Jewellery Quarter - Future

Future

Birmingham City Council's plan to develop the Jewellery Quarter into a hub for creative businesses has attracted significant amounts of private investment into the Quarter in recent years. Numerous proposals have been proposed and approved for mixed-use schemes in the area. Due to being a conservation area, many schemes involve the refurbishment of existing buildings although there are many new-build projects as well.

One of the largest developments proposed for the Jewellery Quarter is the redevelopment of the A. E. Harris premises on Northwood Street. To be developed by A. E. Harris, a sheet metal manufacturing firm, and designed by John Simpson & Partners, the initial scheme involved the demolition of the existing A. E. Harris engineering sheds to make way for 211 residential units, 1,725 square metres (18,568 sq ft) of retail and restaurant facilities, a medical centre and an art gallery, 6,065 square metres (65,283 sq ft) of new B1 space, one third of which is affordable workshop space designed to maintain and promote jewellery-related activities within the area. The current scheme now contains 151 apartments. The design involves the retention of a Grade II listed building as well as two other buildings which are important to the local history and townscape. To maintain the fabric of the Jewellery Quarter, several new streets and lanes are being created as part of the scheme. The scheme is being undertaken by the firm in an attempt to safeguard the company's future as it is being hit by competition in the Far East. The money generated as a result of the proposal will be invested in the creation of new industrial premises for A. E. Harris, who are now in partnership with Advantage West Midlands. The scheme was initially rejected by councillors in 2005 due to the design of a proposed seven storey office building within the scheme. However, the revised scheme was submitted in 2006 and received outline planning permission in 2008, despite strong objections from conservation societies who were worried that the scheme would increase land values in the immediate area by 900%, forcing out businesses. There was also anger towards the number of residential units proposed as part of the development.

Another major proposal for the area is Newhall Square, which consists of a mixture of apartments, retail units, office space and a Travelodge hotel. It is being constructed on the former site of the Museum of Science and Industry, which closed in 1997. When the museum closed, the site, owned by the City Council, became surplus to requirements and was marketed for disposal in 2001. In January 2002, a Development Brief was adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance to provide prospective developers with information on how to develop the site appropriately. Following the publishing of the Development Brief, bids were made by developers for the site and a shortlisting process began. On 9 December 2002, RO St Bernard's Ltd were selected as the preferred developers for the site. A planning application for the site was submitted in 2005 and was approved in March 2006. The development on the 2.34-acre (9,500 m2) site is estimated to cost £63 million and will centre around a piazza. There will be 234 apartments, although 140 of these will be included in the 'Jewellery Box' phase of the development which was designed by Associated Architects. The Jewellery Box will also consist of 70,000 square feet (6,503 m2) of office space, as well as retail units and arts/exhibition space alongside the 100 bedroom Travelodge hotel. The Whitmore Warehouse in the centre of the site and 144 Newhall Street will converted as part of the scheme. Demolition of the site commenced in September 2006 and constructed started in late 2007. Of the buildings that were demolished was the James Watt building which housed the oldest working steam engine in the world built by James Watt.

St Paul's Square is becoming central to development schemes in the Jewellery Quarter. One major development overlooking the square is the £35 million St Paul's Place scheme by Chord Developments. It is a mixed-use development consisting of 148 apartments, including a range of studio, one and two bedroom apartments, plus three penthouses, and 35,973 square feet (3,342 m2) of office space. It was designed by a team within Chord Developments and the construction work is being carried out by Costains. Chord has spent more than three years developing the scheme, which includes the restoration of the facade of the Thomas Walker building, the former buckle maker, which fronts onto St Paul's Square. Chord has created two courtyards and added three new wings to the former factory, on Northwood Street, Caroline Street and James Street. The new build extensions have been built in red brick to reflect the original building. At the heart of the development is a communal courtyard, designed by award-winning landscape architect Alan Gardner. Chord Developments also gave £60,000 towards the improvement of the lighting in the square and installation of CCTV. Another scheme by Chord Developments in the Jewellery Quarter is JQ One which is a smaller development consisting of 43 apartments, one of which beind a two storey penthouse apartment. JQ One is located on the junction of Newhall Street and George Street.

A smaller development is the refurbishment of the Chamberlain Building, which overlooks the Chamberlain Clock. It has received a major facelift by MCD Property as Tesco, William Hill and Subway have signed up for the ground floor. The two floors above were refurbished to provide approximately 10,000 square feet (929 m2) of office space. Another small development is Spencer Point on Spencer Street which has been designed and is being constructed by PCPT Architects, who will move into the building when it is completed. There will also be 13 residential units and the building is to become one of the most eco-friendly buildings in the Jewellery Quarter when completed. It is due for completion in late 2008.

On the fringe of the Jewellery Quarter is the St Georges development which is being built by developer Chord Deeley. Covering an area of 6.8 acres (28,000 m2), it is the largest scheme proposed for the Jewellery Quarter. The site is bounded by Icknield Street, Camden Street and Carver Street and incorporating Pope Street and Moreton Street. It has been masterplanned by Urban Initiatives and will include 695 apartments, eight live/work spaces, 8,689 square metres (93,528 sq ft) of offices, 1,145 square metres (12,325 sq ft) of bars and restaurants, 2,274 square metres (24,477 sq ft) of retail, plus a 237 space multi-storey car park, in seven blocks. Also within the scheme are two hotels, including a £15 million Ramada Encore hotel with 151 rooms on the corner of Icknield Street and Pope Street. The second hotel will contain 100 rooms. Alfred McAlpine and New World Leisure have been appointed by Chord Deeley to develop and operate the hotels in a joint venture. Most of the buildings on the site are derelict and in a poor state of repair and whilst none of them are listed, the Kettleworks, the former Swan kitchenware factory which dates back to 1890, is to be retained. Work began in summer 2008 on the first phase and the entire scheme is expected to be completed in 2012. It is estimated to cost £130 million and is hoped that between 1,500-2,500 jobs will be created as a result.

Also on the fringe of the Jewellery Quarter is the Birmingham Mint redevelopment by Junared Property Group. When the Mint closed in 2003, work got underway to find an alternative use for the site. Demolition work on the site commenced in early 2007 and construction in September 2007. The scheme has been designed by Ian Darby Partnership and is being developed in two phases. Phase 1 will include 192 apartments and approximately 60,000 square feet (5,574 m2) of offices whilst Phase 2 will consist of 62 apartments and a 50,000-square-foot (4,645 m2) data centre is now in the planning stage. Ninex are constructing the complex. As part of the scheme, the Grade II listed façade and the 130-foot (40 m) chimney are being retained and incorporated.