PARKGATE SHIRLEY

A computer generated image of the proposed frontage onto Stratford Road

Parkgate, the scheme formerly known as ‘The New Heart for Shirley’, is moving forward.

A detailed planning permission for the development has now been secured by Shirley Advance, the joint venture development company that has been working with Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council on this project for the past 4 years.

The scheme will provide a total of up to twenty new retail shops on two levels within an open mall environment, together with a new ASDA superstore, a total of 205 residential apartments, cafes and restaurants. There will be new areas of public realm throughout the development, which will bring new life to Shirley. There will be other major benefits too, including shop-mobility facilities, new public toilets, CCTV and lighting.

A modern 600 space basement car park, which will be free of charge for all car borne visitors to Shirley for at least three hours, whether they are shopping at the new scheme or not. This ‘state of the art’ facility will be both well lit and secure and will provide easy access to the pedestrianised areas of the new development at surface level and on into Stratford Road and Shirley Park. Additional car parking for the residential elements of the scheme will be provided, separately, at surface level.

The scheme will provide new and improved linkage to Shirley Park, which will also see significant improvements as a direct result of this new development. At the interface between Shirley Park and Parkgate itself there will be high quality hard and soft landscaping to ensure the integration of the open parkland with the built environment. A further £500,000 is also being made available to pay for other improvements within Shirley Park. Solihull Council are currently undertaking a series of public consultation events to help decide how best these monies should be spent. More information in this regard will be forthcoming over the next few months.

Long standing community users will stay in their existing buildings but with the benefit of considerable improvements. The Royal British Legion will have a sleek new glazed entrance fronting directly onto the main new town square, right at the centre of the development, while the First Shirley Scout Group will also have significant work done to its existing HQ’s. Both of these important community users have considered a number of possible relocation alternatives, but have decided to ‘stay put’. They will prove to be an integral part of this vibrant mixed use scheme.

The Solihull Christian Fellowship have already moved into a brand new, high profile, building adjacent to the main entrance to Shirley Park and intend to fully vacate ‘The Bridge’ building by autumn 2007. With monies now committed from Shirley Advance, SCF will be able to undertake further fitting out works to their new building in order to facilitate this move completely within the next couple of months.

The inclusion of more than 200 apartments within the overall scheme further enhances the mixed use nature of the development. Residents living in high quality accommodation within a development of this nature adds a tremendous amount of vitality and viability together with inherent security improvements. 55 of these units have already been allocated to McCarthy & Stone for retirement living. The residue of the one and two bedroom apartments, many of which will overlook Shirley Park, will be made available either on a private or an ‘affordable’ basis.

The ‘affordable’ units will comprise 40% of the overall number of residential units and will be offered by West Mercia and Heart of England Housing Associations on a mix of low cost and social rent terms. 34 of the affordable units will actually be offered with the additional benefit of Extra Care facilities for the Elderly.

Several millions of pounds will be spent on improving roads in the area. The works to be carried out will include a new roundabout at the junction of Stratford Road with Haslucks Green Road. A detailed design exercise is due to take place over the next 6 months and, as a result, more details will be forthcoming in due course.

While the building works are taking place, temporary car parking will be provided within an area of Shirley Park, to ensure the ongoing use of shops in Shirley. This area will, of course, be fully reinstated to parkland upon completion of the development.

Robert Birch of Shirley Advance said: “We are really pleased with the way our plans for this development have evolved. Parkgate will be a truly mixed use development which will be a real asset to Shirley, not least because it will attract much needed retailers and shoppers back into the town centre. There can be no doubt that this development will secure the future of Shirley town centre.”

As always, we are keen to hear from you if you have any queries about this development.

Please either email Robert Birch at robert@shirleyadvance.com or call our new telephone hotline number 0121 711 8863 and we will aim to respond to you as soon as possible.