News

Great Charles Street given green light by Birmingham City Council

Acting on behalf of Moda, Turley has secured approval for plans for 722 homes, exclusively for rent, alongside boutique retail, bars, and cafes in the Jewellery Quarter which will create hundreds of jobs.

We provided expert Planning, Heritage & Townscape, Economics, EIA and Development Viability services for Great Charles Street, Moda’s second development in the city in its Build to Rent (BTR) platform with funding partner Apache Capital, which has been given the green light by Birmingham City Council’s Planning Committee.

Moda Living, the UK's fastest growing rental brand focused on the design, delivery, and long-term management of its Next Generation Neighbourhoods, will now be able to move forward with the redevelopment of Great Charles Street Car Park in the Jewellery Quarter. The site has remained undeveloped for over 70 years and has long been identified by Birmingham City Council as an opportunity for regeneration.

Moda’s proposals are set to deliver a £260m state-of-the-art development to create a cohesive residential community consisting of 722 new homes, exclusively for rent, including affordable housing, indoor/outdoor amenity facilities, and new public realm. Ground floor boutique retail, independent café-bars and restaurants, and workspace for small businesses and freelancers are also included – which aim to draw people from the city centre into the Jewellery Quarter.

With a unique focus on health and wellbeing in an inclusive Moda community, residents will have access to a host of on-site amenities with mental and physical health and wellbeing benefits at its heart. Facilities include gyms and wellness zones, green spaces, roof terraces, communal lounges, workspace and superfast broadband – all included within the rental price.

Now approved, the plans would create around 470 new jobs and deliver £92m in GVA to the West Midlands region. As part of the project, Moda has committed to support 240,000 person hours for locals, from apprenticeships to graduate roles.

Tony Brooks, Managing Director at Moda Living, said:

“Great Charles Street will be a fantastic asset for Birmingham and we are delighted that Birmingham City Council has now backed our exciting vision. Our team has designed a quality scheme reflecting the site’s location as an area of transition between the Jewellery Quarter and Colmore Business District, respecting its location within the Conservation Area. This decision is the culmination of months of collaboration with planning officers, stakeholders and residents. We are keen to get on site to start delivering this important, sustainable project, create jobs and invest in Birmingham over a long-term horizon.”

“Moda aims to be one of the highest quality rental brands in the UK, and a professional landlord that cares about its residents. We have a track record of adding value to communities and delivering a housing product that locals want. Going through a pandemic has driven us to think harder about how we want to live in a post-Covid world, and inspired us to evolve our brand accordingly.”

Richard Jackson, co-founder and managing director at Apache Capital, added:

“With compelling market fundamentals such as the youngest population of any major European city, and a growing number of corporate occupiers calling the city home, we are confident to be funding a second scheme in Birmingham, and anticipate strong demand for both Great Charles Street and The Mercian when they complete.”

Now that Great Charles Street is approved, Birmingham will be the only city in the UK to host two of Moda’s ‘Next Generation Neighbourhoods’.

23 November 2020