Islington Gates Birmingham

Islington Gates, Birmingham : Completed

Located at Farmers Lock in the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, Islington Gates is a £25 million mixed-use scheme comprising 141 apartments (the majority with waterside views) as well as offices and restaurants.

The development is innovatively cantilevered over and stilted upon the canal basin thus maximising the potential of the 250 metre long and 8 metre wide Brownfield site. This project pushes the boundary of the use of air rights in cite centre redevelopment.

MCD executive team drew on the history of the canals for evidence of how to build over part of the basin whilst ensuring that it remained operational for much of the construction period. Prior to the development this was a derelict and unsafe site in the centre of Birmingham that was restricting the redevelopment of this part of the city.

MCD executive team brought forward the development with support from Birmingham City Council, British Waterways and the Royal Bank of Scotland. Works included a public canal side plaza and a striking new bridge encouraging pedestrian flow between the site, Brindley Place, Broad Street, NIA and the Jewellery Quarter.

MCD invested in the refurbishment of the canal as a contribution to community benefit and assisting canal regeneration.