Planning application submitted to redevelop landmark office building at Birmingham’s New Street station: Artists impression of One Grand Central and Birmingham New Street station

Friday 18 Oct 2013

Planning application submitted to redevelop landmark office building at Birmingham’s New Street station

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Network Rail and Birmingham City Council announced today that Cannock Developments has been selected to develop the 1960s office block situated above Birmingham New Street station into superb, Grade A office accommodation, to be named One Grand Central.

Due to complete in 2015, the 100,000 sq ft offices will be in a leading central location above the fully integrated travel and retail hub of Birmingham New Street station and Grand Central shopping centre.

The property group will start developing the building early next year in what will be the first major new office building at the station following its £600m transformation.

Cannock’s Mike Tracey added: “Without doubt this is an exciting and significant project for the Cannock Group in Birmingham and we are delighted to have been appointed to bring forward One Grand Central. A complete back to frame refurbishment of the building will ensure that this landmark building is highly attractive to modern office occupiers at a time when the quantity of quality office stock in the city is diminishing.”

John Griffiths, of agents GBR Phoenix Beard, is advising Cannock. Commenting on this major new development, he said: ”The development of 100,000 sq ft of Grade A offices at One Grand Central will provide a major boost to the central Birmingham office market at a time when supply is running out. Major transport hubs have proved hugely attractive to businesses across the UK and early interest in One Grand Central is further proof of this.”

Chris Montgomery, Network Rail project director, said: “This planning application marks another important milestone in our extensive project to redevelop Birmingham New Street station. When complete, the new offices will have unrivalled travel connectivity, with the new integrated station incorporating the city’s metro extension right on the building’s doorstep.”

Notes to editors

The redevelopment of Birmingham New Street station and creation of Grand Central Birmingham shopping centre is backed by Birmingham City Council, Network Rail, Department for Transport, Centro, European Development Fund and Department for Business Innovation and Skills.

Network Rail is delivering the project alongside its delivery partner Mace and delivers:

Space to accommodate passenger growth: the new concourse will be three and a half times bigger than at present and will have natural light flood throughout the giant atrium.

Better access for all: over 30 new escalators and 15 new public lifts will make it much easier to travel between the platforms and the concourse above.

Cutting edge design: a stunning new station façade will create a new landmark building in the heart of Birmingham.

The station will remain open throughout the redevelopment. The first half of the new station concourse opened to passengers in April 2013. Work has now started to redevelop the old station and Pallasades shopping centre above into Grand Central. The project completes in 2015.

Established in 1991, The Cannock Group is a highly successful trading development and finance company, combining a thorough understanding of property finance and the implications of prevailing legislation with both a professional and business focussed approach. Cannock has an enviable reputation for finding innovative solutions for funding commercial property development, and at all times seeks secure and maximise long-term investor returns.

Cannock is one of the leading developers in major regional city centres and particularly Birmingham where they renovated and brought back in to use in excess of 300,000 sq ft in the past four years.

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