Don't think we have a thread for this, so:

NEWS:

http://www.building.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=284&storycode=3132894&c=1

Broadway Malyan seeks planning for £84m college at Longbridge
2 February, 2009

By Michael Willoughby

Bournville College will form a key part of St Modwen's redevelopment of the former MG Rover car works site

Architect Broadway Malyan has applied for planning approval for its detail design for a £84m new campus for Bournville College on the site of the former MG Rover works at Longbridge, Warwickshire.

The scheme, which is part of developer St Mowden's £750m plans for the former car works site, will unite the college's three campuses in one site, serving 15,000 further and higher education students and adult learners.

Leading the project from Broadway Malyan's Birmingham office, Salim Hussain said: “The new Bournville College marks one of the first phases of the biggest regeneration scheme in the region, so it is incredibly rewarding to have the opportunity to implement the concept design through the build stage.”

The six-storey building will be located on Longbridge North and is intended to create a new town centre at the heart of the regenerated 190ha site.

The new Bournville College will be housed in one building, comprising multiple distinct blocks interlinked around the central spine structure with a double-height atrium. A glazed tower will overlook the nearby River Rea, running overground for the first time since early last century.

The college will provide public access to a sports hall, restaurant and hair and beauty salons on site. It has been designed to achieve a BREEAM 'Excellent' rating and sustainability features include rainwater harvesting, earth tubes and an exposed concrete frame for improved thermal mass.

St Modwen’s £750m Longbridge scheme is one of the largest regeneration projects in the West Midlands. The plan includes the creation of 10,000 new jobs and 1,980 new homes alongside public realm and access to transport links.

Norman Cave, principal of Bournville College, believes the design of the building to be integral to the long-term success of the facility.

He said: “The brief was to create a landmark building that represented the vision for Longbridge as well as providing an educational facility that could meet the needs of businesses, local community, adults and young learners.

“Fundamental to this was the creation of an effective working partnership where design ideas could meet the aspirations of the college. We believe that our partnership has done just that and we look forward to providing a 21st-century educational facility to an area of the city which has been severely affected by the demise of MG Rover.”

The MG Rover car works closed in 2005 with the loss over 6,000 jobs, although a Chinese firm, the Nanjing Automobile Corporation, maintains a small workforce on site to build MG sports cars.



http://www.building.co.uk/Pictures/web/c/m/x/Broadway_Malyan_Bournville_Longbridge2.jpg
http://www.building.co.uk/Pictures/web/j/s/w/Broadway_Malyan_Bournville_Longbridge.jpg


Work starts on Bournville College at Longbridge
Oct 23 2008 By Alun Thorne, Head of Business

Remediation work has begun to clear the way for a multi-million pound college that will underpin the ambitious programme to transform the former MG Rover plant in Longbridge.

Developer St. Modwen has started an extensive programme of preparatory works on the site of the former North Works for construction of the new £84 million Broadway Malyan-designed Bournville College.

The £750m scheme, being driven by St. Modwen and joint landowner Advantage West Midlands, will eventually see the creation of a essentially new suburb of Birmingham with new homes, a town centre, the college and more than a million square foot of commercial space for new technology-focused industries.

The vision for Longbridge town centre includes a major food store, together with a variety of other retail and service uses, employment space, hotels and leisure uses as well as 460 new homes and The Austin Centre – a community building which will primarily be used as a focal hub for a host of local groups.

Over the course of the development thousands of tonnes of soil will be remediated at Longbridge North – enough to fill more than 35 Olympic-sized swimming pools – and, following the removal of ground contamination and concrete obstructions, the site will be re-graded to enable infrastructure and building works to commence.

Construction is scheduled to start on Bournville College in summer 2009.

The preparatory works will also include the construction of the realigned River Rea, which has been underground since the early 1900s.

The river will be returned to an open watercourse and will become a key feature of Longbridge North.

It will run through Austin Park at the heart of the town centre, which will also include cycle lanes, footpaths, riverside seating and grass terraces.

Mark Batchelor, construction manager for St. Modwen, said: “Sustainability is very much at the heart of the regeneration of Longbridge and more than 95 per cent of on-site material is being recycled for future use in the project.

Contaminated material will be treated by Hawk and Celtic Ltd using ex-situ bioremediation, which allows for the treated material to be re-used elsewhere in the scheme.

This reduces the need for importing and off site disposal of material, thus decreasing traffic on the roads and reducing the carbon emissions of the project.“ As well as the environment, the interests of the existing community surrounding the 468 acre Longbridge site are of utmost importance, with St. Modwen introducing measures that will keep disturbance to an absolute minimum.

Hawk’s innovative new silent breakers will drastically reduce noise disturbance and excessive dust, a common problem during preparatory work, will be reduced using Celtic Ltd’s filtration kit.

“Around five million square feet of the vast Longbridge site has already been cleared by St. Modwen. We are working closely with the Environment Agency, Birmingham City Council and Bromsgrove District Council to ensure this former industrial site is fully remediated, allowing the area to be completely transformed into a prosperous mixed-use town centre built around jobs, communities and people.”

The proposals for the area as a response to the city council’s Area Action Plan are currently subject to a public inquiry.

