A Symbol of Birmingham's Future
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A symbol of Birmingham’s future. woodbournegroup.com Vision Statement Vision A symbol of Birmingham’s future 03 22 36 - Net Zero Carbon Vision Statement Net Zero Carbon Galton Skytree 06 24 38 Background Wellbeing Boulton Tower 08 26 40 Site History Landscaping and Life Sciences Public Realm Pick any of the countless collisions of creativity that Every year, 21 million people driving into Birmingham created the fabric of Birmingham, the texture and will see Curzon Wharf and know they’re here. the identity of this magnificent metropolis, and there An indelible, incredible landmark for Brummies was always a time when daily life didn’t include them. has returned. This is an exciting new dawn for The Rotunda was once just a plan, sketched with a Birmingham. A true landmark at the northern gate. draughtsman’s pencil. There was a time when the smallest bit of the library was at the bottom, not at the Woodbourne Group is a Birmingham-born company 10 30 42 top. But remember this moment, this now, this before, Site Context that has a personal interest in elevating the city, Accommodation Why Birmingham? as Curzon Wharf sets to change the city. This isn’t just preparing it for its next chapter. We are excited by the a development, it’s a manifesto. potential that Curzon Wharf offers. After reading this document, we hope that you are too. Curzon Wharf will reinvent a 1960’s site into a newly reinvigorated, dynamic, world-class and sustainable mixed-use ecosystem of commercial, retail, a new breed of residential and student living with vast public spaces. It will be the first net zero-carbon mixed-use 16 32 44 ecosystem in the UK, paving Birmingham’s route to Site Plan Watt Tower Economic Benefits delivering transformational change to the city. It promotes social, cultural and economic exchange - a Tani Dulay truly transformative urban neighbourhood. Chief Executive This vision document has been prepared by Woodbourne Group in consultation with its partners. Nothing in this document 48 should be interpreted in such a way as to assume there would be any disruption in trade to current businesses operating on Conclusion the site. This has been produced in support of Birmingham City Council’s ‘Our Future City Plan - Central Birmingham 2040’ 4 Background An exciting new dawn for Birmingham Woodbourne Group has Woodbourne Group assembled Curzon Wharf developed its proposals with through the acquisition of three separate adjoining sites over a period of three years – Motorway Trading Birmingham City Council and Estate in 2016; Unit 7 (formerly part of the Motorway is now pleased to present the Trading Estate) in 2017; and Mill Wharf in 2019. result of an iterative process in this vision document. The extent of the proposed site is defined by the canal to the south, Mill Street and Aston Locks to the east, the A38(M) Dartmouth Circus roundabout to the north and Aston Road to the west. The land is currently referred to as the Motorway Trading Estate. In November 2017, Woodbourne Group met with Birmingham City Council, to discuss the prospects of a major redevelopment and presented a scheme which covered the land to the north of Mill Street only. The Council advised that the prospects of securing planning permission for the redevelopment of the site, would be increased significantly, if the land to the south of Mill Street (Mill Wharf), was included within the proposal to incorporate the canal-side to form a comprehensive masterplan. Subsequently, Woodbourne Group acquired the land to the south of Mill Street (Mill Wharf) in Autumn 2019 and met with Council representatives again. The Policy Officer concluded that there was an exceptional justification in principle in support of the exciting masterplan being proposed. 6 Site History Looking to the past to inform the future. 1780’S 1838 1900’S Historically, the site and surrounding area comprised roundabout to the north. By the 1990s, the site had industrial buildings, including various metal, iron and been substantially redeveloped with modern light gas works, situated on the north bank of Aston Locks industrial units, educational and office buildings, and along the banks of the Birmingham and Fazeley except for part of the external wall of the former Canal (built in 1789). The two listed roving bridges to ironworks to the south-east of Mill Street which was the south of the site date from c.1789 and c.1828. retained to create a car park. EARLY HISTORY EARLY On mapping from 1817 by Robert Dawson, the site The buildings that remain on the site date from appears to be undeveloped. However, by the turn of 1978 to 2004. Based on historic mapping, the site’s CURZON STREET STATION the Twentieth Century, Ordnance Survey (OS) maps southern boundary wall dates from the Nineteenth & MILL INDUSTRIAL FOUNDRY show that the northern part of the site was a mixed Century, potentially earlier. In the wider area, a large industrial and residential