Birmingham shopping scheme gets the green light after leading retailer signs up

How the Sheldon retail scheme will look

Developers are optimistic of a new Birmingham retail park’s success following interest in the scheme by one of the UK’s leading retailers.

Chase Midland Estates resurrected plans for the five-unit site off Coventry Road, Sheldon, after a four-year hiatus when Marks & Spencer expressed interest in basing one of its new food-only stores within the scheme.

The developer identified the retailer’s interest when it submitted plans for the scheme to Birmingham City Council.

The plans mark the second phase of a scheme first proposed six years ago which saw the demolition of the former offices of Severn Trent and its replacement with a new Morrisons supermarket.

Next to the site were Cannon House, a three-storey office, and Cartland House, a narrow four-story office building. Both were demolished in July 2015. Adjacent to Cartland House had been another office-fronted industrial building; this was demolished in 2011.

The scheme, which has now secured planning permission form the local authority, will see the vacant site redeveloped to sustain the new development.

The 6,206.5 sqm scheme will be anchored by the new M&S Food store with a second unit taken by a gym operator. The food store will also include a small café with outdoor seating area.

The other units will remain as non-food retail uses, while the gym will be operated by the Gym Group.

In order to incorporate a gym within the scheme, a first floor is proposed above two of the units, adjacent to the Coventry Road. While this will increase the height of the building at, it will remain in keeping with the adjacent building and the Morrisons store on the opposite side of the car park.

Parking for the new development is essentially an extension of the Morrisons’ car park and will accommodate 65 spaces, adding to the 502 serving the supermarket.

A report to the city’s planning committee stated: “The proposed revised second and final phase of the comprehensive redevelopment of the wider site would provide modern retail units of an appropriate scale to the size and function of Sheldon District Centre.

“The scale of the building would also reflect Phase 1 as well as the status of the site’s location adjacent to this wide section of the heavily trafficked Coventry Road. The design of the building would provide a contemporary appearance with good active frontages to its public realms and would improve the character and quality of the locality.”

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