Leading the way into the future
Chamberlink - April 2006
Already a vibrant and thriving international destination, the honour of becoming ‘European City of the Future’ in 2005 illustrated the amount of planned regeneration and large scale investment in the development pipeline for Birmingham. These inspired investments seek to enhance the city’s current urban renaissance for years to come, with the £343 million development portfolio of Edgbaston landowners Calthorpe Estates who are at the forefront of this planned regeneration.
The property investment and development business is committed to playing an active role in the rebirth of the city and focuses on the prestigious 610 hectare Calthorpe Estate in Edgbaston.
The Estate offers an enviable environment for residential and commercial customers, where elegant period properties blend seamlessly with contemporary buildings amid the tree lined avenues of Britain’s largest urban conservation area. With such an unrivalled natural setting, Calthorpe Estates commit themselves to the continual improvement and development of the Estate and dedicate a special investment programme to the aesthetics of the area, including an ongoing tree replacement and monitoring programme.
Central to this ethos is their development portfolio, which encompasses four key regeneration projects, which aim to deliver exceptional lifestyle facilities for the area and its residents, as well as creating the best place to live and work.
The flagship University Science Park, Pebble Mill development will soon enhance the region’s capacity for innovation, creativity and enterprise and build on the West Midlands’ international reputation for excellence in the life sciences field.
Helping to drive the progression of a globally competitive and sustainable knowledge economy, the science park will see the creation of 12 acres of world class research and development facilities at the former BBC site at Pebble Mill in Edgbaston.
The science park will be the ultimate location for the incubation of revolutionary biotech companies, boasting wet labs, sub molecular imaging, specialist surgery and training facilities and intellectual property expertise. Couple this with the financial, legal and marketing support services close by and all the conditions necessary to turn biomedical discovery into commercial success are in place.
For companies committed to bringing new medical solutions to market, the science park will offer a conducive and catalytic environment for businesses to grow due to its proximity to two of the UK’s leading institutions - the University of Birmingham, which is internationally respected for its medical, engineering, biosciences and cancer studies and Aston University, renowned for its health and technology research.
Pivotal to the growth strategy of the region, the University Science Park, Pebble Mill will have a significant impact on the regeneration of Birmingham and will develop a new sustainable skills base, creating an estimated 1500 new jobs.
The scheme will become a true centre of excellence, cultivating and stimulating advances in the Biomedical industry, elevating Birmingham’s international status, recognition and appeal. The development lies within the Central Technology Belt and will facilitate closer links between the universities and knowledge-based businesses.
Demolition of the site is complete and work on the infrastructure has commenced in preparation for the £90 million development, which will be constructed in phases with final completion estimated for 2012. Planning permission has been granted and further detail is currently being looked at on the master plan.
The potential of this scheme is being realised through partnership, with landowners Calthorpe Estates working with Advantage West Midlands, Birmingham City Council, the University of Birmingham and the Central Technology Belt to make the science park a reality.
Advantage West Midlands has a 94-year lease of the site from Calthorpe Estates and both are receiving interest from potential occupiers, enabling them to design and construct the first phase of new buildings on the park.
By working in partnership a significant impact can be made to ensure that the region benefits from the opportunities and economic growth that the scheme will help to generate.
Moving closer to the city centre, significant changes are set to take place at Five Ways with the regeneration of this principal gateway.
The major £110 million redevelopment of Edgbaston Shopping Centre at Five Ways will create Edgbaston Galleries, an attractive destination for Birmingham with much needed facilities for the area.
The existing site will be replaced with an improved layout, modern buildings and an increased amount of public space, creating an appealing location for work and leisure which Birmingham can be proud of.
The 40,000 sq m development will incorporate office, retail and leisure space, as well as hotels and car parking spaces.
Calthorpe Estates made it a priority to engage the local community in the planning of Edgbaston Galleries with its high profile location along Hagley Road, and undertook a period of consultation to ensure their opinions and thoughts on the scheme were heard, and incorporated where possible.
The organisation is working with Birmingham City Council to ensure the development complements other proposed improvements to the area.
Also at Five Ways, the new Calthorpe House office scheme is set to replace the tired 1960’s stock in Donne and Nettleton House on Calthorpe Road. The £37 million project will herald a new future for commercial office space in Birmingham with the development of a contemporary building and vision for working life in years to come.
The 9,530 sq m state of the art Grade A offices will set the standard for sustainable office accommodation within the city, aiming to achieve a BREEAM rating of ‘excellent’, which will be a first for Birmingham.
The BREEAM rating will reflect the project’s emphasis on build quality, energy performance and environmental impact.
By boasting a prime position in Birmingham, the development represents an ideal solution for businesses seeking office space of the very highest quality, and will undoubtedly draw the best employers to the city.
Calthorpe House will offer fully air-conditioned large open floor plates of 2,062 sq m and the coveted luxury of on-site parking with 257 spaces - a ratio of 1:35 sq m compared to that of Grade A office space in the city at 1:140 sq m.
Originally a building on Edgbaston Shopping Centre, the Calthorpe House name has now been transferred to the new development to reflect the evolution and progression of Calthorpe Estates and its business vision. Demolition is scheduled to commence on site this Autumn, with the project due to complete in 2008.
The most active scheme on the Estate is currently Edgbaston Mill where work is underway on the nine-acre site opposite Edgbaston Cricket Ground, to transform the prestigious setting into the best place to both live and work, offering city centre living in a suburban environment.
Boasting 20,000 sq m of residential space, 2,650 sq m of retail and A3 space, 5,600 sq m of office space, 3,000 sq m of leisure facilities and 5,600 sq m of potential hotel space, the £100 million development will become an elegant and sought-after location, just a mile out of the central core of the city.
A stunning artistic piazza, approximately the same scale as Victoria Square in the city centre, will front the scheme, providing a large area of coveted public space. The area outside the development is also being enhanced with the creation of a boulevard of 20 trees along Edgbaston Road, and is a move welcomed by Birmingham’s Civic Society.
A landscape designer oversaw the planting of the London Plane trees which will create a striking canopy. The species is common to major international cities such as New York, Paris and London and will have considerable visual impact on the road as they can grow up to 40 metres tall.
Cordwell Property Group is the development partner for the scheme, which is due to complete in 2008. Redrow Homes are developing the residential element, which will offer 344 apartments, due for release on 31st May 2006.
This £337 million portfolio of regeneration projects will play a significant role in the renaissance of not only Edgbaston but also the city as a whole. Calthorpe Estates’ Sales and Marketing Director, Jayne Herritty comments: “Calthorpe Estates’ regeneration strategy will significantly elevate the appeal and reputation of Edgbaston and help to underline Birmingham’s status as a prosperous, vibrant and world-class city. These landmark developments will help to position Birmingham as a key international destination, making it a highly attractive destination to both live and work.”