The Chamberlain News

No Brexit blues as £8.5m Birmingham manufacturing hub powers ahead

Work has started on an £8.5 million extension to Birmingham’s Advanced Manufacturing Hub.

Business leaders believe the decision to press ahead with the speculative development which has not been pre-let represents a clear signal of intent that any post-Brexit uncertainty will not damage Birmingham’s growth.

The 94,500 sq ft Apollo facility, located close to the city centre and next to the A38 Aston Expressway, sees leading Midlands commercial developer, Trebor Developments and investment partner, Aviva Investors, working in conjunction with Birmingham city council and the Homes and Communities Agency.

Supported by funding from the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP), the Advanced Manufacturing Hub has already attracted two major engineering companies, Hydraforce who have completed a new 125,000 sq ft unit and Guhring, whose works are on site.

The latest development, due for completion in February 2017, takes investment on the site past the £40 million mark and will further enhance the Hub’s growing reputation as a centre for high value manufacturing, according to the council.

City council leader John Clancy said:

Whatever the national economic uncertainty, Birmingham is not standing still and the fact that construction of this new high quality manufacturing facility is underway gives a clear signal of our intent.

We’re creating high quality jobs and business opportunities and this demonstrates both the resilience of the City’s economy and the underlying strength of the manufacturing sector.

Andy Street, Chairman of the GBSLEP, commented:

I am pleased that the GBSLEP has been able to support this key regeneration project which is playing an important role in supporting the expansion of high quality manufacturing activity in the Greater Birmingham area. The fact that this is a speculative development also demonstrates confidence in the continued expansion of the manufacturing sector post-Brexit.

Mark Rogers, chief executive of Birmingham city council, added:

The commencement of this development represents another success for the Advanced Manufacturing Hub which is bringing much needed jobs and investment to the Aston area. It also demonstrates that the City has a strong economic base, including our expanding manufacturing sector, to deal with the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Bob Tattrie, Managing Partner for Trebor Developments, on behalf of the partners said:

We are delighted work on site has commenced and working in partnership with the appointed contractor, A&H Construction, we look forward to hand over of this new facility in February 2017. The facility will deliver high quality, much needed, manufacturing accommodation to the West Midlands.

The development is being marketed by joint agents, Savills Birmingham Office (Charlie Spicer) and Cushman and Wakefield Birmingham office (David Binks and Colin Lawrence-Waterhouse).