Subscribe to the Building Brum podcast and hear from Programme Director Conor Nolan as he talks with developers, contractors, architects and planners about developments across the region and the changing trends within the industry
Beyond the office: BCO in Birmingham
This April, on the Building Brum podcast, we caught up with the organisers of the British Council for Offices (BCO) 2024 Annual conference taking place next month in Birmingham. It has been 10 years since the conference was last held in the UK’s second city and over the past decade, our city, famously known as the ‘workshop of the world’ has lived up to its name, quietly delivering a number of sizeable new developments, including 103 Colmore Row, Enterprise Wharf and Paradise Birmingham.
We caught up with Peter Crowther – Senior Vice President of the BCO, James Hall – Director at Associated Architects and Member of the BCO Midlands Chapter Committee and Rosie Cotterill – Director at Turley and Chair of BCO Midlands NextGen Committee to discuss what makes Birmingham a strategic place for the conference to be held and how ongoing investment and development has transformed the city.
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The Housing Sector in an Election Year
This spring on the Building Brum podcast we discuss housing across the UK in 2024 . Following on from the March Spring Budget and ahead of the local elections, mayoral elections and the general election, we caught up with Chartered Town Planner Daniel Wilson who specialises in delivering sustainable developments that transform places and leave a positive, lasting impact on local communities through holistic, inclusive growth.
Joining Dan from our sponsors Cavendish is Tristan Chatfield who served as a councillor at Birmingham City Council and is now Associate Director at Cavendish specialising in Planning Communications and Public Affairs. Together they examine the 2024 spring budget and look ahead at the future of the housing sector.
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The juggle: careers, children and life
International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. We have three guests joining us this March on the Building Brum podcast including two of Birmingham's leading women in architecture with glowing careers. Alex Slatter Associate as Associated Architects and Shauna Bradley Partner at Howells, alongside long-time building Brum collaborator and supporter Lee Simmonds of Solus. All three of our guests are parents, both Alex and Shauna are mothers of one and Lee is a father of three.
On today's episode, we are going to be talking about the challenges of planning for, having and raising a family whilst furthering your career and growing within your place of work.
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Great Charles Street Skills Centre Initiative with WMCA, John Sisk and Sunbelt Rentals
Building Brum is onsite at Great Charles Street and joined by some of the stakeholders behind the Skills Hub initiative taking place at the latest MODA development. We are speaking with Matthew Hood of Sunbelt Rentals, Shaun Hall from the West Midlands Combined Authority and Karl Johnson Social Value and Stakeholder manager at John Sisk. The Skills Hub offers local people free construction training and a guaranteed job interview at the end of the 20-day course and follows on from the earlier success of another project by MODA “The Mercian” which created 140 new job opportunities.
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Building, designing and investing in Birmingham with Arup
This December we are joined by two of Arup’s Birmingham-based thought leaders Alison Kilby and James Watts, at their brand-new office at One Centenary Way, in Birmingham City Centre. In this episode we discuss all things Paradise Birmingham and the part both played in delivering one of the city's most ambitious office developments for MEPC and in turn, becoming its largest occupier. In the five years since the award-winning architects Howells made plans public for One Centenary Way, the project has taken centre stage with its strategic placement linking Centenary Square to the High Street.
We discuss Arup’s role in this journey, including how they supported the redefining of the building as the first intelligent building in Paradise, and how that enabled them to design an office in partnership with HOK Architects and Overbury shaped by Arup’s values of sustainable and inclusive design.
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Building a brighter future with Muse
We discuss all things Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Solihull with Maggie Grogan, Managing Director - Midlands for Muse. Exploring the expansion behind national placemaker Muse into the Midlands and their vision set out to transform key areas across the West Midlands. We look at the partnerships in place that drive the development team from Muse forward, from Homes England to Legal and General, Maggie and her team have their sights set on creating a lasting legacy across Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Solihull and beyond.
