HSBC head office building gets the green light

BIRMINGHAM City Council has approved the plans for 2 Arena Central, the building selected by HSBC for the head office of its UK ring-fenced bank.

This confirmation follows the announcement earlier this month that HSBC and Arena Central Developments Limited (ACDL) had completed the forward purchase of the 210,000 sq ft 2 Arena Central, marking the largest property deal to take place in Birmingham since 2002.

Situated between the existing Alpha Tower and Municipal Bank on Broad Street and overlooking Centenary Square, 2 Arena Central is within the city centre Enterprise Zone.

The building will offer 190,790 sq ft of Grade A office space tailored specifically to meet HSBC’s requirements, with a further 13,450 sq ft of retail or restaurant space on the ground floor.

Designed by architects Make, the building has the capacity to accommodate up to 2,500 people and will be the first in Birmingham to be constructed to LEED (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design) Gold accreditation.

Site clearance work is already underway, with construction of 2 Arena Central due to start in the summer. The plan is for the building to be ready to be handed over to HSBC in mid-2017 for occupation in early 2018.

Arena Central is being delivered by ACDL, a joint venture between Miller Developments and Pro Vinci Asset Management.

Jonathan Wallis from ACDL said: “Receiving this consent brings us one step closer to the delivery of an exceedingly significant addition to Birmingham’s commercial landscape, supporting the city’s growing reputation as a leading centre for professional and financial services occupiers.

“The completion of the deal to HSBC, combined with the city council’s confirmation of the planning gives us the confidence to begin developing the public realm alongside this signature building.”