Arena Central Granted Planning Permission to Extend Office Offer

Arena Central, the major mixed-use regeneration scheme has received planning permission to increase the maximum permitted B1 office space at the development from 500,000 sq ft to no more than 800,000 sq ft.

As a result of the lack of large office enquires needed to kick start the prime Birmingham city centre mixed use scheme, the joint venture between Miller Developments and Bridgehouse Capital, Arena Central Developments LLP (ACDL), has used the interim period to ensure that it is best positioned to take advantage of the upturn in the market by applying for the revised planning permission.

Commenting on Arena Central, Jonathan Wallis, Director of Miller Developments, said: “I am delighted to announce that we have received planning permission to increase the maximum permitted B1 office space subject to completing a Deed of Variation to the Section 106 Planning Obligation.

“This strategy mirrors the marketplace and Birmingham City Council's vision for Westside to provide new mixed-use, office led floor space in line with the Big City Plan Stage 2 masterplan. We estimate that the additional 300,000 sq ft of offices will generate over 2,000 office based jobs in the coming years.”

Despite the increase in office space, the overall permitted development size of 2.3 million sq ft will remain, with sustainability at the heart of the design process and a commitment to deliver BREEAM ‘Excellent’ buildings as a minimum standard.

In addition, ACDL has worked closely with Birmingham City Council’s Highway and Planning Departments and have agreed a re-phasing of the Section 106 payments and Section 278 highway works in order to assist the redevelopment of this key strategic site within Birmingham City Centre.

Martin Guest, Managing Director of CBRE Birmingham, joint letting agents on the scheme with GVA commented:  “Arena Central is already extremely well placed to capture any bespoke pre-let enquiries, not just because of its central location, prominence and high profile but also its unrivalled deliverability with a consent and worked up design for a scheme of two or four buildings. The increased office capacity to 800,000 sq ft will further enhance its appeal making it the city centres’ largest consented, deliverable, office scheme, providing greater critical mass and even more flexibility of offer.”

The initial demolition phase at the Arena Central site is now complete, ensuring ACDL is ready to respond rapidly when new enquiries arise by removing the longer lead-in elements of the development programme.

Cllr Timothy Huxtable, Cabinet Member for Transportation and Regeneration, commented: "Alongside projects such as New Street Station, The Library of Birmingham, Eastside and HS2, Arena Central is one of the key cornerstones of development which will underpin Birmingham's future as laid out in the Big City Plan.

"Our ability to provide high quality office space in key strategic locations within the city will be key to our growth as the economy emerges from the downturn. Only by possessing a ready supply of such facilities can we hope to sustain and capitalise on our reputation as one of Europe's premier economic centres, particularly for professional services and major company relocation."

Ends

Notes to editor

Arena Central is a £400m development with existing outline planning permission for 2.3million sq ft of mixed-use development, comprising offices, residential, leisure and retail space, car parking and a public square forming the centrepiece of the development.  Existing buildings on the site include Alpha Tower and the Crowne Plaza hotel.