The hearing heard that the residential element of the regeneration scheme may be delayed due to the slump.

http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/10/23/work-starts-on-bournville-college-at-longbridge-65233-22102087/

Interesting design, it reminds me of a building but I can't think what.

Is it "The Deep" in Hull?, which is right on the seafront??

Oh yes that's it, similar shape.

The first image is very Le Corbusier in its style. I really like the timber palisade in the second image as it softens the boxy appearance of the building:)

I'm interested to see how they will support that overhang.

Interesting design, it reminds me of a building but I can't think what.

http://www.building.co.uk/Pictures/web/c/m/x/Broadway_Malyan_Bournville_Longbridge2.jpg

This one?
http://www.building.co.uk/Pictures/web/l/q/k/Edgbaston_cricket2.jpg

:lol:

Well, it's the same architect...

"....enough to fill more than 35 Olympic-sized swimming pools...."

If only.....

Couple of other images from The Post from Bio and a few snaps of the model of the design I took.



http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a264/Biosonic/Renders/BournvilleCollegeLongbridge.jpg

Broadway Malyan's Bournville College for Longbridge. From The Post.

Model of Broadway Malyan's Bournville College scheme from their offices.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b141/Feltip/Planning%20Images/BournColl1.jpg

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b141/Feltip/Planning%20Images/BournColl2.jpg

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b141/Feltip/Planning%20Images/BournColl3.jpg

Hmm dont like it at all it's a college not some museum! Making wacky buildings!

Im the opposite, very much like it! Like to know the reason for the random balcony lol

Got a few more pictures from the planning app:

http://birminghamcentral.blogspot.com/2009/02/picturing-bournville-college-longbridge.html

For some reason your blog isn't loading at all. Usually it does but I always end up with connection timed out...

Bournville College scheme gets green light
Ben Cook, Regen.net, 19 March 2009

Planning approval has been granted for a college that is intended to be a key element of the regeneration of the former MG Rover works at Longbridge in Birmingham.

The proposed Bournville College scheme will involve the relocation of the existing Bournville College in Northfield to Longbridge.

The joint project by developer St Modwen and regional development agency Advantage West Midlands would bring together the college’s three disparate campuses into a new 23,000 sq metre premises.

The developer expects construction of the college is to begin this summer, subject to detailed approval and funding from the Learning & Skills Council.

St Modwen expects the work to create hundreds of jobs.

Work is expected to finish in time for the start of the new academic year in September 2011, St Modwen said.

http://www.regen.net/news/ByDiscipline/Physical-Regeneration/892420/Bournville-College-scheme-gets-green-light/

Wonder is this will be affected by the story in the news yesterday about colleges having to put their growth plans on hold becuase funding has been withdrawn?

Im the opposite, very much like it! Like to know the reason for the random balcony lol

I just noticed that looking at the renders GrAfiK, it seems like an after-thought just tagged on! I would rather see plenty of balconies across that large wall or no balcony at all.

Other than that i think it looks great. Glad its got the green light and nice to see things happening at longbridge- thanks for the article feltip.

£4m wasted if Bournville College plans are scrapped, warns head
Mar 24 2009 by Tony Collins, Birmingham Post

The head of a Birmingham college has warned that nearly £4 million could go to waste if plans for a new £84 million campus are scrapped due to a Government funding crisis.

Bournville College, which is looking to relocate from its present site to the former Rover factory in Longbridge, is one of 16 colleges across the West Midlands whose plans are being reviewed to see if they are feasible.

Sion Simon, the MP for Erdington and minister for further education, told Birmingham Post last week that the Government simply did not have enough money to pay for all the planned building projects.

The review, being carried out by former Audit Commission chief executive Sir Andrew Foster, could also threaten the major expansion plans of Sandwell College and Sutton Coldfield College.

Sandwell, which is looking to build a new £85 million campus in West Bromwich, and Sutton Coldfield, which is planning a £42 million campus in Perry Barr, have already had their submissions for approval “in detail” postponed twice.

Bournville, which waited for the Longbridge area action plan to be completed, is due to have its application heard by the regional Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in May, followed by the national LSC in June.

Principal Norman Cave said: “It is a worrying time for everyone and we are all concerned about it. My understanding is that all colleges in our situation have received a letter advising them to stop spending further funds in relation to their particular projects pending the review being done by Sir Andrew Foster.

“But we have already spent up to £4 million getting to this stage, on fees and on work involved in securing the design of a new site and preparing our existing site for possible sale.


http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-education-news/2009/03/24/4m-wasted-if-bournville-college-plans-are-scrapped-warns-head-65233-23217039/

As predicted... the college is unlikely to happen in the current climate.

The head of the LSC has resigned and the government have messed this one up royally.

We'll find out which colleges will get their money this financial year soon though.

The head of the LSC has resigned and the government have messed this one up royally.
We'll find out which colleges will get their money this financial year soon though.

No surprise there then.

They've messed the whole country up, so there's no reason to suspect this would be any different.

Another Longbridge non-starter?

When the funding is released it will start. I think they are appointing a contractor?

Haven't the government put a hold on all this type of work though??

Only until the new financial year and then some will be given the green light.

Fingers crossed then.

