A huge commercial property development scheme, which includes 165,000 sq ft of retail space, has been given the green light in Longbridge, Birmingham.
The scheme, is intended to be completed in three stages. With stage one, worth £70 million, granted detailed planning permission from Birmingham City Council, last week.
Regeneration specialist, St Mowden, is the company undertaking the project and they hope the scheme will hit the ground running, with construction of a supermarket, set to commence this summer. Mike Murray, senior development surveyor for St Modwen, said: ‘The plans for Longbridge town centre have always envisaged a major foodstore, and to have agreed a deal with Sainsbury’s to fulfill this key requirement at such an early stage in the project is a massive accomplishment.’ Mr Murray, added: ‘The store will act as a cornerstone for the retail phase of the town centre, and we anticipate high levels of interest in the remaining retail and leisure space from other potential occupiers following this announcement.’
The project is taking place on the site of the former MG Rover car manufacturing plant, an area of Longbridge, which is in much need of revitalisation. Following the collapse of MG Rover in 2005, much of the 69 acre site has been left dormant.
Stages two and three of the Longbridge scheme, will consist of the construction of even more commercial property in the area, in the form of an 80-bed hotel and further retail space. 40 apartments and car parking space, together with community space, including two acres of public parkland in the form of the newly created Austin Park, will also be included.
Local councilor, Timothy Huxtable, has thrown his weight behind the decision to award planning permission, claiming the scheme will provide a major economic boost for the Longbridge area, creating somewhere in the region of 1,000 new jobs.
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