Chord Deeley has submitted a planning application for phase one of its £160m St Georges development in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.
The developer – a joint venture between Coventry-based Deeley Properties and local developer Chord – wants to convert the former Swan kitchenware factory, the Kettleworks, into 262,000 sq ft of office and retail space.
It will add a fifth floor to the building, which dates back to 1900, as well as refurbishing an office extension and converting an adjacent warehouse into a multi-storey car park.
The Kettleworks will provide 220,000 sq ft of office space. Quoting rents are £15/sq ft. There will also be 42,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space on the ground floor of the building, fronting a new public square.
The St Georges scheme will occupy a 6.8 acre site bounded by Icknield Street, Camden Street and Carver Street and the developer said it will act as a gateway to the Jewellery Quarter. It will include office, residential, retail and leisure space, including two hotels and a car park.
Deeley Properties founder Peter Deeley said: ‘St Georges occupies what was the former industrial fringe of the Jewellery Quarter. Sadly, many of the businesses have disappeared from this area and their premises fallen into disuse.
‘St Georges will create affordable employment space for around 3,000 people, returning this neglected former employment hub to vibrancy. We are also delighted to be ‘recycling’ two buildings, neither of which is listed.’
Chord Deeley aims to start work in late spring, with completion of phase one in spring 2010. Further development will be phased over the next three to five years.
Urban Initiatives are the masterplanners. GBR and DTZ are marketing the office space and Wright Silverwood is marketing the retail space. Online Architects is the architect.
