Visions of Paradise - Ambitions for the development of Paradise Circus
A two day public exhibition has been launched this week on ideas for the potential redevelopment options for Paradise Circus in Birmingham city centre.
Developer Argent is working jointly with Birmingham City Council to look at the potential for redeveloping the eight acre city centre site and the two day exhibition seeks to identify the key issues and redevelopment objectives for Paradise Circus.
Lying between Centenary Square and Chamberlain Square, the site includes existing buildings such as the Copthorne Hotel, Conservatoire, Birmingham Central Library and Paradise Forum. Together, the Council and Argent aim to transform the area, creating a lively, attractive and welcoming new city centre environment at Paradise Circus. Working alongside Glenn Howell Architects and transport planners, Peter Brett Associates, the current focus is on producing a pre master planning vision for the seminal site as Gary Taylor, managing director for Argent explains:
"Paradise Circus is the most strategically important piece of land in need of regeneration within Birmingham's central core. There is no other eight acre site in the UK which demonstrates so glaringly the urban design conflicts created in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The successful movement of people and traffic through Birmingham city centre pivots on Paradise Circus and we are committed to exploring redevelopment opportunities for this area in order that it can successfully meet the future needs of the people of Birmingham.
"The plans we are sharing showcase the potential for development which we believe Paradise Circus holds. We want to give the historic buildings in the area a setting befitting of their status while also bringing fresh and pleasurable opportunities for people to work, visit and travel across the area. This is a massive project to undertake and one which will take years of careful planning before a spade hits the ground, but we firmly believe this redevelopment is critical to the future success of Birmingham as a city.
"The images which we are sharing at the exhibition indicate how changes to the area could be approached. With the new Library of Birmingham already under construction, our aspiration is for a comprehensive redevelopment involving the removal of the current library and creation of an attractive pedestrian route to the new library in Centenary Square."
Leader of Birmingham City Council, Mike Whitby added: "The public exhibition aims to outline our early aspirations for the Paradise Circus site to the people of Birmingham. This is the start of an inclusive approach to the redevelopment of a key piece of city centre land which represents one of the best development sites available in Europe right now.
"Whilst representing challenges it is also an amazing opportunity for the City Council and Argent to continue the process of transformational change for Birmingham, a city that has come so far over the past few years. Our joint venture is the next significant step in creating a Birmingham that seeks to play a major role as an international destination in the future.
"At present the quality of movement through Paradise Circus is not easy and successfully improving this through the redevelopment of the area would be a major step in addressing the connectivity issues already identified in the Big City Plan and ensuring Birmingham has both a civic and cultural heart.
"Having already demonstrated its ability to rejuvenate urban areas such as Brindleyplace in Birmingham, Argent is the ideal joint venture partner to drive forward proposals for Paradise Circus. This is about building for the future of Birmingham and setting down a marker for the city to realise its place as a globally significant city which is gaining a reputation for great civic renewal."
Birmingham based Glenn Howells architects has produced some conceptual ideas for Paradise Circus displayed at the public exhibition. Speaking about the practice's approach to the visioning exercise undertaken to date, Glenn Howells commented:
"Paradise Circus is an extremely complex site which presents the immediate issues of connectivity, historic buildings, public realm and sustainability alongside many others, which require careful consideration before moving forward. The sketches which we are sharing showcase our preliminary thoughts on how these issues could be addressed having considered technical restrictions and the commercial viability of the site. The site offers huge potential to Birmingham from creating safer pedestrian routes and reconnecting the Jewellery Quarter with the city centre, to creating a sustainable mixed use environment with significantly increased employment opportunities. Our ultimate aim is for Paradise Circus to be a part of the city in which people want to work, visit and socialise and we look forward to receiving feedback on our initial steps towards achieving this."
The feedback received at the public exhibition will enable Argent and its team to progress towards pre masterplanning work for Paradise Circus. Once further work is complete, it is likely that additional public consultation will be undertaken in approximately 12-18 months time, before an outline planning application is submitted in summer 2011.
L-R: Cllr Mike Whitby, Glenn Howells and Gary Taylor