Former use:

Situated in the heart of Digbeth, the site previously operated as a grain store, a warehouse, a car showroom and more recently a tool hire business.

Site constraints:

Location proved to be the most enduring obstacle of the development. Situated on a main thoroughfare into Birmingham City Centre, with roads adjacent to all four sides, access to, and movement within the site were severely confined.

Digging to depths of 4 metres, archaeological investigations during the build programme and concurrent restricted site access, created further complications for the team, which were successfully resolved.

Solving the additional complication of constructing an underground car park over a subterranean water table and joining the old building,with listed status, to a new one, required meticulous planning and organisation by Mar City Developments Limited.

Proposed development:

Successfully completed for South Birmingham College, the site offers a state-of-the-art training facility for Art, Design and Digital Media, Music and Performance, Information Technology and Trade Union studies. Comprising of 9000sq m, the site includes classrooms, music studios, a 500 seat auditorium, specialist workshops, a restaurant and cafe areas.