Henderson Global Investors’ property fund management arm is to hold a two day consultation event on 21 and 22 August to gather views on a proposed £70million redevelopment scheme at 55 Temple Row, opposite St Philip’s Cathedral in central Birmingham. Following feedback from the consultation process, a planning application will be prepared for a circa 18,000m² (190,000ft²) Grade A office building with ground floor retail uses.

The existing building at 55 Temple Row was commissioned by The Bank of England and completed in 1972.

With a large basement banking vault and offices located off a podium entrance, the building required significant adaptation when it was vacated by the Bank and sold in 1997.

The redevelopment of 55 Temple Row aims to provide some of best new office space in Birmingham. It will also create a building that is in keeping with the Colmore Row Conservation Area, reinstating the traditional street frontages with a building of a scale and character to fit in well with its surroundings.
Acclaimed London-based architectural practice Squire and Partners - which has considerable experience of working within historic conservation areas - has produced the proposed designs for the new scheme.

Geoff Harris, director of commercial property development at Henderson comments: “We aim to achieve a modern building with the classical elegance and symmetry that will enhance the Colmore Row Conservation Area.

“The two day public consultation event that we are holding on 21st and 22nd August will allow us to speak to local workers and residents about the plans for 55 Temple Row. This will be an important new building that will help consolidate the commercial heart of Birmingham.”

The proposed new 10 storey building will include 1,662m² (17,890ft²) of retail space and 16,196m² (174,334ft²) of Grade A office accommodation. New street frontage retail units will help to attract high end shops to Cannon Street, Temple Row and New Cannon Passage. The new office space, which has been designed to achieve an ‘Excellent’ Building Research Establishment rating for environmental performance will appeal to the most discerning office occupiers in Birmingham and will enhance the city’s inward investment offering.

The majority of the building will be faced in stone that is in sympathy with the cathedral square and Colmore Row vicinity. Part of the scheme, adjoining Cannon Street, will be in brick to blend well with the existing buildings.

The two day public consultation exhibition will take place at The Studio, 7 Cannon Street between 12noon -7.30pm on Thursday 21st August and 10am - 5pm on Friday 22nd August. Representatives from Henderson, Squire and Partners and other members of the project team will be on hand to explain the scale model and visuals of the proposed scheme.

source : Henderson Global Investors