Third piece of Paradise project given go-ahead
CITY planners have backed the latest stage of development at the £700 million Paradise pro- ject.
Birmingham City Council’s planning committee has given permission for One Centenary Way which will be constructed on the site of the old Adrian Boult Hall conservatoire next to Centenary Square.
The office complex will be 13 storeys tall and have 280,000 sq ft of commercial space.
It will join One Chamberlain Square, which is currently stalled following the collapse in January of main contractor Carillion, and Two Chamberlain Square where construction work was started this week by BAM.
One Centenary Way has been designed by Birmingham-based Glenn Howells Architects and will have space for shops and restaurants at ground level. It is the first building in the second phase of development at Paradise which also comprises a further office building called Three Chamberlain Square and a new 250-bedroom four-star hotel.
Argent, development manager for Paradise Birmingham, is working Hermes Investment on the project.
Argent’s regional director Rob Groves said: “By working closely with Glenn Howells Architects and the wider professional delivery team, the innovative design solution for One Centenary Way has resulted in a striking, structural-led building that makes a strong architectural statement. To maintain the momen- Management tum we have established through the development of the first two Paradise Birmingham buildings, we will be starting the site enabling works for One Centenary Way next month which will include further demolition and ground preparations.
“The building’s planned construction start will be later this year, with completion during 2022.”
Speaking at the city council plan- ning committee meeting, Cllr Fiona Williams (Lab, Hodge Hill) said the building’s metal frame “looks unfinished”.
Cllr Peter Douglas Osborn (Con, Weoley) asked for guarantees over the route through Paradise, saying: “I am still keen that the museum clock tower can be seen from the Hall of Memory.”
He was assured it would be.