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Why Form Follows Purpose with Gensler
This month on the Building Brum Podcast we are joined by Gensler Birmingham’s Design Director, Philip Twiss. From Associated Architects to MAKE and now Gensler, Philip has helped to design and deliver some of Birmingham’s most iconic buildings from The Cube to the Mailbox, to the next chapter of Hammerson’s Bullring landmark. We look at why Gensler decided to move to Birmingham 10 years ago and what it means to combine global and local with projects being delivered by the Team in Birmingham spanning across the city and into Europe.
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Investing in Birmingham with HUB
HUB Residential Managing Director Damien Sharkey and Development Manager Isabel Scruby join Building Brum’s Conor Nolan alongside Cavendish Associate Director and ex-Birmingham City Council Cabinet Member Tristan Chatfield to talk about their upcoming development: 2 Snow Hill Plaza. We will discuss why Birmingham is a key destination for investors as 2 Snow Hill Plaza marks HUB's second project in Birmingham alongside the Digbeth Coach Station. We explore why Damien and the team at HUB have chosen to invest in the Build to Rent market in Colmore Row and discuss the ongoing demand for development sites across Birmingham.
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Digital project delivery with John Sisk & Son
On the podcast this month we are joined by the Head of Digital Project Delivery Joshua Hanson and Liam Clarke Regional Head of 4D Planning at John Sisk & Son. We caught up with Liam and Joshua to look at the projects they have both completed and are currently delivering across Birmingham including The Merican, Great Charles Street and Birmingham Health and Innovation Campus. These schemes when combined add up to three-quarters of a billion pounds worth of development across build-to-rent and life science sectors in the city.
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People, Planet and Place with IM Properties
We caught up with IM Properties Group Sustainability Director Andrew Swain. Andy is a chartered environmentalist with over 20 years of experience and joined IM Properties in 2022 to drive the implementation and delivery of the businesses ‘Sustainable Futures’ strategy focused around its three pillars of People, Planet and Place. In addition to delivering sustainable futures, he works closely with delivery partners to ensure that the principles of sustainable development and net zero construction are delivered across IM Properties property portfolio, industrial and logistics developments and residential projects. We discuss the ambition that is required to deliver developments that are fit for the future.
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Creating Social Value Through Collaboration
We are onsite at the Peddimore Birmingham development with Winvic Construction and Sunbelt Rentals. IM Properties are Birmingham City Councils’ development partner for Peddimore.On our latest episode, we caught up with key members of the project team to talk about the role, impact and importance of social value within the construction industry. Focusing on how social value is there to support, grow and create positive change within communities. All three guests on our latest episode play a key role in the Peddimore project Rokneddin Shariat Policy and Governance Manager Birmingham City Council, Emma Rhymes Social Value Manager Winvic Construction and Jackie Cuthbert Social Impact Director Sunbelt Rentals UK & Ireland.
Listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
Birmingham Design Start-ups
We catch up with Ash Wilson, Creative Director and Founder of Sculpt - an architectural interior design practice based in Digbeth. Exploring the journey of a design practice start-up we look at what it means to be an entrepreneur within the design world in the Midlands. We discuss the highs and lows of starting up a design business and amazing projects like The Roundhouse with the National Trust that help to define the practice, as well as repeat clients such as Digbeth Dining Club that are won through hard work and determination.
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Designing, Planning and Building Birmingham
All three of our special guests were recently nominated for the British Council for Offices (BCO) NextGen Rising Star Midlands Award. We are joined by Rosie Cotterill incoming Chair of the BCO NextGen Midlands Committee who plays an instrumental role in the planning and delivery of Birmingham’s award-winning Paradise Development as a Director at Turley
Alex Slatter BCO award winner is both the Chair of the British Council for Offices Next Gen Midlands and an associate at Associated Architects delivering both commercial and education projects, with considerable experience in the refurbishment and conversion of commercial buildings.
Francesca Ghavami one of Glenn Howells Architects senior interior designers working on a macro master planning scale right down to the micro interior details on a selection of high-profile projects, including the RIBA-award-winning Moss House for University College Birmingham, Two Chamberlain Square and One Centenary Way at Paradise Birmingham.
All three guests share the same vision for building a better Birmingham and are working towards that goal, taking huge strides each year in making this vision a reality.
Listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
Delivering placemaking through digital solutions
We caught up with Matt Warren, Head of Digital Engineering and Integrated Solutions at Lendlease Europe to discuss the delivery of city centre regeneration projects and how advancements in technology are changing the ways in which teams collaborate and work together to drive positive change and regeneration. We look back at work by Lendlease in Elephant and Castle, London and ahead to the upcoming Birmingham Smithfield redevelopment.
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Building Birmingham with Birmingham City Council
Tune in and head from Simon Delahunty-Forrest Assistant Director of development planning and development at Birmingham City Council and Verity Barr Director at Cavendish Advocacy, part of the BECG discuss the future of Birmingham. We look at and what the Future City Plan means for both the City and developers plus investors who are looking to relocate and establish themselves in the UK’s second city following its recent global success at hosting the Commonwealth Games.
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Sustainability within the supply chain and manufacturing sustainable solutions within the tiling industry
In our latest episode, we are joined by our Building Brum partners and sponsors Solus. We caught up with Sustainability Manager Ken Graham and Area Sales Manager Lee Simmonds to look at the sustainability journey Solus are making as a UK tiling market leader and the wider journey being made by the tiling industry globally.
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Talking tough on embodied carbon: Holistic design, innovation and re-animation
As time ticks away to BCC’s Net Zero by 2030 target we caught up with Rob Nield - leader of the Webb Yates Engineers Midlands office and chartered structural engineer – to talk about his approach to lowering embodied (or upfront) carbon which can be responsible for a significant portion of a building’s carbon life cycle.
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The future of the High Street with Creative Retail
We are joined by the team behind Creative Retail: Matt Pegg and Ed Purcell. Both are experts in commercial real estate across Birmingham and the UK. We will be looking at how the high street has changed over the past ten years and what needs to happen to boost, develop and take it forward in the decades in the come.
Listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
Supporting communities and building construction legacies within Birmingham
Following on our from recent Building Brum roundtable event held with Careys and hosted by Cundall, we caught up with Careys Regional Director for the Midlands, Tom Wraight, to talk about what is being done in Birmingham to help tackle unemployment within the City.
We find out more in today’s podcast about the opportunities that our sector offers for those who are unemployed or looking for a career change and also, how the sector as a whole can support local communities, plus develop skills across
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Delivering Net-Zero Developments with Willmott Dixon
This May we are joined by Francesca Wilkinson, Sustainability and Environmental Manager at Willmott Dixon. Francesca provides us with a unique insight into how the fuel crisis we are facing in society today is impacting the Net Zero agenda. We also look at how net-zero technology is being successfully implemented on projects across the country and the approach from the private sector in net zero and net zero ready buildings.
The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 200,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.
Listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
Onsite sustainability with Sunbelt Rentals
This April we are joined by Geoff Fawkes from Sunbelt Rentals, who are a key strategic partner and supporter of the Building Brum series. As the largest providers of equipment hire across the UK, Sunbelt Rentals are in the unique position of supplying and supporting a huge range of infrastructure projects both large and small across the country, helping to regenerate and transform cities nationwide. We are going to be taking a look at the steps being taken across these building sites to make the construction sector more sustainable.
The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 200,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.
Listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
Destination Digbeth with Jo Salmon - Oval Real Estate - Head of Estates
Digbeth has been on a journey of regeneration and transformation since Oval Real Estate acquired the Custard Factory, Fazely studios and numerous other sites back in 2017. In this month’s Building Brum podcast we caught up with Oval's Head of Estates Jo Salmon who has been at the heart of the regeneration of Digbeth.
Oval Real Estate is at forefront of the regeneration of Digbeth and redeveloping 42 acres of land between the HS2 Curzon Street station and High Street Deritend. We look at how the area has developed and grown over the past five years, reflecting on the journey taken by Oval and what needs to happen next in Digbeth to further its ongoing regeneration.
The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 200,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.
Listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
De-engineering Snow Hill’s streets with Broadway Malyan
We caught up with Broadway Malyan’s Director of Urbanism Danny Crump to find out more about one of Birmingham's most ambitious masterplans, the public realm transformation of Snow Hill. Danny has been at the heart of this project since its inception back in 2015 and has been instrumental in enhancing this district. We look at how the area has transformed over the past seven years since the project begin and what it means to enhance a public realm in the heart of a major city.
