MSc Real Estate: Birmingham 2015

The MSc Real Estate students reflect on Birmingham

During the first week of November, the students on the MSc Real Estate went on a field trip to one of the contenders for the title of England's second city: Birmingham. The field trip was designed to introduce the postgraduate students to issues of sustainable use and development in the context of a specific commercial and residential property market and to:

• develop an understanding of sustainable use and development
• examine the use, investment and development of commercial property
• set commercial property in a wider economic, social, political and legal context

Birmingham has traditionally been regarded as England’s second city, but has long been thought of as a less-than-glamorous destination (click on the red links for lots more information on Birmingham). In recent years Manchester has topped the polls as the city that most people regard as England's second city, but Birmingham has been fighting back. Over the last few years, a number of landmark buildings have appeared in Birmingham including Grand Central, the recent redevelopment of Birmingham New Street Station.

The major development plan for Birmingham was launched in 2010 and lays out a 20-year vision known as The Big City Plan. Regular updates on regeneration projects appear in the Birmingham Post (a great site). Some have said that the UK government has overlooked Birmingham in favour of the 'Northern Powerhouse' idea. However, on a recent visit to Birmingham, David Cameron appeared to disagree. Does it really matter who wins the battle for the title of England's second city? Birmingham and Manchester are so different, there's probably room for two.

Back to the field trip. First the itinerary, then the photos (with thanks to Rosie Gentle and David Shiers):

2 November 

• Walking tour of Southside, Digbeth and Moor Street, accompanied by Siobhan McCrystal and Sarah Gregory from Savills.
• Tour of the Jewellery Quarter and nearby sites.
• Overview of Birmingham - presentation by Savills.

Moor Street, Custard Factory, sculpture at the Custard Factory (The Deluge) and the crushed car gates in Digbeth 

3 November

• Presentations from Bilfinger GVA (3 Brindley Place) on Retail, Offices and the Graduate Programme, given by Gary Bucknall and George Jennings.
• Walking tour of Mailbox and Grand Central shopping centres as well as the Bullring and the local markets.
• Tour of Fort Dunlop - an Urban Splash development (and a measurement exercise).

Brindley Place

Inside empty office space on Colmore Plaza

Meeting the Bullring Bull - bronze sculpture by Laurence Broderick

Selfridges and the Bullring Tower

Fort Dunlop

4 November

• Presentation on Paradise Birmingham by CBRE (Theo Holmes) and Argent (Rob Groves).
• Building inspection at 55 Colmore Row.
• Lunch and final presentation at the CBRE office.

Building inspection at 55 Colmore Street

At 55 Colmore Row

For more information on the MSc Real Estate, either take a look at the MSc Real Estate tab on this blog, or visit the MSc Real Estate webpage.