Barberry Developments, who are set to speak at next months Birmingham Development Plans Conference, have kick-started to year in positive fashion. From their recent purchase of land within Birmingham’s Advanced Manufacturing Hub to the exciting plans revealed at MIPIM last month for a development in Coventry – there is a real buzz about their projects. Ahead of their attendance at our conference next month we take a look at some of the key projects they’re working on across the region:

City Centre Apartments

The plans for 300 new apartments in the centre of Coventry was revealed at MIPIM, the yearly property development and investment show in Cannes. The site, located at Bishop Gate East, will sit next to Barberry Developments £100m student accommodation scheme with a planning application set to be submitted to Coventry City Council later this year.

The announcement highlighted the vision for the development, which would involve 260 apartments being built across three block. Those blocks would be up to 14 storeys high on the Dale Buildings site in a £45m build-to-rent scheme. The additional apartments would come through the creation of six new townhouses with 72 student bedrooms, and a further block of 34 apartments – in a major boost for student accommodation and housing within the city of Coventry.

Henry Bellfield, Director at Barberry Developments, said: ”Coventry is going through an exciting renaissance. Bishop Gate East will continue the regeneration of an area of Coventry that was in desperate need of redevelopment and will help to promote the city’s reputation as a leading location to study, to live and to do business after being voted to City of Culture 2021.”

Martin Yardley, Chief Executive of the regional LEP, said the housing announcement was a ‘headline grabber’ at MIPIM and constitutes a ‘very strong statement about regeneration in our city.”

Phase one of Barberry’s £100m student accommodation project which would sit next to this exciting new scheme is on course to be completed in time to welcome students to the city in September – ready for the new academic year. The first phase includes 725 residential units for University students. As well as student accommodation the project includes retail units for a convenience store, coffee shop, communal area and gym.

Swindon Airfield Development

A housing proposal put forward by Barberry Developments is set to be given the green light – with a 370-home project. Swindon Airfield, which is set to undergo a large redevelopment with 8,000 homes set to be delivered as part of the New Eastern Villages development, is the site highlighted by Barberry.

As well as the 370 homes plans also include a primary school, community facility and over 2,500 sq m of convenience retail space. Part of the housing is set to be designated as affordable, with the developer also making a considerable contribution for education and other uses.

A report regarding the scheme reads: ”There is an acknowledged need to meet the borough’s housing and economic requirements for growth in accordance with the Swindon Borough Local Plan 2026. The proposed development supports the delivery of the New Eastern Villages strategic allocation and meets the requirements of the Local Plan in terms of demonstrating sustainability and compliance with relevant policies, including that it will satisfactorily mitigate the overall impacts of the development.”

Advanced Manufacturing Hub (AMH) Unit

Barberry Developments have purchased a 2.9-acre site in Aston earlier this year from Birmingham City Council and Homes England. The site is set to see the construction of a 65,000 sq ft industrial unit within Birmingham’s AMH – with the council granting a Local Development Order for the proposed scheme. Contractors Benniman started on site a month or two ago with construction due to be completed by the end of September.

The speculative development, known as Barberry 65, has strong infrastructure links with it being located immediately adjacent to Junction 6 of the M6. The company has a history of deliver industrial units within the region – with their 46,000 sq ft industrial unit known as Barberry 46 located closer to the centre of Birmingham set to near completion soon.

Development Director Jon Robinson, who’ll be speaking at our Birmingham Development Plans Conference, said: ”Birmingham and the West Midlands is in dire need of more high quality industrial space and so we are very pleased to be able to move on to the construction phase at the Advanced Manufacturing Hub. The AMH development complements several other schemes that Barberry is delivering within the region. We believe our investment will generate strong demand from both regional, national and global manufacturing, light industrial and research and development businesses – ultimately generating jobs, economic growth and regeneration for the region.”

Come and hear more about the exciting developments and projects which Barberry have in the pipeline at the Birmingham Development Plans Conference.