Aukett Swanke Regulatory News (AUK)

The latest phase of the new Eastside Locks development, Belmont Works, designed by architects Aukett Swanke for developers Goodman, has received planning permission. Together with the brand new buildings currently under construction, this building is a key element in the wider regeneration plans of the vibrant mixed-use Eastside Locks area of Birmingham.

In contrast to the new buildings currently underway at numbers 6 and 8 Cardigan Street, Belmont Works is a unlisted building of merit, a red brick and terracotta Victorian factory building which will be refurbished and given a new lease of life. The building has gone through a variety of uses over the years and a fire in 2007 caused significant damage. Located along the Digbeth Branch canal, Belmont Works has long been a recognisable local landmark.

Prominently positioned at the entrance to Eastside Locks, on the newly planned Arrival Square, this building will be configured for small- to medium-sized companies and graduate enterprises associated with the nearby University and wider design sector of Birmingham. By catering for smaller TMT-sector companies, projects such as this will change the way people do business in Birmingham helping make it a viable alternative to London.

It is believed by the designers and developers that the Eastside Locks masterplan represents a gravitational shift for Birmingham. With the proposed HS2 station located alongside the development, people will change the way they enter the city and this mixed-use urban quarter will become a new centre for the UK's second city.

UK Managing Director Luke Schuberth said: "The Eastside Locks masterplan will involve regeneration within a particular opportunity zone but also witness a wider shift in the centre of gravity for Birmingham as a whole. The individual projects on the site, such as Belmont Works, demonstrate how the working landscape of the whole city is changing in the near future and we're delighted to be a part of it".

Now that planning has been received work will commence on site in Spring 2016 and should complete in Autumn 2017.

http://www.aukettswanke.com/projects/BW_ESL