Approval sought for £100m city centre scheme
A £100m city centre residential scheme on the site of a former swimming baths has been submitted for approval by planners.
Camborne Land Investments’ Kent Street Baths scheme is for 500 apartments in the southside area of Birmingham.
Kent Street Baths was built in 1851, re-built in 1930 and knocked down in 2009. Camborne, in a joint venture with Urban High Developments, bought the 2.25 acre site from Benacre Properties in March.
Conal Long, investment director at Camborne Land Investments, said: “Our plans for a rental-led development at the former Kent Street Baths site continues the regeneration of Southside in Birmingham and will act as a gateway to the forthcoming transformational Smithfield development, whilst providing high quality housing that is both sustainable and accessible for modern living.”
The scheme is Camborne’s first UK residential development, although it has an aim of delivering 5,000 homes across the UK and Ireland over the next five years.
The Kent Street Baths scheme plans for 400 build to rent apartments and a further 100 homes for private sale.
The proposed scheme, designed by Glenn Howells Architects, has a mix of studio to three bedroom apartments in five buildings ranging from six to 18 storeys, around a courtyard with a central three-storey community hub.
Dav Bansal, director at Glenn Howells Architects, said: “Our key focus for the Kent Street Baths scheme is to ensure community is central to the development by creating a desirable, innovative and attractive environment for people to live and enjoy.”
Charles Gillett of Pennycuick Collins who advised The Gooch Estate, which retains its freehold interests in the site, added: “The Gooch Estate is fully committed to Camborne Land Investments’ vision for the scheme. This is an exciting addition to the growing range of accommodation projects located within the Gooch Estate and, there is huge demand for quality rental property in this vibrant part of the city.”
Subject to planning approval, work is expected to start on site in summer 2018.
