MODA's 722 BTR Scheme at Great Charles Street Set For Approval

Plans for a 722 build-to-rent apartment complex on 'the bomb site' in the Jewellery Quarter have moved closer to being realised, with Great Charles Street recommended for approval.

Plans will go forward to next week’s Planning Committee on November 18th 2020, at 11 am.

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MODA Living and Apache Capital Partners’ second development in the city will see a new mixed-use scheme of 722 build-to-rent apartments at Great Charles Street.

Ryder Architecture has meticulously designed the scheme to provide a transition between the Jewellery Quarter Conservation Area and the city core.

It’ll feature three new-build blocks of 5-6 storeys, 6-16, and a signature 39-storey (126.15m) tower. 

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The apartment mix will deliver a healthy 372 one, 315 two, and 35 three-bedroom apartments, in a range of types and sizes.

Broken down, this will accommodate 158 one bed (one person) apartments (42- 45sqm); 213 one bed (two-person) apartments (50sqm); 315 two-bed apartments (70- 86sqm); and 35 three-bed units (93- 113sqm).

To keep the development viable, 5% (36 units) of on-site affordable housing provision at a 20% discount will be allocated. These will comprise 18 one-bedroom (two-person) & 18 two-bedroom (four-person) apartments.

HEALTHY LIVING & WIDE-RANGING AMENITIES

MODA actively promote healthy, socially connected living for all of their residents; with an abundance of state-of-the-art amenities on offer across all of their projects, and this one will be no different.

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Residents will have access to lounges, health and wellbeing facilities, a cinema room, open-air rooftop terraces, landscaped private and public gardens, 24/7 concierge service, and flexible workspaces.

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Away from the building aspect, improvements to the public realm around the site will feature a brand new plaza and arrival space, with upgraded footways, tree planting, and the addition of street furniture.

The setback 39-storey tower will, too, incorporate an amenity area at the foot of the building, and on the 16th floor - with the massing of the building punctuated with this space, as seen in the renderings.

With a top-notch design to boot, MODA has arguably raised the bar for amenities and design in Birmingham, with other developers in the city playing catch up.

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ACTIVE COMMERCIAL FRONTAGES

Pivotal. The intention here is to create a vibrant site that not only complements its surroundings, but one that enhances the hustle and bustle (pre and post-Covid) of the surrounding area.

The aim is to turn this site into a go-to destination with public-friendly frontages with an eclectic range of uses.

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All units will be on the lower and upper ground floors of the site’s perimeter.

Many boutique bars, retail units and/or independent cafe's and restaurants could well move here - these will come forward later on down the line. Other uses will include health and wellbeing, workspace and leisure units. 

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THE BUILDS

Birmingham City Council has long pushed for a strategically placed, well-designed landmark building at the corner of Great Charles Street & Livery Street, as per the framework documents of the Big City Plan (2011) and Snow Hill Masterplan (2015).

The massing of the 6-16 storey building largely helps ingratiate the tower into the development, without being overly excessive to the surrounding area - although some might think otherwise.

MODA had initially opened negotiations with a 55-storey, however, this was deemed too excessive for the area, and rightly so.

So let’s take a brief look at how the site has been set up.

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Lionel Street above and below (Block C) has been designed to complement and reflect the fabric of the Jewellery Quarter, with its proportions, fenestration and brickwork.

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Again, along Ludgate Hill, we’ll see a transition, with the sympathetically designed builds at the back soon making way for a stepped-up approach as you head towards Great Charles Street Queensway; this is to support the relationship of the emerging Snow Hill District mentioned earlier.

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ACCESS & PARKING

Access will be a fluid one, with locations earmarked for the corners of Ludgate Hill/ Lionel Street and Great Charles Street/ Livery Street. It’s here where the site’s reception facilities and MODA staff will be.

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The development will, of course, replace a 200+ car park and, given the location of the site, Great Charles Street will provide 41 car parking spaces & 4 EV (electric vehicle charging points).

4 motorcycle bays and 462 secure cycle storage are provided too, with provision for more if needed.

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It is acknowledged that there will be an impact on local heritage assets. However, it is widely accepted that the public benefits outweigh these.

The development is therefore recommended for approval subject to a Section 111 Agreement to secure: 36 on-site affordable apartments; £960K public realm; repaving of pavements in Staffordshire blue brick and repaving of Great Charles Street to a value of £605,000; a contribution of £30,000 towards improvements to and/or maintenance of the Great Charles Street subway; provision of CCTV; and the creation of service lay-bys/ taxi drop off/ signage/ street furniture to a value of £210,000. Exciting stuff!

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