’, a community-led arts event. Created by Birmingham based Friction Arts, the project aims to make cultural and social change within local communities using the arts.

Re-shaping Environments

Calthorpe Estates recognises that the provision of pleasant surroundings is crucial to creating a quality environment and sense of pride in the community.

The need to preserve and improve the physical environment has been met head on with Streetscape, an investment programme dedicated to the aesthetics of the area. Streetscape’s work includes an ongoing tree replacement and tree monitoring programme to ensure the tranquil and leafy ambiance of the Estate, one of England’s largest urban conservation areas, with over a million trees, is preserved.

As well as preserving existing trees, Calthorpe Estates is also adding to the Estate’s greenery with a tree planting scheme at Edgbaston Mill.

Last year, Calthorpe Estates invested over £20,000 to brighten up Edgbaston by installing Christmas lights along key roads on the Estate - the festive glow received a warm welcome from the local community.

Calthorpe Estates is committed to providing a great environment for businesses, residents and visitors by creating the best places to live and work. By investing £350 million into actively improving the area, the company ensures that customers and residents on the Estate benefit from a variety of unparalleled lifestyle choices, helping them to achieve a greater work life balance.