Year in Review

By Rob Groves, regional development director, MEPC

In a year that saw a plethora of positive news connected to Paradise, it’s difficult to pinpoint a single turning point, or a single decisive moment.

But if I had to pick any single event from the past twelve months, it would be the move by the Paradise team from Argent to MEPC, announced on the 1st of July.

While very much a ‘behind the scenes’ move, it was very important for us here at Paradise because we now believe it enables us to accelerate the progress of the project over the years to come.

By being connected to the wider Federated Hermes team with their global resources, we’re enjoying a more direct relationship with the funders, and have ourselves become the asset managers for our buildings.

We’re now looking forward to a number of important milestones over the winter, not least the start on site of Octagon, the world’s tallest pure octagonal residential tower, earmarked for Summer Row at the northern apex of the Paradise masterplan.

This landmark new building will become the city’s tallest when it completes in 2025 and will be home to hundreds of people, helping the city centre provide the range and quality of accommodation it needs to compete.

Octagon very much reflects what Paradise is all about: spreading economic growth to all who live in the city and the region, and providing top quality amenities for the city. It is designed by a Birmingham architect and managed by our own Paradise team.

It is the perfect example of what Paradise can deliver when vision and ambition come together.

We’re also looking forward to developing our plans for the completion of Phase Two of Paradise in the shape of our next commercial building, Three Chamberlain Square, and our brand new hotel, both of which will be built along Paradise Street, on the southern edge of the site.

With so much activity to come, we are at the same time looking forward to city-wide events throughout next year. Not least will be the Commonwealth Games, which are an amazing opportunity to put Birmingham in a global spotlight while demonstrating the cultural richness and warm welcome the city is famous for.

Again, we will be playing our part in helping the games welcome people from around the world into the city centre and feeling right at home.

So, for all the right reasons, roll on 2022.

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