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Having entered into a Long Lease Agreement with Calthorpe Estates to acquire the approved residential element of the New Garden Square masterplan, Court Collaboration is continuing to forge ahead with its Build-to-Rent (BtR) scheme at the New Garden Square site in Edgbaston, on the Calthorpe Estate.

Despite the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, the specialist residential developer has now reached the final stages of its planning approval for almost 400 high-quality apartments.

The £93 million scheme will be Court Collaboration’s third Build-to-Rent project in the region and will be a key aspect of the wider New Garden Square masterplan, being developed by Calthorpe Estates and U+I. Highgate Land and Development jointly with CBRE acted as the development land agents for the landmark site, while the scheme design was created by Glancy Nicholls Architects.

Following the Lease Agreement and recent planning permissions, Court Collaboration is now looking to secure final stage of planning approval from Birmingham City Council.

The residential scheme will feature 392 BtR units across 3 separate blocks, with 1, 2 and 3 bed apartments, visitor suites and resident amenity space including a gym and lounges and a concierge service. The scheme will incorporate high-quality private communal gardens, around 10% secure basement parking spaces and will feature attractive stone facades to reflect the materials of the surrounding Calthorpe Estate.

The overall New Garden Square project will see the transformation of the outdated 1960/1970’s commercial estate into a vibrant 10.7-acre mixed-use destination. Calthorpe Estates has commenced the preparatory works of clearing the site for the proposed BtR scheme, with demolition of the 123 and 127 Hagley Road buildings now underway.

Once complete, New Garden Square comprise up to 618,000 sq ft of Grade A office accommodation, with ancillary bars, restaurants, hotel and convenience retail, as well as Court Collaboration’s residential apartments. The scheme will be set around a stunning 130 m x 30m wide public realm garden square, formed from an eclectic series of gardens and mature trees, whilst retaining the existing Grade II listed buildings fronting Hagley Road.

New Garden Square will hugely benefit from the Metro extension from Birmingham city centre, with the Edgbaston Village terminus stop directly opposite the New Garden Square scheme in front of 54 Hagley Road. The new SPRINT network will also follow the Metro’s arrival and continue along Hagley Road to Halesowen and Dudley in advance of the arrival of HS2.

Ralph Minott, Director of Development, Calthorpe Estates, said: “This is yet another huge milestone in realising our New Garden Square vision within the Edgbaston commercial centre of the Calthorpe Estate. Court Collaboration’s early proposals struck us as most closely meeting our ambitions for a high quality and long-lasting regeneration of this historic site, and they have proven to be an excellent partner for our residential ambitions for NGS. These final detailed reserved matters design proposals submitted are simply tremendous, and a credit to the Court Collaboration team, Birmingham City Planner’s input, and exactly the development masterplan launch we envisioned”.

Alex Neale, Managing Director at Court Collaboration, added: “Despite these difficult times and the challenges that everybody is facing, we’re delighted to be pressing ahead with our final phases of residential planning for New Garden Square. Our thanks go to Tony Haran of CBRE and Adrian Willet of Highgate Land and Development for all their hard work in helping to progress this scheme. It’s going to be such a fantastic addition to the city and we couldn’t be prouder to be involved.”