Demolition begins ahead of £330m regeneration project in Edgbaston
Demolition of two multi-storey offices on the Calthorpe Estate has begun, making way for the Build-to-Rent apartments as part of the £330m New Garden Square regeneration project.
Removal of the five and six-storey buildings, located on 123 -127 Hagley Road, will form part of the preparations for New Garden Square, a project which will see the 1960s commercial estate in Edgbaston transformed into a 4.3 hectare (10.7-acre) mixed-use scheme.
Calthorpe Estates has appointed specialists DSM Group to carry out the demolition of the 35,000 sq ft and 63,000 sq ft offices.
The entire project is expected to take approximately 15 weeks, with the full demolition completed by October 2020.
Billy Young, director for DSM Group, said: “We began work on the site in March of this year, with work on the physical demolition commencing in recent weeks. Using a mechanical method of deconstruction means that we can take down the structure efficiently and safely, limiting disruption to the local area.
“The site is fully secured, with construction waste being segregated, disposed of and reused where possible. As both buildings are typical of their era, constructed using insitu concrete, it means much of the construction waste can be recycled.”
Ralph Minott, director of development for Calthorpe Estates, added: “We commenced working with DSM at New Garden Square back in 2018, when we appointed them for the demolition of the 20 storey Edgbaston House. It was quite complicated precast pretensioned construction, to effectively demolish the offices DSM used their high reach machine which is the only one in UK. DSM have continued to support our demolition progress at the site, gaining vital intel on the 60 year historic constraints of its first regeneration of the 60-80’s, and we are keen to capitalise on the team’s expertise and experience as the transformation of this landmark site in Edgbaston continues.
“The demolition of 123 -127 Hagley Road is yet another milestone in the development of New Garden Square, and the changing shape of the Birmingham skyline, as our plans for this ambitious scheme begin to take shape. We’re excited to be progressing to the next phase of work, in spite of the current challenging circumstances, as the arrival of this new, thriving area in Edgbaston – which will be a mixed-use destination in its own right – comes ever closer.”
