As part of a first stage master planning exercise we were appointed to develop a master plan for both the wider Midland Metropolitan University Site & City Hospital Site. The City Hospital site initial master plan focused on the part of the site retained by The Trust; as a result of the success of this first phase master plan a broader master plan project for both The Hospital Trust & Homes England for the wider site was undertaken. We were commissioned by Homes England & The Trust to produce a new strategic master plan that could maximise value across the whole site.
The new acute Midland Metropolitan University Hospital in Smetwick is currently under construction and many of the services currently located at City Hospital and Sandwell General Hospital will be relocated to the new facility about 500m away. Homes England has previously purchased a significant part of the site subject to a leaseback arrangement to the Trust. This land is due to transfer to Homes England once vacated by the Trust during after completion of the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital.
A number of existing hospital facilities will remain on the site including the Birmingham Treatment Centre, Birmingham and Midland Eye Clinic (BMEC) and Sheldon Block (an inpatient community facility). In addition a new multi-storey car park is currently under construction by the Trust.
The master plan delivers a strategic vision for the site, including new residential development alongside the retained NHS uses to create a new mixed use community, a retained focused healthcare quarter with additional development plots for new healthcare functions, a site wide sustainability strategy including sustainable urban drainage, energy and transport and access. All set around a green heart to the site, with good access restored along the perimeter canal and to other nearby developments. Heat mapping to establish maximum development heights and densities created a balance between value generation in terms of maximum developable area while at the same time being sensitive to the urban grain, existing buildings and communities and the creation of a positive public realm. Concepts such as the 15 minute city informed the development of the design.
