MORE than 100 homes could be built on land in Lichfield as part of a city centre regeneration project.
Lichfield District Council will discuss the plans to sell off the former Tempest Ford site on the corner of Birmingham Road and St John Street at a meeting on Tuesday (15th October).
The land was originally purchased by the local authority as part of the failed Friarsgate retail scheme.
But new redevelopment plans for the plot – which now forms part of the rebranded Birmingham Road Site – will see housing built instead.
A report from Cllr Andy Smith, deputy leader and cabinet member for leisure, parks and major projects, said:
“The proposal from the purchaser of this land is for a high-quality residential development, of approximately 100-112 homes, to be brought forward on the site.
“Strong interest was received in the site with 65 parties registering to download the sales information.
“A shortlist of three proposals were created. These three met the value and quality criteria set and presented schemes with designs that were most likely to achieve planning permission, albeit there was a wide gap in terms of the quality of design proposed.
“All three bidders were invited to present their proposals to the council, to enable further discussion and challenge of their designs.
“CB Collier was identified as the preferred bidder. Their proposal is for an extremely high-quality design scheme.
“Since 1997, they have successfully developed a portfolio of 5,000 residential plots, with £60million of additional employment land, 1.5million sq ft of commercial office space and 750,000 sq ft of care provision.”
Cllr Smith’s report said CB Collier had put forward an “exciting housing development” for the gateway site.
It would see a number of one to four bedroom apartments built, along with three bed townhouses.
The development is also proposing to create the majority of car parking for the new homes underground.
“The proposed development is designed to minimise the impact on St John’s, with an open plan view onto St John Street and a large open space area, giving both an open park area and high specification apartments that meet the required Birmingham Road Site design code and the aspirational living that we want to see on the site.
“Along the boundary of the Birmingham Road the development increases in height to take advantage of the existing architecture alongside St John Street.
“The site will also include a total of 146 parking spaces, provided through a mix of 31 above ground spaces and 115 below ground spaces, offering an innovative solution to city centre residential parking, whilst also ensuring open spaces are in abundance within the development and ensuring that parking will not add any additional pressure to existing city centre parking.”
The money from the sale of the land will be split into three areas – £1.7million as part of a deal to bring food and drink outlet The Botanist to the new Everyman cinema development, £2million for public realm projects on the Birmingham Road Site and £1.2million for investment in Burntwood.