Hopefully the government will see sense and fund as many public domain capital projects as possible this coming financial year. That's assuming they've got any spare cash left after propping up the banks for the last 6 months

Fund crisis hits Bournville College and Longbridge plan
Apr 2 2009 by Jonathan Walker, Birmingham Post

College expansion plans threatened by a funding crisis have very little chance of going ahead – because almost all the money has been spent, it has emerged.

Bournville College’s ambitious plan to relocate to the former Rover factory in Longbridge is among those facing the axe. The move is the cornerstone of the site’s redevelopment, aimed at boosting skills in an area badly in need of economic revival.

It is one of 16 West Midlands schemes affected after the Learning and Skills Council approved 79 projects across the country costing £2.7 billion, when it had only £2.3 billion to spend.

But the head of a government inquiry into what went wrong has warned that there is no more cash available.

Sir Andrew Foster, a former Audit Commission chief executive, was asked to investigate the shambles by John Denham, the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

College principals must wait several months to hear their fate while a new priority list is drawn up for the small pot of money still on offer. But, delivering his findings, Sir Andrew warned: “It is my understanding that almost all of the £2.3 billion has been spent.”

Asked if that meant the 79 projects in limbo had “very little chance of going ahead”, he replied: “That is definitely one way of putting it.”

Bournville has spent £4 million on drawing up its plans and designing the proposed new site. The importance of the project was highlighted by local MP Richard Burden (Lab Northfield) in the House of Commons, as he urged Ministers to ensure it went ahead. He said: “A central plank of the regeneration of the Longbridge site in my part of Birmingham is the relocation of Bournville college to that site, with a state-of-the-art building whose construction will provide new jobs in the short term and new opportunities for quality skills training for generations coming through.

“That will be a visible catalyst to enable south-west Birmingham not simply to win through the current economic downturn but to deal with the continuing effects of the huge blow that local communities suffered in 2005 when MG Rover collapsed.”

Other schemes hit by the crisis include Sandwell College’s planned £85 million campus in West Bromwich and Sutton Coldfield College’s planned £42 million campus in Perry Barr, Birmingham.

Sir Andrew said the collapse of the college building programme was “predictable and probably avoidable”. There were warnings of problems as early as February last year but there was “delay and confusion” in addressing them.

While most of the blame lay with the Learning and Skills Council, the Government had also been slow to act, he said. “The responsibility of the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills was to determine and monitor the implementation of broad policy.

‘‘Effective implementation was the role of the Learning and Skills Council. “There were warnings of overheating as early as February 2008, but there was delay and confusion in addressing them.”


http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2009/04/02/fund-crisis-hits-bournville-college-and-longbridge-plan-65233-23292355/

The site need new jobs, not ones transferred two miles down the road.

The college is all very well and good, but that site employed 20,000 people as little as 15 years ago. That highlights the number of jobs that have to be replaced in the area.

There are many who have found jobs already - and they don't need to be employed locally. They can work elsewhere in Birmingham too.

So have the diggers that were on-site stopped now? I'll be back in a week to see the site for myself.

Decision looms on £84m Bournville College plans
Apr 20 2009 by Jonathan Walker, Birmingham Mail


BOURNVILLE College may know “within weeks” whether a long-awaited £84 million rebuild will go ahead, according to the Minister responsible.

Sion Simon, the Birmingham MP and skills minister, was speaking after he met college principal Norman Cave to discuss the long-awaited refurbishment.

Mr Simon has the task of sorting out a funding crisis which has left dozens of college expansion schemes facing the axe after the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) approved 79 projects across the country, costing £2.7 billion – when in fact, it had only £2.3 billion to spend.

Bournville College’s planned move from its Bristol Road site to the former Rover factory in Longbridge is one of 16 schemes across the West Midlands which have been placed under review to see if they are still feasible.

The minister visited the Longbridge site where he met Mr Cave along with local MP Richard Burden (Lab Northfield), Howard Saycell, the chair of the college board, and Mike Murray, senior development manager at developers St Modwen.

He said: “This is a very important project and everyone knows how important the Bournville regeneration is to Birmingham.

“We are hopeful the new leadership of the Learning and Skills Council will be able to provide the clarity in the next few weeks.”

St Modwen, which is responsible for transforming 468 acres of south Birmingham including the former MG Rover works, has already said it is confident the 220,000 square foot complex will still be built despite the cash crisis.

But earlier this month, former Audit Commission chief executive Sir Andrew Foster had claimed that there was “very little chance” that Bournville and 15 other West Midlands college expansion schemes would get the go ahead after the LSC over-committed its budget by an incredible £400 million.

Mr Burden said: “I know that the Minister understands the importance of the college move to the regeneration of the local area and the whole of south west Birmingham.

