Land Securities has teamed up with Sainsbury’s to bring forward a major retail park in south Birmingham.
As part of its Harvest joint venture, the UK’s largest REIT is working up plans with the supermarket chain for a major development opportunity on the 30-acre Battery Park site.
The pair plan to submit a planning application for the site, which is opposite the new £545m super-hospital at Selly Oak, this summer.
Battery Park, owned by Sainsbury’s, has an existing consent dating back to 2007 for a mixed-use scheme comprising 820 new homes, a 61,300 sq ft technology park, 79,000 sq ft supermarket, 132,400 sq ft of shops, 62,100 sq ft of offices, and a dental hospital.
The jv plans to revise the original proposal substantially to replace the proposed residential and technology park with a 430,500 sq ft retail park, anchored by a 150,000 sq ft supermarket. Plans are also being drawn up for a second department store anchor.
However, sources warned that the proposals could be thwarted by John Lewis’s ambitions to open a 100,000 sq ft department store at the redeveloped New Street station.
One said: “This is a big chunk of out-of-town retail that will draw shoppers away from the city centre at a time when city centre retailing is crucial with John Lewis coming to Birmingham.”
Jones Lang LaSalle advises the jv. All parties declined to comment.
lisa.pilkington@estatesgazette.com
