Work to start on long-awaited Battery Park redevelopment

SUPERMARKET giant Sainsbury’s has announced that first phase work on the former Battery Park site at Selly Oak in Birmingham will begin next week.

The retailer has appointed P.J Carey (Contractors) as the site contractor. It will carry out land remediation works and service diversions, completing in early 2016.

Plans to transform the site into a mixed use retail-led destination and a centre of life sciences research were approved by Birmingham City Council in November 2013.

The Harvest Partnership, a joint venture between Land Securities and Sainsbury’s, will deliver the retail element. The scheme will be anchored by a new Sainsbury’s store and will also include other shops, places to eat and drink, and student housing.

Construction work for this stage of the scheme is scheduled to start in early 2016 and be completed by autumn 2017.

The development of the Life Sciences Campus, facilitated by Birmingham City Council, is intended to complement the work at the nearby Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the University of Birmingham.
 
Michael Adenmosun, portfolio development manager for Sainsbury’s, said: “We are delighted to announce a contractor for the Selly Oak development and a date for starting works at the site.

“This has been a long-time coming but we have reached a key milestone and can finally begin remediation works.

“The site will be completely regenerated to restore Selly Oak’s status as a leading district centre, offering quality retail choice and leading the way in medical research.

Sir Albert Bore, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “The Life Sciences Campus will not only create a leading-edge hub in this important growth sector, it will continue the place making and regeneration of Selly Oak and Edgbaston.

“Early interest in the site is promising to outstrip the available space, and we are already considering additional sites in south Birmingham – a fantastic boost for the local and regional economy.”

The site has been derelict for 30 years and has a history of landfill use.

The planning process became bogged down over the Harvest Partnership’s commitment to regenerating the derelict Lapal Canal that runs through the site.  

The partnership pledged to pay an extra £767,000 towards the restoration of the canal to secure the go-ahead for the development.