Green Light Secured For £360M Mixed-Use Development
26/6/23
Proposals for a £360m mixed-use development in Birmingham, which would feature the city's tallest building and have the potential to create more than 1,000 jobs, have been green lit.
Woodbourne Group brought forward plans for its Net Zero carbon Curzon Wharf project, which would be within eight minutes walking distance of the HS2 Curzon Street Station.
Outline approval was sought for the demolition of existing trade storage, distribution and training centre buildings to make way for four structures rising to nine, 14, 41 and 53 storeys.
The scheme will provide 620 residential properties and up to 732 student bedspaces.
Also included in the plans is almost 130,000 sq ft of office, R&D and life science space, more than 3,000 sq ft of retail units, more than 15,000 sq ft of leisure space and in excess of 76,424 sq ft of new and improved public realm.
Full planning permission was sought for the partial demolition and other works to the grade II-listed wall between the application site and the canal.
Once operational, it is estimated that the development could create up to 880 direct on-site FTE jobs, in addition to 460 FTE jobs during the construction phase.
At a meeting on 23 February, planning committee members raised concerns about housing mix and the amount of affordable housing proposed.
In response, the applicant proposed two changes, a condition requiring at least 51 per cent of the residential units to be built to have two or three bedrooms; and an increase in the affordable housing offer from 3 per cent to 5 per cent.
The scheme was then considered on 27 April.
A report for the committee said: "Overall, the changes proposed are welcome, but they do not significantly alter my original planning balance exercise, with the affordable housing only gaining a little weight as a result of the increased offer. I continue to conclude that, on balance, the benefits which would flow from the development would outweigh the harms."
The development has now been approved, subject to conditions.
Tani Dulay, chief executive of Woodbourne Group, said: "We've worked hard to reach this point and it is incredibly satisfying to stand on the brink of delivering such a world class development for a city I'm proud to call home. I would like to thank the planning committee, our team and everyone else that has supported this scheme.
"We need to help power the economic recovery by facilitating investment, creating jobs and acting as a catalyst to further success."
Andy Street, mayor of the West Midlands, added: "Birmingham is proud to have young entrepreneurs like Tani who have the persistence and enthusiasm to drive us towards a brighter and more sustainable future.
"His tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to creating the world's first mixed-use Net Zero carbon ready development are a testament to his determination to make a difference."
Source; Insider Media Limited