“A great deal of money has already been invested in the scheme, so to cancel it would actually be very expensive.”


http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2009/04/20/decision-looms-on-84m-bournville-college-plans-97319-23420759/

From South West Birmingham update report to Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny


Report of: Director of Planning and Regeneration.
To: Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny
Date: 16th June 2009

Bournville College.- Planning approval has been granted for the new college
and a section.106 legal agreement has been signed. The College is still
waiting to hear the outcome of the current LSC funding review for new
colleges and any impact this may have on the deliverability of the project.
The City Council is working closely with the College Principal to offer
whatever support it can and The Leader has recently written to John
Denham MP, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills
stressing the vital importance of the new college to the local economy and the
vision for Longbridge.

of course, theres a chance this will go the way that the ROH's plans went:

theyll get 95% of the way through having everything signed, then realise they dont own the site that theyre currently on.
Bournville College was set up by the Cadbury's, the original site was on the green, & the buildings are still there & in use by BCU. be interesting to know if they moved to the existing site with the Cadbury's allowing them to use the site.


theres supposed to be an increased demand for post-16 education, so says Ed Balls, so surely that would mean an extra college being built in Longbridge, not just moving one?


also, i dont think they should get away with keeping the name, it will no longer be in Bournville.
how long would people still be heading to Bournville to find the college :lol:

Mail article and image .

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories//tm_headline=new-images-of-pound-72m-college-planned-for-former-mg-rover-site-in-longbridge%26method=full%26objectid=24102833%26siteid=97319-name_page.html

Bournville College homepage with links to photos and info .

http://www.bournville.ac.uk/home-en/about-us/new-build-project/new-build-photos.aspx

Thanks for them links Nacho! Is there any real change in the design following this budget cut? :dunno:

I don't know if it's relevant but Sandwell College will apparently be adjusted .

From Building.co.uk


LSC gives 12 colleges go-ahead
28 August, 2009

By Joey Gardiner

Skills body has granted final approval to schemes that were revised after funding debacle

The Learning and Skills Council has given final approval to fund 12 colleges, after they made major revisions to their plans.

In July the LSC said 13 colleges would be able to push ahead with development plans following the debacle over funding that left a further 131 out of pocket.

In a statement today the LSC said that one of the 13, Manchester College, was still finalising its revised plans to ensure value for money and that the educational impact of the project are maximised. It said it would make an announcement in the near future.

The 12 successful colleges are:

Barnsley College
Bournville College
Furness College
Hartlepool College of Further Education
Kirklees College
Leyton Sixth Form College
North West Kent College
St Helens College
Sandwell College
South Thames College
Tresham Institute of Further and Higher Education, Corby
West Cheshire College

Each of these colleges were asked to cut costs from their initial plans and examine other possible sources of funds, while maintaining planned benefits for students and enabling construction to proceed rapidly.

The £5bn programme ground to a halt in March when 144 schemes were put on hold after the LSC over-committed its budget by more than 150%.

Geoff Russell, the LSC chief executive, said: “This has been a tough and challenging process, but the Building Colleges for the Future programme is moving forward and today's announcement is proof of that.”

He added that the LSC would honour its commitment to ensure that no college runs into genuine financial difficulty as a result of decisions that have had to be made on capital funding.

In addition to the 12 approved projects, the LSC said it would support the development of Skelmersdale and Ormskirk College in Lancashire, which will now go forward for approval.



Read more: http://www.building.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=3147659&origin=bldgdailynewsletter#ixzz0PUH4VqAe

^^ "There's always someone worse off"

Barnsley College, listed above has already reduced it's existing primary site to rubble - so they'll be pleased to get the funding!

A rather nice youtube video of the development


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCwBZt7bJiI

This needs moving to the Construction Thread. :banana:

I came past this at lunchtime heading for Frankley. Shepherd are on site doing ground works, and the scheme board is up. And it's hard to miss.

:banana: Excellent news, cheers fruity!

i need proof

Cheek! :tongue2:

If you want pictures you'll have to wait till the weekend. :)

This is actually going ahead with construction right now!

Hoardings are up all over the fencing advertising the new college campus

The former Future 4 Longbridge advertisement board has now been replaced with a Future Bournville College board and there are in excess of over 30 JCB's on site today:banana:

Woodie doesn't believe us.

pictures pictures pictures :P

Every time I go past it's dark or monsoon conditions. :(

I drove past yesterday and there were some massive machines on site, a huge earth ramp had been created by the looks of it. And all haordings up.

http://i35.tinypic.com/24x3rqu.jpg

There's a piling rig on site now!

Yeah ive seen it aswell, i go past most days but this weather has made it difficult to take a picture but i will try next time the sun is out.

I must admit it's a decent looking design, very futuristic and will def look far more attractive than what was there before. I just hope they keep up the consistency with the other aspects of this scheme. It could draw a lot of people from Worcestershire as well due to the excellent location.

It was dark and pouring with rain when I headed south this morning.....

....but it was a bit better at lunch time. :)

Lousy phone pics but here is a signboard with a piling rig behind....

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o114/fruityandnutty/SSC/BColl1-1.jpg

...and a crane....

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o114/fruityandnutty/SSC/BColl2-1.jpg


Construction forum Woodie....? :)

Yay! Finally! Thanks for the shots fruity. :)

From Building.co.uk

Shame the stupid luddites at Building can't spell....

Shepherd nabs £66m Birmingham college job
19 November, 2009

By Joey Gardiner

St Modwen appoints contractor to build Broadway Malyan designed Bourneville College on site of former factory

Shepherd Construction has been appointed to a £66m job to build a college on the site of the former Rover Longbridge factory in Birmingham.

Regeneration developer St Modwen has appointed Shepherd to build the Bourneville College, which is the first phase in the creation of a £100m town centre at the north end of the former car plant.

