Plans revealed for 39-storey city centre scheme
Moda Living has unveiled plans to build 722 new homes on Great Charles Street Birmingham.
Moda wants to transform the 2.6-acre, brownfield site to include amenities such as resident lounges, co-working spaces, a gym and 24-hour concierge. The plans also include new public amenities and activate Lionel Street with new shops and commercial space.
The plans have been designed by Ryder Architecture with landscaping and public realm designs by Oobe.
Forming part of the historic Jewellery Quarter, the site was identified as an ‘opportunity for change’ by Birmingham City Council, having remained undeveloped for over 50 years.
The corner of Great Charles Street and Livery Street will feature a 39-storey building. At the centre of the plans is 29,350 sq ft of interlinked public realm with three main landscaped areas including gardens, planting and seating areas.
Gareth Callen, partner, Ryder Architecture, said: “Great Charles Street is a key site at the transition between the Jewellery Quarter Conservation Area and Birmingham City Centre. We have developed our design proposals in detailed collaboration with officers of Birmingham City Council and all stakeholders creating a contemporary place truly influenced by history and context, reflecting the character, personality and dense urban grain of the Jewellery Quarter twinned with the strength and order of the larger buildings along Great Charles Street, exploiting the clarity of the reinstated Ludgate Passage to add order to this transition.
“This development could only be here, reflecting the rhythm, character and essence of this special place, the transition between the Jewellery quarter and the city.”
Luke Crane, executive director of the Jewellery Quarter Development Trust, said: “We’ve enjoyed several constructive discussions with Moda and have appreciated the opportunity to engage with, and shape, the Great Charles Street proposals from an early stage. We would encourage Jewellery Quarter residents to visit the public exhibition and look forward to hearing the views of the community in regards to this important site.”
Leader of Birmingham City Council, Ian Ward, said: “We are delighted to see Moda progressing with these hugely impressive plans to transform this long vacant plot in the heart of our city – in our Big City Plan. Bringing quality, new housing stock to the city is of paramount importance to this Council. Our aim is to continue to create a world-class city centre for everyone to enjoy by planning for the next 20 years of transformation and growth – and this project is an important part of that.”
Subject to planning, this will be Moda’s second site under development in the city, after The Mercian on Broad Street.
Tony Brooks, managing director at Moda, said: “We are thrilled to progress with our Great Charles Street development, our second site in a city we love. We strongly believe that Birmingham is not only a great city to live, work and invest in, but also to thrive in – and we want to offer next generation living to the people of this amazing city for years to come.
“Our build-to-rent projects are changing the way people live and make their home today. We provide more opportunities, amenities, options and facilities than ever before, all built sustainably with an especially strong commitment to their local communities. At Moda we are certain that service must no longer be seen as a premium but instead as the uncompromising core of our offer.
“The consultation we are running will be opportunity to view and comment on proposals to regenerate a significant and highly accessible brownfield site on the edge of the Jewellery Quarter. The site, currently vacant land used as car parking, will be an exciting new neighbourhood adding to the prosperity of the city. The local authority has been fantastic in helping to guide us on our journey.”
