Solihull Town Centre including Eastgate
Solihull Town Centre presents a range of occupier, investment and development partner opportunities.
OPPORTUNITY
Through a phased development approach, the Business & Commercial Quarter offers opportunities such as, Westgate development which will be ready for occupation in around 100 weeks from when pre-let commitment and occupier interest is invited.
The Eastgate site is a prime location within the Business and Commercial quarter of the Town Centre. It is proposed that the Council will seek to procure and deliver a civic hub on the site, incorporating art and cultural functions as well as repurposing existing office space for the Council and its service delivery partners. There will also be the opportunity to bring in partners to deliver ancillary mixed-use development on the remainder of the site, at the heart of Solihull Town Centre.
Promoter: Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
Scale: £350m GDV
Sector: Housing, Commercial and Retail
Location: Solihull Town Centre
Investment Type: Delivery Partner
Programme: Programme to procure delivery partner for the first phase of works to begin Summer 2024
Planning Status: Westgate site has full planning consent
Website: www.investinukcentral.com
BACKGROUND
Solihull town centre is already a leading regional retail, leisure and office location with a number of high-profile occupiers and international retailers and brands.
The Solihull Town Centre Masterplan identifies the strategic development opportunity sites in the town centre, as well as the additional infrastructure requirements necessary to facilitate this development and wider growth.
Investment in accessibility through improved junctions, corridors and public realm across the centre is underway, creating connected quarters and supporting development. Designs are being developed for a new Integrated Transport Hub at Solihull rail station, incorporating new facilities and development, alongside a pioneering Low Carbon Energy Network, reducing operational costs for new and existing commercial and public sector schemes.
One opportunity, currently developed to pre-construction stage, led by the Council, is the 10,600m², Grade A office development Westgate: 21 Homer Road – delivering prime collaborative working spaces in a key location between the High Street and Solihull rail station.
Bookending the Business & Commercial Quarter, the Eastgate, Church Hill/ Homer Road site is strategically significant with connectivity into the High Street Retail Core. Its scale and potential are highly significant for Solihull.
DESCRIPTION
The project objectives for the Eastgate site and the desired outputs are:
- The provision of attractive and high-quality public spaces with the potential for an enhanced cultural and arts offer, including a significant new public space for the town centre and linkages to create a lively hub and meeting place for residents, workers, shoppers and customers.
- To improve town centre permeability and pedestrian flows through the provision of high-quality linkages, spaces, paths and other transport movements.
- Repurposing of existing Council accommodation, to offer public facing co-located services within a more efficient space which is flexible and capable of adapting to future change.
- The potential delivery of other ancillary uses such as retail, housing, leisure and food & beverage to create a distinctive, vibrant new quarter within the town - enhancing activity throughout the day and into the evening, in a scheme that is connected to, and supports the vitality of the wider town centre.
PROMOTER AND PARTNERSHIPS
The site is under the majority ownership of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, with third party ownerships to the north of the masterplan site alongside the High Street.
The site is being promoted by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, supported by West Midlands Combined Authority.
LOCATION
Located immediately off Junction 5 of the M42 Motorway, the town centre offers exceptional connectivity via road and rail. Solihull town centre is minutes away from Birmingham Airport, connecting to 140 direct international destinations, and the planned High Speed Interchange station connecting to London in 38 minutes.