Building Briefs: Silver Blades, NBTY Europe, Calthorpe, health centre, Travelodge

PLANS for an ice rink in central Birmingham have been given a boost after the city council renewed planning consent for the project.

The redevelopment of the former Silver Blades venue was originally given consent in February 2008 but now Birmingham consultancy CSJ Brooke Smith has secured permission for a further three years on behalf of Lichfield-based Ragon.

The site (artist’s impressions below) is in Pershore Street, next to the wholesale markets, which are expected to relocate shortly.

The original consent was for the demolition of the existing ice rink and the erection of a 12-storey building comprising an ice rink, retail and commercial space, over 200 apartments and basement parking.

The renewed consent reflects the same mix and extent of accommodation.
CSJ Brooke Smith planner Keir Price said: “This comes hot on the heels of the Travelodge scheme in Digbeth. The renewed proposals for the ice rink site indicate continued confidence in the area.”

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SUPPLEMENT manufacturer NBTY Europe is officially opening its new UK headquarters and £7m production facility next Friday.

The company, which owns Holland and Barrett and Julian Graves among others, is unveiling a new central hub to support over 1,000 health food outlets.

The group’s new HQ is in Nuneaton and its 500,000 sq ft packaging and processing plant is in Burton-on-Trent. Visitors will have a tour of both plants and hear from NBTY Europe’s chief executive Peter Aldis.

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PLANNING permission has been granted to the ExtraCare Charitable Trust to regenerate a disused area off Birmingham’s Hagley Road.

Construction on the seven-acre project, which will develop a £40m retirement village including affordable homes, is set to begin in September.

The land, between 322- 336 Hagley Road, was previously owned by Birmingham-based developer Calthorpe Estates. The village will provide up to 80 full-time local jobs and a further 200 construction jobs during its development.

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A NEW £10.5m health and leisure centre in Newcastle will be called ‘Jubilee 2’ when it opens later this year.

The borough council invited staff and residents to send in name suggestions via its newspaper the Reporter. Rejected ideas included ‘Castle Olympia’, ‘Invigorate’ and ‘N-U-Life’.

Rugby-based builder Morgan Sindall is running the project on the site of the former Suburu garage, in Brunswick Street.

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BUDGET hotel chain Travelodge is estimating it will create 90 new jobs in Birmingham and Solihull when its three new hotels open later this year.

The 210-bed Birmingham Central Bull Ring hotel, set to open in May, will be located on Upper Dean Street while the Birmingham NEC hotel, in Terminal Road and due to open in September, will have 104 rooms.

The Birmingham Carrs Lane hotel is set to open in November and will have 88 rooms.