A planning application for a large £200million residential development in Digbeth has been given the green light by Birmingham City Council.
The site in Digbeth known as Connaught Square is located just south of the city centre and will see 770 new apartments built, including a landmark 27-storey tower. There will also be approximately 42,000 square feet of commercial and retail space, a community gymnasium and a boxing academy. Much of this has been included following a community consultation process.
Additionally, new public realms will be created, including a new riverside walkway alongside the River Rea which runs through the site. Once open it will become a key feature of the site, accessible to the public for the first time in a century.
Digbeth is fast gaining a reputation as Birmingham’s Creative Quarter, and it is hoped this development will further enhance this, whilst continuing to bring regeneration to the immediate and surrounding areas.
Connaught Square will increase Birmingham’s capacity for attracting increased business and tourism, and is also expected to create hundreds of jobs for the city. A high number will be created during the construction process, with the project also set to support apprentices at the nearby South and City College, offering them valuable practical experience.
Once completed, Connaught Square should provide around 250 full-time jobs within the proposed retail, community and commercial space plus around 100 supply chain and ancillary jobs as a result of the additional commercial floorspace.
The proposals have been on the table for 10 years, and Director of property developer SevenCapital, Damien Siviter, was pleased with the outcome and positives the scheme will bring to the city. He said “Connaught Square is already one of the most significant and talked about regeneration projects to date in Birmingham, as it bridges the gap between the main city centre and the growing creative quarter. Throughout the entire design process, it has been imperative that what we create and deliver is the right fit for the area, the city and importantly right for the community that will form as a result of Connaught Square”.
Bal Sohal, Chairman of SevenCapital was also happy that the scheme can now progress. He added “Connaught Square will be a flagship development for SevenCapital and for Birmingham. 10 years in planning, this is a project that will transform a prominent area within Birmingham city centre, create jobs and homes and build a vibrant, dynamic space for residents and visitors alike to enjoy for years to generations”.
It is hoped that construction work can commence on site as early as summer 2019 with the first phase expected to be completed in March 2022, and the whole site by August 2023.
21 January 2019