BUSINESS NEWS
Planning permission for Paradise
Stewart is region’s top ambassador
Stewart Towe (pictured), managing director of Smethwick-based Hadley Group, Europe’s largest independent cold rollforming manufacturer, has been named Ambassador of the Year at West Midlands Business Masters Awards. The award is presented to an
individual who the judges believe has done the most to promote the region during the past year. Stewart said: “Traditionally, the
West Midlands was a hive of manufacturing activity, but it fell quiet for too long. I am delighted to be working with other entrepreneurs through organisations such as the Black Country LEP to be helping to drive its revival as an economic powerhouse.” The Hadley Group, which also
has a presence in Dubai, Thailand, Germany and France, employs more than 500 people and has a turnover of more than £100 million.
BY PHILIP PARKIN P
lanning permission has been lodged for the initial stage of the development which will rise from the ashes of
Birmingham’s old library, now being demolished. The scheme will be known as Paradise and the
first new buildings will be two office blocks, adding up to more than 350,000 sq ft of space. They will be known as One and Two Chamberlain Square and both buildings will be seven storeys. Subject to planning approval, construction of the
two buildings will start this autumn. One Chamberlain Square is then expected to be
completed in late 2018 with Two Chamberlain Square following in early 2019. When complete, Paradise will comprise 1.8 million
sq ft of offices, shops, cafes, restaurants and a hotel. In all, there will be 10 new buildings. The Paradise redevelopment is being brought
forward by Paradise Circus Limited Partnership (PCLP), a private-public joint venture with Birmingham City Council, with the private sector funding being managed by Hermes Investment Management, with Argent acting as development manager. The initial planning submission also includes a new, wide pedestrian street through the centre of
A CGI of Birmingham’s new Paradise
the development, linking Chamberlain Square to Centenary Square. Rob Groves, senior projects director of Argent,
said: “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.” Chris Taylor, CEO of Hermes Real Estate, said: “We
strongly believe that Paradise is a truly ground-breaking scheme that will attract national and international investment, jobs and visitors to Birmingham.”
Agenda more important than authority name
Discussions over the name of the region’s new combined authority have ended with the adoption of ‘West Midlands Combined Authority’. The name is a harkback to the old West Midlands County Council, which was made up of most of the local authorities that will form the new combined organisation. However, it also puts paid to
other names, such as ‘Greater Birmingham’ or ‘Heart of England’, which the corporate community had been campaigning for. Despite this, business leaders
have underlined their backing for the new combined authority. Chamber former chief executive
Jerry Blackett said: “From a Birmingham point of view this is obviously disappointing. However, the broader picture must come into
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play and the substance of the agreement is more important than the name. “It would have been great to
compete directly with Greater London and Greater Manchester but the important thing now is to drive through a combined authority agenda that will create the economic powerhouse we all desire.” Other local authorities who will be joining the proposed new body
include the Black Country, Solihull and Coventry. It is believed that the WMCA
name was favoured by some of the authorities involved in the decision as a way of retaining their local identity. Businesses wanted ‘Greater Birmingham’ or ‘Heart of England’ as it is believed that the name ‘West Midlands’ carries little or no resonance in major economic powers such as China and USA.
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