Double Contract Win for Winvic at Edgbaston Stadium

Winvic has been appointed by two new clients for concurrent works at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham. The firm will be delivering improvement works for Warwickshire County Cricket Club (WCCC) ahead of the 2022 Commonwealth Games and also constructing a mixed-use scheme for PATRIZIA (UK), which comprises 375 build-to-rent (BTR) apartments. Winvic began the £93 million GDV project this week.

The PATRIZIA privately rented sector (PRS) project – The Residences – will not only provide 189 one-bedroom, 169 two-bedroom and 17 three-bedroom apartments for the people of Birmingham, but also circa 20,000 sq ft of commercial space across five units on the ground floor. Winvic will be constructing the five concrete-framed blocks of five, seven, eight, 13 and 18-storeys in-situ utilising two tower cranes. A landscaped podium deck with undercroft car parking will be created and also a rooftop amenity space for residents to enjoy, which is almost 3,000 sq ft.

Full fit-out will also be undertaken by Winvic and the project handover will take place over five phases, facilitating the cricket club, car park, conference facilities and practice nets to remain open throughout the works. Other challenges for Winvic include installing various underground services whilst managing the water and sewage mains that run through the site and working considerately adjacent to residential housing and the junction of two major routes into Birmingham city centre. Edgbaston Road will be realigned and a new opening on Pershore Road will be formed by Winvic as part of the programme, plus an access road through the site will also be constructed. The work is scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2023.

Initial activity for WCCC on the western side of the stadium will include ground works as well as the demolition a derelict building. This is in preparation for the reconfiguration of the existing car park and creation of new parking areas, resulting in a further 229 spaces than the current provision. A new 56,500 sq ft entrance plaza will also be constructed, which will enhance the main arrival space for visitors as well as help improve accessibility and circulation around the famous cricket stadium. Works will also comprise major drainage attenuation, lighting and landscaping, with circa almost 3,000 trees and shrubs planted. The whole of this project – as well as the landscaping programme for the BTR scheme – will be fully completed in the run up to summer 2022 when the Commonwealth Games Women’s T20 cricket will be held at Edgbaston.

Mark Jones, Winvic’s Director of Multi-room, commented: “The Residences BTR project and redevelopment works for Warwickshire County Cricket Club are both exciting schemes in different ways, and winning these contracts illustrates Winvic’s breadth of experience across the various areas of construction. Winvic is as comfortable delivering 18-storeys of luxury apartments for PATRIZIA and highways works for WCCC as it is creating over 76,000 sq ft of car parking and a large piazza which will be welcoming people to watch the Commonwealth Games in 18 months. We have already built a great relationship with these two new clients and we’re looking forward to exceeding their expectations.”

Daniel Williams, Head of Development UK and Ireland at PATRIZIA, said: “With this new development we are building a vibrant community where people will want to live. We are at the same time addressing Birmingham’s acute need for first-rate and affordable rental accommodation aimed at local residents, as well as those visiting Edgbaston Stadium. We have worked closely with both Warwickshire County Cricket Club and Homes England to ensure these plans are right for the local community, as well as for the iconic Edgbaston Stadium, the Club and its visitors. Of course those partnerships now also extend to Winvic, and we are delighted to be working with such a delivery focussed contractor that has a wealth of experience in the build-to-rent sector.”

Craig Flindall, Chief Operating Officer at Warwickshire CCC, said: “Despite the barriers created by the COVID pandemic and national lockdowns, we have been able to navigate a way through and are delighted that we can now get this major redevelopment project underway, which will transform our stadium footprint and the surrounding facilities. It has taken great efforts to keep things moving in the current climate, but today’s start by our construction partner Winvic ensures that key elements of the project will be completed ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and everything will be completed by Autumn 2023. In the coming weeks we intend to reveal plans for the third phase of the Edgbaston Masterplan, which will include the next phase of the redevelopment of the stadium”.