The 250,000 ft2 scheme is designed by architect Broadway Malyan to hold 15,000 students in further and higher education, and construction is expected to start before the end of the year. (EDIT - It's already started)

Construction is expected to take 88 weeks and provide employment for 350 people at its peak.

In total the regeneration of the former MG Rover car production plant, Longbridge is a £1bn project spanning 468 acres by St Modwen and joint landowner regional development agency Advantage West Midlands. Over the next 15 years, the scheme is expected to create up to 10,000 new jobs and 2,000 new homes.



Read more: http://www.building.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=3153583&origin=bldgdailynewsletter#ixzz0XK9huYEO

Had a leaflet on this through the post today....

http://www.longbridgebirmingham.co.uk/pdf/longbridge-lane-works.pdf

Nice to see the new access to the austin social club and for those who dont know the red shaded area and the white area on the right side of Devon Way is where the multi storey car park for Longbridge train station was proposed with an overhead walkway into the station itself.

Construction Commences for Landmark Bournville College
December 15 2009


Construction has commenced for the creation of the landmark new £66 million Bournville College, a major element in the next phase of £1 billion redevelopment of the former MG Rover works at Longbridge, by the UK’s leading regeneration specialist, St. Modwen and joint land owner Advantage West Midlands.

The development will see the relocation of the existing Bournville College in Northfield to Longbridge, in order to bring its three campuses together into purpose built, 250,000 sq ft premises.

Having secured detailed planning approval and funding from the Learning & Skills Council, the build programme for the six storey development is set to generate hundreds of construction and associated jobs locally, in order to create a dynamic new learning environment for over 15,000 students in both further and higher education.

Bill Oliver, Chief Executive Officer, St. Modwen, commented:
“The St. Modwen team is delighted that construction has started on Bournville College, a landmark building that will play a central role in the new Longbridge Town Centre and serves as a catalyst for development across the entire site. This high quality educational facility is vital to ensuring the community we create at Longbridge is youthful, dynamic and sustainable for the long term and we look forward to watching it take shape over the coming months.”

Norman Cave, Principal of Bournville College said:
“We are thrilled that the work on the College has started and we look forward to watching our vision develop into reality. The new building is due to open for students in September 2011 and the local community can look forward to state-of-the-art education and training facilities on their doorstep.”

Mick Laverty, Chief Executive of Advantage West Midlands added:
“The start of onsite work for Bournville College is another important milestone in the regeneration of Longbridge town centre, and testament to the commitment of partners who have worked together to deliver this project at a time of great uncertainty. As one of the West Midlands’ 20 Impact Investment Locations (IIL), Longbridge will continue to be a priority for the Agency and all regional partners. Together, we are creating a better Longbridge for the local community, with improved facilities and opportunities to live, learn and work.”

Councillor Neville Summerfield, Cabinet Member for Regeneration at Birmingham City Council concluded:
"The new Bournville College is an intrinsic part of the Longbridge Area Action Plan, the agreed vision for the development of the area. I am very pleased that the collaborative work between the Partners including the City Council has brought forward this important element of the Plan."

On target to be completed in time for the start of the new academic year in September 2011, the Broadway Malyan designed college reflects St. Modwen’s commitment to sustainability at Longbridge. The building which is under development by Shepherd Construction, has been designed to achieve a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ and hosts a number of environmental design features.


http://www.locatebirmingham.com/news_and_media/news/2009/12/15

Found these and havent seen them before


This is the Northern Face which will face away from the road

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_j4oTVEZVKnM/SYeh4bNgUlI/AAAAAAAAA5o/HUnngvSi4bo/s1600-h/long4.JPG


This is again the Northern Face
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_j4oTVEZVKnM/SYeiIUXj3mI/AAAAAAAAA6A/KkhXen60az8/s1600-h/Long7.JPG


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_j4oTVEZVKnM/SYeiIRH6R_I/AAAAAAAAA54/0Eq5Uln10Ik/s1600-h/Long6.JPG

And The Lighting Scheme
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_j4oTVEZVKnM/SYeiIQR7U-I/AAAAAAAAA6I/lpOQ5ztHc8U/s1600-h/Long8.JPG

theres some more of the pics on http://birminghamcentral.blogspot.com/search/label/Longbridge

That's Feltip's blog :)

And I've just seen the tag at the bottom of the thread! I'm suing for libel!

ahh cool:)

A year and 9 months untill this is meant to open cant wait to see it being built as i go past this area vertually everyday:) shame its always dark when i go to work:ohno:

^^Now you've posted that, I expect updates from you virtually everyday. ;)

^^ If i wasnt on my way to stupid work when its pitch black i would :lol:

I went past this the other day and theyve dug out quite a lot of this and got the piling rig going around on the dug out land so looks like there will be some more activity on site soon

more JCBs were being delivered to this site last night about 12ish

some of the foundations have gone in for this now

more foundations have gon down theres more rebar down and out of the ground and we also have a wall on this already! theres also a mobile crane on site

Good stuff! Anyone got any pics?

And does "Erebus molest babies"? The tag on this thread says so.

The mods can see which people have added thread tags. Keep it tasteful please.