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R&D Tax credits, is it an industrial PPI? Or a driver for innovation?
We are joined by Rupert Mayo who founded Knight R&D in 2016 following almost 10 years of consulting with KPMG in R&D tax relief and we de-mystify what exactly is R&D tax credits for companies big and small within the construction industry.
Rupert Mayo founded Knight R&D Ltd (Knight) in 2016 following almost 10 years of consulting from KPMG in R&D tax relief. In 2021 Knight became part of K3 Capital Group PLC, a group of complementary professional services firms. A large proportion of the client base at Knight is in the construction industry, with companies ranging across all areas and fields of construction and including start-ups, more established small and medium-sized firms, all the way up to large listed construction, services and property groups.
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Wolverhampton: The latest destination for design lead office development
Wolverhampton is undergoing huge transformation and regeneration with record levels of confidence in new projects. One such project, landmark office building i9 Wolverhampton is testament to this. Brought forward by ION Developments and the City Council, and designed by Glenn Howells Architects, we find out more about this brand-new destination for local, regional, and national organisations.
We will be talking with the team behind this major development from Glenn Howells Architects: Partner Dav Bansal, Associate Fraser Godfrey and Senior Interior Designer Charlotte Gallen, which was won through a national design competition, forms an integral part of the wider Interchange redevelopment as well as thoughts on the future of office work and indeed the ambitions of the city of Wolverhampton.
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Birmingham and beyond 2021 with Overbury Business Development Manager & BCO Chair Danny Parmer.
In our final podcast of 2021 we go back to where it all started and sit down with Danny Parmer, British Council for Offices Chair of the Midlands and East Anglia and Overbury Business Development Manager. We discuss Overbury’s recent work on the fit-out of the Midlands BT Hub in the heart of Birmingham and look at continued demand for office space within the city center.
Listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
Modern methods of construction | The enabler, not the outcome
Akerlof Partners Jamie Hillier and Ellie Jenkins join us on the Building Brum podcast to discuss their work around Value-based decision making and modern methods of construction.
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Now or Never with Willmott Dixon
This November we see the launch of the COP26 summit bringing parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Alongside this, Building Brum, with Willmott Dixon, are hosting a panel debate featuring Birmingham City Council, Cundall, SCAPE and Collida in front of some 300 delegates from across the built environment to ask the Net Zero Carbon question: “What’s Stopping Us?”.
Ahead of these landmark events, we caught up with Willmott Dixon’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Julia Barrett, to discuss Willmott Dixon’s Now or Never 2030 Sustainability Strategy. The contractor’s ambitious net zero plans aim to see all of their new buildings and major refurb projects achieve net-zero operational carbon by 2030, and by 2040 be delivered with net-zero embodied carbon.
Listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
Creating exceptional homes and sustainable communities with the Hill Group
Daniel G Wilson, Development Manager at the award-winning House Builder Hill Group joins us on our Building Brum podcast. As a Development Manager working in the Eastern Residential team at Hill.
Daniel specialises in securing consent for sustainable developments that leave a positive lasting impact on communities. We will be finding out more from Daniel about the Hill Groups' approach to sustainable house building and learning why their work on the Agar Gove in London is being praised by the Mayor's office.With over 19,200 homes delivered to date, we take a look at what it means to the Hill Group when comes to successfully building homes and creating communities.
Listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
Careys and Social Value: Carbon, Compliance+ and Community
Social Value Champions and Building Brum Construction Partners Careys join us on the Building Brum podcast to discuss their work across Birmingham and the Midlands.
We explore the ongoing regeneration happening across the region from Perry Barr to Paradise Birmingham with Midlands Regional Director Tom Wraight. Tom introduces us to the vision set out by Careys "to be the most trusted and socially responsible construction company, that people are proud to work with".
Listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
Capital & Centric x Stoke-on-Trent
Capital & Centric Co-Founder Tim Heatley and the Leader for Stoke City Council Abi Brown caught up with Building Brum’s Conor Nolan to explore the regeneration of Stoke-on-Trent and one of its most exciting projects: The Goods Yard. We look at the vision for Stoke-on-Trent and how Stoke City Council is going to achieve this by working with award-winning developers like Capital and Centric.
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Construction to the North, South, East and West
Download the latest #BuildingBrum episode with series partners Solus. We are joined by Lee Simmonds to take a look at what is happening across the city, with confidence in Birmingham booming and a domino effect of developments now taking place right across the region.
Listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
HS2 Midlands Stations with Hala Lloyd: From Major Projects to Mega Projects
In the latest Building Brum episode we were joined by HS2 Lead Architect Hala Lloyd. Hala’s an expert leading multi-disciplinary teams working on major ,complex transportation infrastructure projects such as the redevelopment of Birmingham New Street Station , Grand Central and Crossrail Farringdon Station. She took on her current role, in June 2017, as Lead Architect (and HS2 Design Vision guardian) for the HS2 Phase 1 Midlands Stations at Curzon and Interchange . She is also one of the first cohort of HS2 Design Champions who graduated in Sept 2019 from this HS2 pilot initiative.
We explore the key themes underpinning the much of the vision and legacy of HS2, from Sustainability and the aim for net zero. Discussing the comparison between the 2010 Gateway Project at New Street Station and the redevelopment of Curzon Street Station. Looking at how the role of the public influences the designs and legacy for these major and mega projects.
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Past, Present and Future with Willmott Dixon
Nick Gibb - Deputy Managing Director -Willmott Dixon
Nick Gibb, Deputy Managing Director of Willmott Dixon in the Midlands spoke with us about their successes over the past decade and how it has led to business growth in the region and a reported annual turnover of over £200 million.
The opportunity Net Zero has to redefine infrastructure
Gbenga Oludotun - Associate WSP & Chair ICE West Midlands
Currently an Associate with the Birmingham Bridges team at global consultants WSP, Gbenga has been responsible for the structures design delivery on the HS2 Phase 1 Enabling Works North contract and a project manager on the Highways England SPaTS framework.
Port Loop and Modern Methods Of Construction
Shauna Bradley - Director - Glenn Howells Architects
Glenn Howells Architects Director Shauna Bradley discusses Port Loop and how offsite manufacturing and modern methods of construction have influenced and shaped the design and delivery of this project.
HBD in the Midlands
Simon Raiye - HBD Director
HBD Director Simon Raiye discusses current HBD developments across Birmingham and the West Midlands. From major Birmingham city center projects to the £100 million "Phoenix 10" development in Walsall.
The Future City Plan Birmingham
Simon Delahunty-Forrest -Acting Assistant Director of Planning and Development for Birmingham City Council
The city is undergoing huge changes with the rise of tall buildings, HS2 and the Commonwealth Games. Let’s take a look behind the Future City Plan and find out more from one of the key architects behind it.
The Impact of Covid on City Centre living
Lisa Deering - Director Glancy Nicholls Architects
Coming Soon
Capital projects & the Year of the Pivot
Trevor Payne - Director of Estates University of Birmingham
With Phase One of the University of Birmingham's Capital Development Programme complete, we caught up with Director of Estates Trevor Payne to look at this first phase over the last six years.
The Greatness of Birmingham - The Office Perspective
Danny Parmer - Overbury Business Development Manager & BCO Midlands and East Anglia Chair.
Danny’s outlook on the city is bold, is clear and it's positive. We are going to be discussing the greatness of Birmingham, from the perceptive of the office.
Project Director, Property Developer and Restaurateur
Sunil Johal - Development Manager
Discussing the collapse of Carillion during the development of One Chamberlin Square. As well as the opportunity to become a property developer and join Detail 2020.
Future Cities, Smart Cities, Our Cities
Stephanie Eastwood - Associate Director Avison Young
In episode two we sit down with Stephanie Eastwood Associate Director Avison Young to discuss the future of Cities from across the UK and globally.
Building Brum Podcasts are sponsored and supported by ScanTech Digital & Solus
