May 2009 Archives

Last week I was treated to a VIP tour of regeneration efforts in Stoke-on-Trent and Stoke City by Stoke City Council in advance of Estates Gazette's Staffordshire & Shropshire Focus that will be published on July 18th 2009. Here's a sneak preview.....

Unlike the picture on the right, the rain lashed and the wind howled as we walked around the city which is set to be transformed by £1.5bn worth of public/private sector investment.

Stoke is pretty in its own way - pretty grim. It felt like I was stuck in a 1960s/1970s time warp as the city has been woefully lacking in large scale regeneration in recent times due to a lack of political will and an agreed vision. It's a depressing, disperate and soulless place epitomised by its raft of cheap downmarket shops and permanent stench of grease. There are a few stand out buildings though, the Town Hall in Hanley has a certain charm to its faded glory (see below).

From a development perspective it's an easy win surely? An extensive refurbishment and change of use to a boutique hotel could really put it on the map for example... While the former post office could be a spectacular office block with the right vision and budget. Most importantly the council must sort out the 'placemaking agenda' for the local towns (Hanley, Stoke City, Stoke on Trent etc) and rename them to make the hierarchy clear between the city centre and the suburban towns as it's just so confusing at the moment.

Developer Genr8's £230m ambitious proposals for a new central business district could go a long way to dragging Stoke-on-Trent city centre into the noughty's as could Realis' proposals to extend and refurbish the East West Shopping precinct - which even Sir Bobby Charlton would find outdated.

The city is effectively a blank canvas crying out for modernisation. To realise these ambitions will require funding on a scale never previously achieved. Personally, I think that this will be a massive hill to climb, but full marks go to the city and those brave enough to invest their energies for their efforts.

Another day, another proposed skyscraper. This 27-storey beauty could be heading for the centre of Birmingham if the city council gets its way. Planners recently rushed through approval for the office tower (full story on EGi) and the rest of a £150m mixed-use development in downtown - and currently down-at-heel - Digbeth. No doubt they are keen to impress Kuwaiti developer/investor Sahlia Investments. Or it might have something to do with the fact that the council, which has taken flak for sending leader Mike Whitby and regeneration & planning director Clive Dutton off on an expensive "fact finding" mission to the Middle East, is desperate to show a return on its investment.

Now we all know that tall buildings are notoriously financially risky at the best of times due to their inherent phasing inflexibilities and high construction costs. But Sahlia is putting it about that they have plenty of cash, meaning there should be no funding issues. So even in this rocky economic climate we can expect to see work starting soon on this new erection then? Erm, no. Sahlia reckons that before the end of this year it might have started on the first phase of the 648,000 sq ft development... by refurbishing a 26,000 sq ft listed cold store (!) for leisure and other uses.

And the tower? Sahlia can't say. But it has revealed the name for the whole development: Beorma Quarter (Beorma being the medieval name for Birmingham, don't you know). Talking of branding, regular readers will be aware that it's customary to give new tall buildings suitable nicknames, so this week's EG challenge is to come up with a moniker for the 'Behemoth next to the Bullring'. Come back to this blog to see the best submissions. And if you want to suggest who might fill the 27 stories at the same time I might even be able to rustle up a prize.

Hello everyone and welcome to my brand new blog.

My name is Lisa Pilkington and I am Midlands editor for the Estates Gazette. Although I can't pretend to know all about blogging just yet, I am certainly enjoying finding out and am definitely a quick learner!

I shall endeavour to keep you all up to date on interesting things happening or about to happen, or indeed in this uncertain economic climate are now not happening across our region. So, if you are interested in regeneration, planning, sustainability, people, and all market sectors from offices, to sheds and retail to leisure, then feel free to drop by and join in.

My blog will cover news with links to the best of what's out there on the web, and any other soundbites and titbits that don't traditionally slot into the magazine or our online subscription service, EGi.

The main aim is for this blog to become a must-read for anyone who needs to be in the know.

I would love to get feedback from you in terms of what interests you about our fascinating property market here in the Midlands, what concerns you and what ruffles your feathers, so please feel free to leave your comments in the comment box below.

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