The
Old Bank Building, Handsworth Birmingham
For
Urban Living - the Birmingham-Sandwell HMR Pathfinder
 This
former LloydsTSB bank in Villa Road Handsworth is a locally well known
building that has recently been acquired by Urban Living, the
Sandwell-Birmingham Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder. Peter White has
been commissioned to work with the project’s director and the steering
group made up of local people, to project manage the scheme.
This has
involved helping to develop a concept for it re-use; carrying out option
appraisals, preparing the business plan and commissioning the design
team. The emerging concept is for a mixed scheme with a range of
exhibition, meeting and workspace designed to break down barriers
between communities living in the area, build local pride and overcome
the area’s stigmatisation, by attracting people from a wide area to
visit the centre for a variety of engaging activities.
Key
lessons demonstrated by this project:
-
Flexible approach to development so as to capture funding windows
(the exterior is being restored and accessing a THI grant (the
building’s Grade II) so that the UL funding can go further and be
spent on things that are more central to UL’s core strategic
objectives
-
Careful selection of the design team and involving meaningfully
Community Reps on the Steering Group
-
Setting high standards of design
-
Realistic business planning – it inspires confidence
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