£450m Birmingham scheme gets green light
by Pete Hayman | 10 Dec 2008
A £450m mixed-use redevelopment project in the centre of Birmingham has been granted outline planning permission by the city council.
Proposals for the 13-acre (5.26-hectare) Eastside Locks scheme were put forward by the property group Goodman as part of a joint venture with Advantage West Midlands (AVM) and Birmingham City Council (BCC). A detailed planning application is expected to be submitted within the next six months for the first stage of the project, with work expected to start on site by summer 2010.
Included in the plans for the site is a 94,187sq ft (8,750sq m) hotel with 185 bedrooms, a gym, a restaurant and a bar, as well as 105,000sq ft (9,755sq m) of retail and leisure space incorporating restaurants, cafes and brasseries. Residential and office developments are also earmarked as part of the Eastside Locks masterplan, which was drawn up by the architect AukettFitzroyRobinson.
Mick Laverty, AVM's chief executive, said: "This approval reinforces the Eastside vision to be a mixed-use, knowledge-based regeneration project. It builds on the achievements of Birmingham City University's recent planning approval for its new creative and media studies development, and the relocation of Matthew Bolton College into Eastside." Neville Summerfield, BCC cabinet member for regeneration, added: "The £450m Eastside Locks scheme will play an important part in delivering a world-class city. It will continue Birmingham's physical, economic, cultural and creative regeneration."
A £450m mixed-use redevelopment project in the centre of Birmingham has been granted outline planning permission by the city council. Proposals for the 13-acre (5.26-hectare) Eastside Locks scheme were put forward by the property group Goodman as part of a joint venture with Advantage West Midlands (AVM) and Birmingham City Council (BCC). A detailed planning application is expected to be submitted within the next six months for the first stage
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