area, comprising Coldfield number of small terraced and back-to-back housing Ironworks, Mill Street Foundry, two malthouses, a were built during the post-war period, which remain. sawmill, the Globe Works factory and a small amount of residential housing. The Dartmouth roundabout and surrounding road network dominate the site’s immediate setting to the This was undoubtedly due to the site’s close proximity north and east. The surrounding area is currently 1950’S 1970’S TODAY to the canal which provided easy access to the rest of in a state of transition including development by the British canal network and the arrival of the railway Aston University to the south-west, Birmingham at Birmingham station (now Curzon Street station), City University and an 11-storey office building built in 1838. This made it easy to transport raw (ref. 2019/10607/PA) just south of the canal and materials and distribute finished products. immediately opposite the site on Holt Street. In c.1970, the north-western part of the site was cleared to make way for the widening of Aston CIRCUS DARTMOUTH Road as it approached the new Dartmouth Circus HORSE DRAWN COAL BARGE COAL HORSE DRAWN CURZON WHARF MASTERPLAN 8 Site Context A defining vision for Birmingham INNOVATION BIRMINGHAM ASTON UNIVERSITY NATIONAL COLLEGE FOR ADVANCED TRANSPORT & INFRASTRUCTURE/HS COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM CITY UNIVERSITY BIRMINGHAM COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST MATTHEW BOULTON COLLEGE MILLENNIUM POINT SNOW HILL THINKTANK Over recent years, there has been unprecedented In this context, we recognise that the Curzon Wharf STATION SCIENCE MUSEUM regeneration throughout the city as it brings its masterplan needs to ‘alive to’ and align with changes BIRMINGHAM METROPOLITAN HS CURZON STREET industrial heritage up to date and continues its in the surrounding environment, not only should it be COLLEGE/BIRMINGHAM ORMISTON STATION ACADEMY journey. However, there are still areas of the city capable of responding positively to this evolution but which urgently need reviving. One such area is the it should also strive to lead it. district of Eastside, soon to be home to the HS2 Alongside Curzon Wharf, these developments will Curzon Street station. MOOR STREET provide a catalyst to new transport and access links, STATION including the Sprint and Metro lines. The Birmingham TYPHOO WHARF The proposed development at Curzon Wharf will be Transport Plan 2031, released in January 2020, in line with the vision of the Big City framework, the describes what the city needs to do to capitalise on objectives of Birmingham City Council’s Sustainable the recent and planned investment and also what the NEW STREET STATION Community Strategy and the newly launched Our city needs to do differently to meet the demands of Future City Plan: Central Birmingham 2040. The the future. The plan includes a series of principles to masterplan has also been prepared within the context guide future transport investment which are of the adopted Birmingham Development Plan designed to: (2017) which sets out a spatial vision and strategy to enable sustainable growth in the city up to 2031. • Reduce transport’s damaging impact on the environment CUSTARD DIGBETH COACH FACTORY Y STATION Within the surrounding area, there are many other A W • Eliminate road danger particularly in W O S O S D ongoing and future developments including: E D I residential areas C G R P O B E X C E T K H N S B O T R • Reconnect communities by prioritising people T R A S N E A C E • HS2 Curzon Street station H over cars T C A N AL • Eastside Locks Y C IT A S RD R IG The area surrounding Curzon Wharf is undergoing E AN IV • Malthouse ST N R U E huge transformation with a number of masterplans N E T O T • Birmingham Conservatoire AS set to shape the character of the area over the E S U • Typhoo Wharf coming generation. The Curzon Wharf masterplan O D H S OA S S R is not only mindful in responding to this changing A EN M N N • Aston Science Park E T character, but proactive. It acts as a catalyst for all J EE R T S N • The Knowledge Hub Masterplan adjoining masterplans which otherwise would not be URZO C able to be achieved. Combined, the area is identified • Moor Street Station as a significant development opportunity and a prime location for buildings of quality and scale to act as a key gateway into the city. 10 Big City Plan Birmingham Curzon HS2 Masterplan Snow Hill Masterplan Central Birmingham 2040 The Big City Plan is a framework for Birmingham city centre, The Curzon HS2 Masterplan outlines proposals for the The Snow Hill Masterplan sets out an approach to maximise This plan outlines an ambitious vision to support a green, set out to revitalise the city and turn it into a world-class 141-hectare area of regeneration which will incorporate the the development of the Snow Hill district and transform liveable and globally leading city that responds to changing destination over the next two decades.