Remember The Beorma Quarter? Now A Compulsory Purchase Order Could Make It Happen
The Beorma Quarter development has been on the brink of happening for the last 11 years. Now, maybe it will, thanks to a compulsory purchase order by Birmingham City Council.
Council paperwork reveals plans to agree a compulsory purchase order to facilitate development, with a target date as soon as November.
The CPO idea, which is being handled by council leader Ian Ward, is listed among the city council’s forward plans.
“Proposed Compulsory Purchase Order – Digbeth & Allison Street Birmingham for the Beorma Quarter Development… To seek approval to facilitate the purchase of outstanding interests in Digbeth High Street and Allison Street Birmingham to enable the comprehensive redevelopment of the Beorma Quarter,” the forward plan said.
A target decision date of 10 November is indicated for the CPO.
Kuwait-linked Salhia Investments secured its first planning consent for the 640K SF Digbeth Beorma Quarter scheme in 2009. Since then the scheme’s first phase, including a new 110-bed Adagio apart-hotel and the conversion of the historic Digbeth Cold Storage building into offices, has been completed. However, Beorma's centrepiece — a 27-storey residential and office tower, due for completion by 2012 — has yet to arrive.
The plan was later revised to increase the tower to 30 storeys and include 200K SF of offices.
