Paradise work restarts after Carillion collapse BAM Construction takes over on major development for PwC
WORK has finally restarted on a stalled city centre office development which ground to a halt after the collapse of Carillion in January.
BAM Construction has been appointed to complete One Chamberlain Square on the £700 million Paradise project after the two-month hiatus.
The eight-storey complex, on the site of the old Central Library, will provide a new home for financial services firm PwC which is due to relocate there from Cornwall Street early next year. The building topped out in December but work stopped on January 15 when Wolverhampton-based construction group Carillion was placed into liquidation and had not restarted since.
BAM Construction recently started working on the second office building at Paradise, Two Chamberlain Square, and is also behind Three Snowhill in the city centre.
The majority of subcontractors who were working on One Chamberlain Square will now return as BAM formally takes over the site.
Paradise is a public/private joint venture development with Birmingham City Council, funding managed by Hermes Investment Management and development manager Argent.
Rob Groves, regional director of development manager Argent, said: “Ever since Carillion went into liquidation, we have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure disruption to Paradise was kept to a minimum. Having BAM on board for the building along with remaining subcontractors and the supply chain means we are now able to move ahead with getting One Chamberlain Square completed as soon as we can.”
Rod Stiles, regional director for BAM Construction in the Midlands, said: “Our work on Two Chamberlain Square started last month and, having already taken on many of Carillion’s high-calibre existing team, we are now working closely with the existing supply chain to recommence construction on One Chamberlain Square as well.”
Birmingham City Council leader Coun Ian Ward said: “Paradise Birmingham is central to our wider regeneration vision for the city.
“It is vital to the local economy, so to get a new main contractor on board in the shape of BAM to complete One Chamberlain Square is an important next step.”
The overall Paradise project will have eight new office buildings, a hotel, public realm and redrawn traffic routes around the old Paradise Circus island.