News

Significant new opportunity for technology firms in the region

The development of the West Midlands as one of the UK’s leading digital tech clusters took another step forward this week as Turley, acting on behalf of Bruntwood SciTech, submitted a planning application for Enterprise Wharf, a new 120,000 sq ft building at the Innovation Birmingham Campus.

Bruntwood SciTech has submitted the application to Birmingham City Council to support and encourage growth within the regional economy. The digital tech sector is already the fifth largest sector in the West Midlands, with nearly 14,000 businesses and the rapid advance of digital technologies is forecast to further drive inward investment, company formation and job creation in the area. In the West Midlands Combined Authority alone, digital and tech employment is expected to rise from just over 70,000 to 84,000 jobs in the next few years.

We are providing expert Planning, Heritage & Townscape, Economics, Sustainability, Strategic Communications and Landscape & VIA services for Enterprise Wharf which will offer a total of 120,000 sq ft of flexible, smart workspace designed specifically with digital and tech businesses in mind. The building will feature a large, open plan reception and collaboration space, cycle storage and showers. The Innovation Birmingham campus also offers a range of other amenities including meeting and event spaces, car parking and electric charging points to support sustainable travel.

The building will mark a £30m investment in the campus, which will see companies benefit from full access to a wide range of social events, business support programmes and Meet Up groups, all designed to connect innovators and help them grow.

Located next to both Aston University and Birmingham City University, the thriving community at the Innovation Birmingham campus is already a magnet for digital tech entrepreneurs, start-ups, scale ups and large corporates. 

Angela Reeve, Head of Planning Midlands said:

“This is a truly exciting project for the West Midlands which we’re thrilled to be part of. The investment is a reflection of the success of the ever-expanding knowledge and innovation sector in the region and the scale of growth in start-up businesses. The development will accommodate entrepreneurial digital and tech businesses who will benefit from the proximity to existing facilities and university campuses at the heart of the city centre.”

David Hardman, Managing Director, Bruntwood SciTech in Birmingham, said:

“The West Midlands is home to an ever expanding digital tech ecosystem.  The Innovation Birmingham Campus is at the heart of that with a proven track record of helping over 250 businesses start and scale and creating more than 500 jobs for the region. Connecting start-ups with corporates and the public sector is crucial to innovation, Enterprise Wharf will expand our innovative community and help the sector flourish in our region.”

The Enterprise Wharf planning application also features impressive proposals for new landscaping and public realm including improved access to the adjacent Birmingham and Fazeley canal. This will offer technology companies a unique city-centre working environment combining state of the art offices, outdoor green space and canalside facilities. 

If the scheme is approved, work is expected to start on site early in 2020, with the building opening in late 2021.  Agents Avison Young and Savills UK have been appointed on the scheme. The development is designed by Associated Architects.

10 January 2020