Urban village plan at Kettleworks building gets green light
Reading Time: < 1 minute
Proposals for the first phase of a £160 million mixed use development in the Jewellery Quarter have been given the green light.
A joint venture partnership between Coventry’s Deeley and Chord Developments, have secured planning permission for the first phase of the St Georges urban village, a major 6.8 acre regeneration scheme, with the conversion of the Kettleworks building into offices.
Birmingham’s historic Assay Office is among the first tenants confirmed for the new offices when it moves from its 135-year-old site in Newhall Street in 2015.
Developers claim St Georges has potential for more than 580,000 sq ft of offices, two hotels, bars and restaurants, 540 car parking spaces and will create 5,000 jobs.
The site around Pope Street, Carver Street and Icknield Street, currently in industrial use with high levels of vacancy, creates a poor entrance to the Jewellery Quarter, they claim.
Chord Deeley said it hopes the Kettleworks building, which dates back to 1890 and will be retained in its original form, will kick start the St. Georges development.
The Kettleworks will provide up to 236,176 sq ft of offices and 323 parking spaces.
The office scheme is part of the UK’s largest city centre enterprise zone, which is run by the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership.
LEP chairman Andy Street said: “Not only is the Birmingham city centre enterprise zone crucial to the delivery of the job and growth targets set by the LEP, but it will also be used to pump prime growth across the LEP area.”
Birmingham City Council leader Sir Albert Bore added: “The enterprise zone represents that next major step in the city’s regeneration and welcoming new businesses and jobs to a city region whose constant evolution has ensured it remains a key economic driver for the UK.”