MIPIM news: New £20m university campus for Birmingham

DELEGATES to MIPIM have been given details of a scheme to build a new £20m campus for University College Birmingham on the edge of the Jewellery Quarter.

UCB plans to build on four acres on the edge of the Jewellery Quarter, it was announced to the global property conference in Cannes by Cllr Mike Whitby, the leader of Birmingham City Council.

It is one of a series of previews of new schemes taking place over the next ten years – the Decade of Delivery – as this year’s Birmingham mission to MIPIM is themed.

“The plans will be presented to the college board later this month and such is the interest in what we are doing in Birmingham that over 190 firms of architects in the UK, Europe and the US have already registered an interest in working with us,” said Cllr Whitby.

UCB Principal Prof Ray Linforth said the intention was  to develop a new campus on land bounded by George Street, Holland Street and Charlotte Street. The college already owns two acres and is under contract to purchase an adjoining site of similar size.

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UCB, formerly known as Birmingham College of Food, Tourism & Creative Studies, currently operates from 177,000 sq ft premises in Summer Row and also owns Richmond House (60,000 sq ft) in Newhall Street.

The intention is to develop the new campus in three phases starting with 80,000 sq ft which will house a new student  hub. The first phase will also include a new post-graduate centre and additional classrooms plus interlinking social space.

The initial phase will cost £20m, which Prof Linforth said would be funded from reserves and UCB plans to have the first part of the new campus open by 2013.

“This will be the largest capital project in the Jewellery Quarter in the next few years and will be a significant catalyst in the economic regeneration of the area,” said Prof Linforth.

 

 

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