Argent, on behalf of Hermes Investment Management, has submitted the first three detailed planning applications for the transformation of Birmingham’s Paradise Circus area.
Subject to consent, Paradise development manager Argent will bring forward over 350,000 sq ft of speculative office space in two new buildings together with the enhancement of the surrounding public realm at the heart of Birmingham city centre.
The seven-storey One Chamberlain Square has been designed by Eric Parry Architects and provides 172,000 sq ft of grade A space, with a curved façade and large roof terrace at the sixth floor level. The office entrance will be on Centenary Way, with restaurant or leisure uses on the ground floor and frontage onto Centenary Way, Congreve Street and Chamberlain Square.
Meanwhile, the Glenn Howells Architects-designed Two Chamberlain Square provides 182,000 sq ft of grade A office space. The five-storey portico fronts onto Chamberlain Square and then steps back from the sixth floor with a roof terrace. The office entrance is located directly onto Chamberlain Square with the ground and upper ground levels offering space for leisure and retail uses.
Chamberlain Square will undergo major enhancements as proposed in the third detailed planning application for the public realm submitted on behalf of the Paradise Circus Limited Partnership, a private-public joint venture with Birmingham city council.
Designed by Grant Associates Landscape Architects, the submission also includes a new, wide pedestrian street through the centre of the development, linking the upgraded Chamberlain Square to Centenary Square.
Rob Groves, senior projects director at Argent, said: “These submissions are an important milestone for the Paradise redevelopment.
“We have been working together with the design teams, stakeholders and the planners to ensure that the modern architectural language for the buildings complements the sensitive heritage setting and Chamberlain Square itself, creating great public realm and public space while also providing the very best office space.”
When complete, Paradise will comprise 1.8m sq ft of offices, shops, cafes, restaurants and a hotel in up to 10 buildings, set within upgraded public realm space.
Subject to consent, construction of the two speculative buildings is due to start this autumn. One Chamberlain Square is then expected to complete in late 2018 with Two Chamberlain Square following in early 2019.
The enhancements to Chamberlain Square will also be implemented during this period.