Oh, I thought I was immune from tag insults. :(

if i get chance tomorrow il get a few pics if i can not sure how to load them up though?:?

http://www.nce.co.uk/news/geotechnical/foundations-laid-for-former-mg-factory/5213934.article Found this website it shows the piling rig on site

No need for pictures iv just found live webcams for the site:banana:

you can see the wall on the right in this cam...
http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:88/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

this is the other one..
http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html
looks like everyone can keep up to date with this one now then:)

Top find sefton66. From the roof of the Technology Park, Devon Way by the looks of things.

That's a cracking webcam as well - not one of them "updates every 10 seconds" ones. :)

i dont think ive seen such a good webcam, im impressed!

good find sefton and what a cracking cam!

Good webcam that .Here's an interesting video that I hadn't seen before .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3Jxvhn0pa8&feature=related

:) id also like to note that there are more site huts towards longbridge station way that arent visible on the webcams not sure if they are to do with the bournville college development as they seem a bit far away from the rest of the site. Something else starting?

the site huts that was further up towards longbridge station that i mentioned have dissappeared:? but the wall is beginning to grow a bit..

http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:88/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

seems like we have two bits of this developing on the left we have the wall and on the right we have what looks to me like a core bit of a building rising near to the crane on this cam.. http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

Took a few today, some real action shots :lol: oh and you get the longbridge tower block skyline in the background.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/4407954773_8285e748c0_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/4407953901_19113a2be9_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2782/4408719716_a8152da645_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/4408718972_2f4aa5e5af_b.jpg

how long did your bus stay there brumsgrove lol and youve been on a bit of a journey today lol

It got stuck at the lights for a few minutes so i saw my oppurtunity, pictures always come out better when the bus isnt moving :lol:
Oh and that journey is my daily journey to university.

lol cheers for the pics anyway:cheers: couldnt quite make out what was going on around the crane on the cams for this

On this note, they're gonna have to do something about the bus services when this opens. It's alright going into Northfield & Town with the 62 & 63, but I'm guessing a lot of students will be coming from the West Heath/Kings Norton/Longbridge/Hawkesley area, and the 49 only running every 20 minutes will make it absolute hell using it, especially seeing how it's already very well patronized shall we say by students from Cadbury College, St Thomas Aquinas AND Colmers Farm.

I wish they'd have all the services running the whole length of the route instead of every other one being a '49E Solihull-Pool Farm'

^^If i remember correctly theyr'e going to introduce 2 new services to specifically serve the new college maybe terminating at the college or having it as a stop. Trains were also mentioned at being improved aswell

http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

The core bits rising:banana:

looks like we have another mobile crane on site to add to the one already on site and now a tower crane going up:) can be seen in the webcam link above^^

lol, not surprised to see that road is hell at this time of the day.

wahheyy two cranes on site and 2 mobile ones now:banana: guessing theres going to be a lot more onstruction activity in this soon

I took shots of it last week, wasn't aware until now that it is for Bournville College.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/sets/72157623447327833/

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4417376751_9f03a0483c_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4035/4418145006_75edbc7617_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4418147704_3d35f50c09_b.jpg

Was near some barbed wire here
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/4417384487_569ed678ba_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2779/4417391863_37f402be86_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4417394523_4a13bb1a26_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4418163172_ac4afba7f3_b.jpg

great pics ellbrown:) could anyone give me an estimate at how tall this is going to be when complete? http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html how far up this crane would you say?

Thanks sefton66.

lot of activity in this recently the walls rapidly grew and the cores are growing steadily

Is it now twice as big as in my pictures (taken two weeks ago)?

^^ well there are now two main core bits which have grew slowly but steadily but the wall which is behind the cores has rapidly grew, it looks as though its come back around on itself and it looks as though theres a hell of a lot of rebar ready for the next set of wall to go up.

take a look when its daylight on the following links:)...
http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html (THE CORES)
http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:88/cgi-bin/guestimage.html (THE WALL)

Also if this is going to be 6 floors high can someone please tell me where about on the crane you think it would come up to? as i may be able to see it from my house when built as i can just about see the cabin of the crane.

It's hard to estimate given the over run of the facade, and it's hard to make out exactly how tall the core is in relation to each floor, but I would say that the top of the building would at least come to the same height as the cabin in which the crane operator sits.

ahh cheers:) this might just peep over the houses on the road at the back of mine and be visible from my bedroom when complete then a lot better than the old factory i could see from my bedroom:)

looks like theres steel work going up for an oval shaped building to the far right of this site it can be seen on the following cam on the far right by the yellow mobile crane
http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

Dyou think they'll rename the college once it moves?
It would be stupid to keep calling in Bournville College, it would confuse so many people, and Longbridge needs as many things baring it's name as possible for publicity!

Longbridge College has a nice ring to it.

^^ personally i think they'll keep it as Bournville college as stupid as it seems but theyv'e branded the site as the future home of Bournville college and to change it once complete would cause more confusion.

Also the steel structure on the far right of the site has gone up to a second floor

^^ personally i think they'll keep it as Bournville college as stupid as it seems but theyv'e branded the site as the future home of Bournville college and to change it once complete would cause more confusion.

Also the steel structure on the far right of the site has gone up to a second floor

That's going to confuse so many people though.

Although I guess King Edwards has managed to keep the 'Five Ways' name even though it's in Bartley Green

That's going to confuse so many people though.

