‘Axis Square’ project takes big step forward
WORK on a new city centre office development is set to start next April after a main contractor was appointed to the project
Wates Construction has won the £135 million brief to build One and Four Axis Square on land next to the Mailbox shopping mall.
The group, which is also building phase two of residential project The Bank in Broad Street, will now work with landowner LCR on the final designs before starting construction work in earnest next spring.
The overall ‘Axis Square’ project will see the demolition of the incumbent 1970s Axis building followed by a phased development comprising four office blocks.
One Axis Square will be nine storeys while Four Axis Square will have 14.
Development is expected to create 50 apprenticeship roles and 200 training courses.
Also working on the first phase of the project are architecture firm Fletcher Priest with project management from Turner & Townsend, engineering from Ramboll UK and cost management from Quantem Consulting.
Two and Three Axis Square, which will be five and 23 storeys respectively, will be developed in later phases and all four buildings will be set around a landscaped public square and have ground floor retail units.
The entire project is expected to take about eight years to complete, will have one million sq ft of commercial space and room for around 10,000 employees.
It will join other significant office schemes in the city centre such as neighbouring Arena Central and the nearby Paradise project and will benefit from its proximity to New Street and the Colmore Business District.
John Carlin, business unit director at Wates Construction Midlands, said: “This appointment is a real coup for our Midlands staff and we are very much looking forward to working with LCR and the whole Turner & Townsend team to develop and deliver a commercial scheme of unparalleled quality.
“Our work on these two buildings will give us the opportunity to make a huge contribution to employment and training in Birmingham and we will be working closely with our partners to ensure the benefits of this project are felt far and wide across the region.”
Lucy Robinson, director of asset management at LCR, added: “The delivery of phase one will kick start the development of this strategically important city centre site and, once fully operational, Axis Square will be an attractive place to work, eat and shop in the heart of the bustling city.”