Sector Focus
Property Smithfield Forum gets underway
The first new development underway in the Smithfield district of Birmingham has been launched. Cllr John Clancy visited the site with Cllr Peter Griffiths, cabinet member for housing and homes, to view progress at The Forum, a £50 million development of 334 private rental sector (PRS) apartments by Rockspring Property Investment Managers LLP (“Rockspring”). The councillors performed a concrete pour at
the scheme - Birmingham’s first specifically designed PRS development, to mark the latest phase of construction – which includes the formation of the main concrete frame and floors above ground level following completion of the structural groundworks. The Forum is on Pershore Street, on the site of
the former Silver Blades ice rink, and within the 14-hectare Birmingham Smithfield perimeter. Birmingham City Council is planning to
regenerate this historic markets area of the city. Plans include 300,000 sq m of leisure, retail, hotel and cultural space and 2,000 new homes set around a new public space – Festival Square – and park. There will be a new base for the indoor, retail
and rag markets, to include a food hub. More than £500m will be invested in the ten-year project, one of the largest city centre development opportunities in the country. Cllr Clancy said: “The Forum is a significant
development. Not only does it kick-start the development of Birmingham Smithfield, it delivers much needed new homes to the city.
Forum forum (l-r): Nicolas Guerin (managing director, Linkcity UK), Michael Pryer (partner – fund management, Rockspring PIM), Cllr Peter Griffiths (cabinet member for housing and homes, Birmingham City Council), Craig Tatton (managing director, Bouygues UK North & Midlands), Cllr John Clancy (leader of Birmingham City Council) and Edmund Craston (managing director, Rockspring PIM)
“There’s a housing crisis in this country and Birmingham is no exception. We need more affordable homes, we need more social housing and we need to give people hope. “With 3,000 new jobs and 2,000 new homes, Birmingham Smithfield puts people right at the heart of an exciting project.” Rockspring has already committed to Birmingham with its £60 million landmark office tower development on Colmore Row. Paul Hampton, partner at Rockspring, said: “This is an exciting project for us and is very much in line
with our strategic focus on rapidly improving residential sub markets within dynamic cities that are experiencing high levels of urbanisation and growth.” In another first for Birmingham, Rockspring
has appointed multi-family specialist, Atlas Residential to manage the residences. In addition to the 334 – five studio, 262 one-
bed and 67 two-bed - apartments, The Forum will boast a residents’ only gym, car park and landscaped gardens. The scheme is set to complete in mid-2018.
58 CHAMBERLINK December 2016/January 2017
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68