Although I guess King Edwards has managed to keep the 'Five Ways' name even though it's in Bartley Green

Bournville construction college is in longbridge and many people know it is and thats with the main bulk of the college still in Bournville. Also im guessing London Midland will have signs put up saying Longbridge for bournville college at longbridge train station like they have at Kings Norton for cotteridge.

Also can someone confirm if when the new campus in longbridge is opened the old one is being demolished and student accomodation built or converted in to student accommodation im sure I remember reading this in the Birmingham mail a year or two ago:?

2 Mobile cranes are back on site again aswell as the two big cranes and Steel Framework is going on top of the concrete wall now:banana: its starting to get quite big now it can be seen on the cam below

http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:88/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

Does anyone know if this will have a fence around once complete or will it be completely open land up to the building with some landscaping around?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od1RuwONisM

Nice video showing the exterior and interior

The steel works really progressing on this especially above the walls.

Third crane is going up Today can be seen here:
http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:88/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

watched the crane arrive live today

Time on your hands? ;)

Looks like the one core on the right hand side of the site is complete:)

The other core is now complete by the look of it and the Steel works moving along quickly

from the bournville college site:

ABOUT NEW BUILD
Progress on site remains firmly on course for opening in September 2011.The various buildings on site are now really taking shape with the external walls to the sports hall virtually complete and the steel frame of the conference centre standing proud. The lift shaft walls now climb into the sky and the site is always a hive of activity.

Remaining groundworks and foundations are due to be complete in May this year. Bournville’s new build will consolidate the College’s existing three campuses into one flagship educational establishment spanning six storeys.

It also says that it will be fully complete in July 2011 ready for inspections and a September 2011 start

Anyone got anything on whats planned for the old campus?

There was a very ordinary housing proposal for the old site, nothing exciting.

^^ahh cheers I did hear they was going to refurb the college into student accommodation but think it was nothing more than just an idea

Site had a big delivery of more steel beams today and is going into place straight away on the left hand side, can be seen on this cam:
http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:88/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

The steel shell now has a solid first floor instead of just beams and the 2 cores on the right of the site have been completed, the new floor can clearly be seen on this cam: http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

More steel work was delivered this morning ad iv only just noticed they work on this every Saturday lol

the steel works gone up mega quick today it has been gradually coming along but today theyve got more done than in the past week! and theyve even got the flooring in it. take a look on the links:)

http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:88/cgi-bin/guestimage.html
http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

Update on this:

Bournville college have launched a separate website dedicated to the new college and there are some great photos showing loads of different renders inside and out, and there are loads of great pictures from start to finish of the site progress, can be found here http://www.bournvillecollegenewbuild.com/ If you go to the bottom of the page and click on the new build and progress tabs you can look through the photos. Really are some great photos on the progress tab

They're on to the 2nd floor of the structure now at the back.

just got to wait for daylight to look at the webcam to see

a bit blurry sorry. Kinda reminded me of the Twin Towers from this angle


http://i41.tinypic.com/2dbsems.jpg

http://i39.tinypic.com/15dxaab.jpg

http://i44.tinypic.com/34xhzq9.jpg

http://i43.tinypic.com/2hyaq80.jpg

Very nice :)

One thing which I really don't understand about this whole development is how in all the pictures the river rea is shown as a gentle little stream in the middle of the town about 3 foot lower with no flood defences in sight what so ever...
My house backs onto this river, and I can tell you; it floods. It can rise by around 7 feet in a matter of minutes and destroy homes, and it has a habit of doing it more and more frequently - thank god nothing for past few years but still.

I can't see how the environment agency can let them go ahead with this.

One thing which I really don't understand about this whole development is how in all the pictures the river rea is shown as a gentle little stream in the middle of the town about 3 foot lower with no flood defences in sight what so ever...
My house backs onto this river, and I can tell you; it floods. It can rise by around 7 feet in a matter of minutes and destroy homes, and it has a habit of doing it more and more frequently - thank god nothing for past few years but still.

I can't see how the environment agency can let them go ahead with this.

Having a look on the video the River Rea has got quite a steep embankment in the town centre part by the college and it is surrounded by the park so I would of thought it would be ok there, watching the flythrough though the river is quite close to what looks like factory buildings, The River Rea is normally fine on the old rover site, its more around the Northfield/ St Thomas Aquinas area it tends to flood. I expect they will install some kind of flood defences though, they might dredge the course digging it deeper so it can take more water or they might install overflow tanks and areas to divert extra water in the event of a flood. I do understand your concern though especially if you you have ever suffered from the flooding but i think this area will be fine

Yeah there will be works probably to alter the river and any obstructions which help flooding.

They are going to do similar work on Dogpool Lane bridge as it floods in Selly Park and will rebuild the bridge over the river and alter either side of the bridge to stop obstructions which help cause flooding.

That might be what all the green space is for - attentuation (a mini flood plain) when levels rise.

I sure hope so, I vaguely remember hearing plans for some sort of retention pool but I can't find any mention of it. I'm sure they will put defences in - but that leads me to think that they will have to significantly alter the design, aka, have the river feet more below land or build up that red wall around the edge of the parkland much higher.

