NEWS ARCHIVE

TARGETFOLLOW PROGRESSES BASKERVILLE WHARF | 13/08/07

Following its successful office development of the 200,000 sq ft Baskerville House in Birmingham, Targetfollow is advancing regeneration ideas with Birmingham City Council for the neighbouring site, to be known as Baskerville Wharf.

As part of this masterplan initiative, Targetfollow has purchased the freehold of a prime 1.3 acre site, which currently houses the Cambrian Halls of Residence, for £11.1 million from the University of Central England. The property is located to the north of Baskerville House and in proximity to the International Convention Centre, the Rep Theatre and Centenary Square. This purchase follows Targetfollow’s acquisition earlier this year of the Flapper & Firkin Public House on Kingston Row for £2 million from the Spirit Group. Both purchases represent key properties within the Baskerville Wharf site.

Cambrian Halls comprises 247 rooms which will continue to be let to students at the University of Central England and the College of Food, Tourism & Creative Studies until the Baskerville Wharf scheme is ready for construction.

Early masterplan scheme options indicate a development potential for a mixed use opportunity comprising offices, residential, a hotel, educational and student accommodation together with restaurants and cafés. The scheme will include high quality public realm with new streets and public squares leading to the canal together with enhancements to Centenary Square. A full design team has been assembled for the project which includes Feilden Clegg Bradley masterplanning architects and Martha Schwartz Partners public realm designers.

Targetfollow’s Development Director, Julian Wells said “We are delighted to have purchased this key property within the Baskerville Wharf masterplan area. This represents an extremely exciting urban regeneration project for Targetfollow and the Council. We have assembled a first class design team to bring forward the masterplanning analysis for this major opportunity.”

This part of Birmingham city centre has improved significantly in recent years with the development of Mailbox, the expansion of Brindley Place and the transformation of Baskerville House into an award winning office development. Future nearby schemes will also include the Arena Central Project. Additional impetus will be brought to this area in the future by the establishment of a Birmingham West Side consortium of owners and developers to advance further improvement initiatives to this part of the City Centre