West Bromwich regeneration scheme gets go-ahead
Jan 26 2009 by Alun Thorne, Birmingham Post
The regeneration of the centre of West Bromwich has been given a boost after detailed plans for the new £75million business quarter were given the green light by planners.
The go-ahead for the Stoford scheme comes as the future of The Public – the much maligned arts centre opened in June last year and designed as a catalyst for future investment in the town – looks increasingly in doubt with the Arts Council deciding tomorrow on how to continue its funding commitment to the project.
The All Saints scheme has already enjoyed considerably more success with the centrepiece of the development – a landmark 120,000-sq ft six-storey office building – already pre-let to BT Liberata creating 450 jobs.
Sandwell Borough Council has also granted Stoford outline approval for the 245,000-sq ft first phase of the 270,000-sq ft scheme, which is master-planned by Glenn Howells Architects. The development is to be built in collaboration with the council, local regeneration company RegenCo, and the development agency Advantage West Midlands, which has committed £14 million to the project. The main busilding will provide a central atrium looking out on to a new fully landscaped public square with plans extend to pedestrian and cycle links to the town and on to a proposed major new retail development anchored by a Tesco Extra store.
The project was given a further boost early last year when Stoford won a competition for £10million of interest-free financing for three years which it pledged to use for the delivery of the All Saints scheme.
The Birmingham-based group beat off competition from the likes of Barwood Developments Ltd, Birmingham Development Company – the company behind The Mailbox and The Cube – City & Country Group and The Duncan Group, to win the Midlands and East Anglia territory final of the Bank of Scotland Corporate £30million search for property entrepreneurs.
Jon Andrews, Stoford director, said: “We will now be able to press ahead with creating a landmark office development in an attractive mixed use setting that will regenerate West Bromwich as a prime business location and set new industry standards in sustainable design.”
Karen Walker, chief executive of RegenCo, said: “The outline planning approval for phase one of the overall All Saints scheme and full approval for the BT Liberata building is an exciting and important step toward the creation of a major new office development in West Bromwich.”
Coun Bob Badham, Sandwell’s cabinet member for regeneration, said: “It’s an absolute necessity that we get high-quality office accommodation as part of the overall regeneration of West Bromwich together with the jobs it will create. This scheme is a welcome antidote to talk of the economic downturn.”
Steve Smith from BT and chief executive officer for Transform Sandwell said: “The regional business centre is an important part of BT’s commitment to regeneration in Sandwell. It will greatly improve the working environment and enable transformation and expansion of the services we deliver to Sandwell Council and its citizens.”
Mark Foley, partnerships director for Advantage West Midlands, added: “Alongside the proposed college development it marks the first steps in the changing face of the town, bringing jobs and new commercial opportunities to West Bromwich.”
