The entire team helping to deliver the current infrastructure and demolition works at Paradise – Birmingham’s £500 million office led regeneration scheme – got together for the first time for this team photo.
Around 200 team members – including demolition crew, groundworkers, engineers, architects, designers, planners and even police officers – gathered near the Paradise site for the photo.
The shot was organised by Carillion – contractor for the enabling and infrastructure works. Over 100 people are currently employed by Carillion on the site and in support roles and this number is likely to rise to 150 in the Autumn. Existing workers include 19 apprentices and 47 new starters – many of whom were previously unemployed.
Additionally, thousands of local schoolchildren have seen presentations on the project or enjoyed educational visits to the site.
Simon Dingle, Operations Director at Carillion, said: “Demolition of the first phase of this complex arrangement of buildings on the site, including the former library and Paradise Forum, has now passed the half way mark, so we arranged this get together to thank everyone for helping us get this far and keeping the programme on track.
“While it is hard to miss the dramatic demolition underway on the site, there is also a lot more work going on behind the scenes to make sure this project runs to programme.”
Rob Groves Regional Director of Argent, added: “It is thanks to everyone’s hard work that Paradise – one of the UK’s most important regeneration schemes – is quickly becoming a reality. Securing a tenant like PwC for One Chamberlain Square – before it is even built – is a testament to the confidence already being placed in this transformational project.”
Construction of One Chamberlain Square will begin shortly, with completion expected in autumn 2018. The public realm enhancements to Chamberlain Square will also be implemented during this period and the second speculative office building, Two Chamberlain Square designed by Birmingham’s Glenn Howells Architects, will complete in late 2018.
The Paradise redevelopment is being brought forward through Paradise Circus Limited Partnership (PCLP), a private-public joint venture with Birmingham City Council. The private sector funding is being managed by Hermes Investment Management which has partnered with Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) on the first phase of the development. Argent is the development manager.