Changing face of Birmingham
THIS is another site which became embroiled in a long-running supermarket development involving Tesco.
For years, the retailer was planning to build a giant new store on nine acres of land at the corner of Hazelwell Lane and Pershore Road in Stirchley.
The saga carried on for years but it appeared in early 2015 that Tesco was fully behind the project even when it was ditching others around the country.
But in November, Birminghambased property investor and developer Seven Capital announced it had bought the land with the aim of turning it into a mixed-use complex of residential and retail units.
It is still early days and a planning application has not yet been lodged with the city council.
But any housing which is built there will appeal to commuters as Bournville station is a very short walk away and there could be a second station nearby too under the mayor’s transport plans.
Seven Capital tends not to hang around once it has bought land to develop or a building to convert, as can be seen by its many other projects in the city, so there is no reason to think this will be any different.
Vacant and derelict buildings will make way for a variety of differentsized properties.
Soho Loop sits next to Icknield Port Loop, another major regeneration planned for this part of Birmingham, and features in the Greater Icknield Masterplan.
Considering its location, it is likely Soho Loop will follow a similar philosophy to Icknield Port Loop with a strong focus on attracting families. A LAND deal was struck last summer which could see more than 370 new apartments built next to one of Birmingham’s most famous sporting venues.
The UK arm of German investment group Patrizia acquired four acres of land next to Edgbaston stadium from Warwickshire Country Cricket Club and the Homes and Communities Agency.
It said at the time it wanted to build 375 apartments, parking for residents, ground floor space for shops and a new access road in a project worth £85 million.
The acquired land includes part of the cricket club’s car park but a spokesman for club confirmed last summer that an alternative area would be provided so the number of spaces for fans and visitors would not change.
As with so many of the new residential projects coming onto the table in Birmingham, the flats will be available to rent only.
James Muir, managing director of Patrizia UK and Ireland, said last summer: “Edgbaston is an established and thriving part of Birmingham and this particular location has access to the best of the city including sports, employment, entertainment and dining out.” A NEW block of flats will be built next to one of Birmingham’s newest hotels.
Park Regis only opened in Broad Street in spring 2016 but developer Seven Capital is pressing ahead with its plans to expand the site.
The company won planning permission in October to construct a 17-storey apartment block on part of the car park which currently serves the hotel.
Members of the planning committee were scathing of its design but full of praise that officers had reduced the tower from its original proposed height of 30 storeys.
It will be phased in height, from six to 17 storeys, and include six ground-floor commercial units.
There will be 228 apartments, ranging from one to three bedrooms, and 115 replacement parking spaces for the hotel will be included in the new building with a further 37 vehicle and 228 cycle parking spaces for residents.
It is a busy area for Seven Capital as it has redeveloped Broadway House and One Hagley Road, next to Five Ways island, and is also behind the new build project Landsdowne House, also in Hagley Road.