Arena Central development reaches milestone

After more than 530,000 hours worked on site, HSBC UK’s new head office in Birmingham will be officially “topped out”.

The milestone, which marks the completion of the 10-storey structure, has been reached at the Arena Central development.

The 210,000 sq ft head office at Centenary Square is due to open in January, with more than 1,000 roles being transferred from London next year.

HSBC UK has signed a 250-year lease on the building, which will accommodate up to 2,500 people.

Antonio Simoes, chief executive of HSBC Bank, said: “The creation of HSBC UK’s new head office in Birmingham provides us with a once in a lifetime opportunity to build a new and better bank for our customers and people.

“It’s important that our new head office reflects our brand, culture and heritage and we have been working hard to create the right infrastructure and environment.”

HSBC UK will be led by chief executive Ian Stuart, with Dame Clara Furse as non-executive chairman.

The new head office building is part of the Arena Central development being delivered by ACDL, a joint venture led by Miller Developments.

Andrew Sutherland, joint managing director at Miller Developments, said: “This is a significant milestone in the delivery of this building and represents the culmination of the first phase of development.”