Squared away for a fresh start
City’s landmark Chamberlain Square reopens after 5 years
BIRMINGHAM’S Chamberlain Square has finally reopened to the public in the first phase of the £700 million Paradise scheme at the heart of the city.
After more than five years the square has been transformed with new paving, steps and lighting. Sioban Coppinger’s 1993 bronze statue of Thomas Attwood, Birmingham Man, has been fully restored and returned to his position sitting on the steps close to the Town Hall. But the centrepiece of the square remains the 140-year-old Chamberlain Memorial (in tribute to the great mayor, Joseph Chamberlain) which has been renovated with the fountain and its jets replaced.
Two new office blocks, One Chamberlain Square and Two Chamberlain Square now face onto the square and form the commercial part of Phase One of Paradise.
On hand to mark the reopening were Council leader Ian Ward, Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership chair Tim Pile, fund director at Federated Hermes International Chris Darroch, and regional director of Paradise development managers Argent Rob Groves.
Mr Groves said: “The reopening is a key milestone not just for the Paradise development, but for the city of Birmingham.
“After five years of construction and a year of lockdowns, we are now seeing the fruits of all the effort that has gone into Paradise in the shape of new occupiers in our first two commercial buildings making major investments in the city as well as new pedestrian access points across the city and through the public realm.
“The significance of Chamberlain Square is important not just for us, but for the city and for the country as a whole because this is a high profile project that was successfully delivered during 2020, despite all the challenges.
“Last year we welcomed PwC to its largest UK regional office at One Chamberlain Square, made occupier announcements with Knights and Mazars joining DLA Piper at Two Chamberlain Square, and welcomed leisure operators like Dishoom.
“We also submitted a planning application for Octagon, a 49-storey residential tower, and started construction of our next commercial building, One Centenary Way.
“Finally, we also announced the winners of the architectural competition for our next commercial building, Three Chamberlain Square.
“It was a very busy year and we know 2021 is already seeing more of the same kind of activity, having already announced Rosa’s Thai will be opening this year.”
Tim Pile, chairman of the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP), said: “The reopening of Chamberlain Square, along with the Paradise development, will play a vital role in the economic recovery for the region.
“GBSLEP’s investment of £139 millions into Paradise has meant that infrastructure which once blocked off the square has been removed to create more space for businesses to relocate and for our people to come and enjoy.
“I see this area as the civic heartbeat of the city centre, surrounded by Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, the Town Hall and the Council House.
“Now the new Paradise development will breathe even more energy into this already magnificent square which will be welcoming people from all over the world when we host the Commonwealth Games next year.”
Chamberlain Square is one of the most historic corners of the city and has seen a lot of change over 180 years from when it was first laid out at the junction between Edmund Street and Congreve Passage in the 1840s.
At almost 2 million square feet, the wider Paradise project will see ten new buildings offering offices, shops, bars, cafes, restaurants, a hotel and the planned 49-storey residential tower over 17 acres in the heart of the city.
A programme of public events is currently being organised for the square when lockdown eases.