Birmingham’s Paradise scheme runs out of cash

Aaron Morby 6 years ago
Share

Birmingham city council has run out of money for phase two of its ambitious £500m Paradise development.

Phase two of £500m scheme in limbo after funding swallowed up in phase one due to cost inflation
Phase two of £500m scheme in limbo after funding swallowed up in phase one due to cost inflation

The scheme has been hit by double market forecast construction inflation and the collapse of Carillion on a key project in phase one.

Minutes from the council audit committee have now revealed that funding for both phase one and two was swallowed up in key enabling works in the first phase.

The whole project is now in limbo as the city council tries to raise an extra £50m to deliver essential infrastructure works paving the way for phase two.

Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership was earmarked to invest a total of £88m to pay for demolition and infrastructure works but not building construction.

Of this £38m was budgeted for phase one and £28m for phase two. A further £22m will be released for Phase 3.

But council audit committee minutes reveal that phase one design development,  highways infrastructure, demolition and remediation costs required substantially more cash than originally planned and ate up the phase two allocation.

Now the private/public joint venture developer, PCLP, is asking for the extra cash to proceed with phase two.

This will see around 500,000 sq ft of space delivered in the One Centenary Way, Three Chamberlain Square office projects and new 4-star hotel buildings as well as Ratcliff Square.

The fresh funding call will support £2.3m of a Carillon liquidation claim, £17m CPO costs and £30m of infrastructure works.

A full business case report setting out the case for extra funding will be considered by the LEP and Council Cabinet in the New Year.

Eventually, the Paradise scheme, which is being managed by developer Argent, is expected to deliver 2m sq ft of new development.

This comprises up to 10 new Grade A office buildings and the 4 star hotel with up to 250 bedrooms.

Latest news

Breyer Group files administration notice

Staff hope rival firm could buy assets and save jobs
7 hours ago

Peel Ports reveals winners for £750m framework

18 firms win places on deal: Full list
5 hours ago

Wates wins fit-out for Manchester First Street Hub

Smartspace arm secures another Government hub deal
4 hours ago

Big trade names dropped in M Group rebrand

Acquisitive group formed from Morrison Utility services in 2016
2 hours ago

Former Severfield director takes helm at Embrace Steel

New CEO Martin Kelly aims to step up expansion of steelwork contractor
7 hours ago

£302m upgrade funding awarded to FE colleges – list

Cash shared out between England’s 179 college groups
7 hours ago

FK Facades thrives but construction arm hit by ISG row

Dispute with failed contractor costs specialist £5.5m
8 hours ago

Galliford Try gets go-ahead for Milton Keynes PRS tower

33-storey tower needs gateway 2 approval before work can start
1 day ago

Small house builders get £150m funding for green homes

Developers will have to meet-up to ten new criteria to benefit from interest rate discounts
7 hours ago

Lendlease Construction renamed Bovis

US private equity firm completes £35m purchase of UK contracting business and rebrands
1 day ago

Breyer Group battles for survival as rivals circle

Housing maintenance firm fights three winding up petitions in a month
1 day ago

Careys facing £2.4m claim by developer over demolition cartel

Giant Hong Kong developer claims it was overcharged on Lots Road Power Station job
1 day ago

Multiplex profit drops a third as revenue rises to £780m

Spate of new orders sets contractor up for three years of work
1 day ago

Galliford Try and Breheny land latest Sizewell C road deals

More infrastructure deals for new nuclear power station
2 days ago

Worker trapped in collapsed septic tank pit

Contractor and director fined after worker suffers multiple fractures
1 day ago

Homes England buys stalled Broad Marsh site

Demolition to finally be completed as developer hunt begins
2 days ago

Vistry go-ahead for 353 homes at Rochester Riverside

Work to start on next phase of Kent town regeneration at end of this year
2 days ago

M&E firm J S Wright collapsed owing £19m

Trade creditors hit for £11.4m by employee-owned Midlands firm
2 days ago

Right to work checks to be extended to self-employed

Government plans crackdown on illegal working and rogue employers
2 days ago

Midlands developer turns to London with £1bn resi schemes trio

SevenCapital plans 1,000 flats in Kensington, Islington and the Isle of Dogs projects
2 days ago

Deck falls off huge scissor lift at Winvic site

Two men seriously injured as platform plunges to the ground
5 days ago

Weston targets Build to Rent with new division

Weston Partnerships signs first deals with asset managers and councils
2 days ago

Bouygues seals deal for £119m Cardiff college campus

Construction to start in June on two new buildings
5 days ago

£140m cash injection to speed-up flood defence schemes

Funding part of £2.65bn investment over the next two years
2 days ago

Bid race starts for £15bn schools framework refresh

DfE throws framework open to more contractors
5 days ago

Berkeley’s £600m Borough Triangle project approved

Controversial scheme features two towers of 38 and 44-storeys
6 days ago

London Mayor calls in blocked 600-bed student scheme

Refused 20-storey London PBSA block may still be built
5 days ago

HG to build 500-bed London Stratford student scheme

Work will start later this year subject to gateway 2 safety approval
6 days ago

Arrest after pedestrian death on construction site

Tragedy during site preparation works for new Wigan car park
5 days ago

British Steel threatens closure of Scunthorpe blast furnaces

Chinese owners say sectional steel and rail supplies will be maintained
6 days ago

Contractor services