Moving onto the third floor structure at the back right:cheers:

http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

block work is being lad on the far right of the site from the webcam view on the curved two storey high structure.

onto the third floor of the main structure, another concrete wall has been erected and another core has risen:)

Drove past earlier and looks like theyve got scaffolding up around the 2 floor curved building and the sports hall section on the right has extra steel beams running horizontally at the front between the steel uprights, looks like its ready to have the external fascia fitted onto and the core at the back left really has risen, ill look at the cams tomorrow morning and update as its not too clear at the moment

A couple of snaps from the bus yesterday.
http://i47.tinypic.com/33nvv9w.jpg

http://i50.tinypic.com/zu1du1.jpg

blockwork is going into sections of the steel on the far right on the curved structure and the two floor square structure, can we expect the cladding to be put on soon after the blockworks complete or will they wait till everything else is ready?

The main structure is now going onto its 4th floor! Take a look, on the far right hand side: http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

The main structures going onto the 5th floor now can we expect the cladding to start going on soon? the sports hall sections pretty much complete structure wise

Only just checked this on the cams tonight as i had an extremely long day(and night) at work a 16 hour shift! but it appears we have blue cladding or wrap on the sports hall section...
http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:88/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

:banana:

I can't see any? :dunno:

^^ i think its just fencing, i saw when they were sloting them together on cam eralier

ahh its just fencing:bash: it looked like they had started installing cladding alst night when they only had the left side up and with the street light just shining off it lol

It did look like cladding last night. Rather garish cladding, at that... So good thing it's just fencing! :)

Im going to guess theyve installed this new fence at the front of the site to take out the old one, because road works are due to start soon, theyve done preperation checks on the roads and marked up the water and gas lines etc. i think the new road layout involves widening part of the road so may be making space for that?

looks like they are starting to fix the outside facade up on the sports hall, can be seen on both of the below cams, nothing spectacular though.
http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:88/cgi-bin/guestimage.html
http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

Went past this today and the main steel structure of the sports hall is being painted white, there putting up scaffolding all around the building to the left of the sports hall and the external sheeting going onto the sports hall at the back right hand corner looks really dull and horrible, i dont think its the finishing face for it though,

http://www.austinmemories.com/page84/page84.html

I also found this website, shows some good construction shots from the college and the technology centre aswel.

A couple from one of West Midlands' finest at the weekend.
http://i48.tinypic.com/2rm32oi.jpg
There's a level or two going into the Bristol Rd South end of the site.
http://i48.tinypic.com/11rddeo.jpg

Has anyone got any renders of what the sports hall will look like? Iv'e seen renders from every angle showing every building apart from the sports hall? They've started to attach the metal sheeting to it now and it looks awful, see here: http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:88/cgi-bin/guestimage.html I know its still being built but I cant see this matching up to the rest of the renders for the building.

The sheeting around the sports hall structure is now complete and on the far right hand side they are going onto the 6th floor structure.

Some shots from this morning

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4779894744_aca39c6d3d_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4779896656_16c5ee705e_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4779264099_5f27eca604_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4779378241_19e4c8b44a_b.jpg

Nothing exciting, But they've covered the sports hall building in a polythene wrap

The stair cases have gone in in the main building and they have got the main support columns for the building up on all levels, I have been told that the cladding will be about 1 foot above the top of these pillars.

http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4779378241_19e4c8b44a_b.jpg

That has gone up fast in the last 3 or 4 months.

http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:88/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

Am i right in thinking this is the external cladding finish? They've put up insulation and the polythene wrap already so i can only see it being the cladding now? and also has anyone actually seen any renders for the sports hall?

Is this still going ahead in the video? http://www.longbridgebirmingham.co.uk/

a new castle vakl,e basically, bo actual nice houses, just multiple flats in a ghetto style it seems, what happened to the great science park? The college is looking good tho

^^The technology park is apparently fully let in the innovation centre but devon place is only something like 50% let, St Modwen wanted to change the use of the devon place but the council refused, which is where the issue came about them not wanting to pay the s106's, They did say that they had a client lined up to take the remaining space at the building if the use of the building could be changed. I know there are plans to add a further two buildings to the technology park but at the moment it seems dead.

The college is coming on greatly and they have apprently submitted plans for a new supermarket with one of the big 4 supermarkets taking it and they plan to open this 2011-2012 preferbly in line with the college opening date of September 2011.

The exact plans for the housing has yet to be released but 115 2 - 4 or 5 bed houses have gone ahead after kick start funding was scrapped in the budget cuts, the money was found and these will apparently start in a few months time, they are on the land opposite cofton park by the focus diy centre.

There also building a tempory park and ride facility for longbridge train station untill the plans are put forward and funding is found for a permanent park and ride facility, also said to be starting within a few months time

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/birmmail/may2008/7/0/10D2A36C-AA66-53A6-8CB8E406DDB9E301.jpg

This Gold cladding is starting to go on, on the Bristol Road side, it looks really good and very shiny and bright:banana:. Im off work after next week so il try to grab some pictures if i get chance:)

The three mobile cranes looked massive from Frankley Hill today. Unfortunately there's only a crappy cameraphone shot of the awesomeness. Must bring the SLR next time I'm up there.
http://i27.tinypic.com/14indcj.jpg

http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

The roofs starting to go onto the main structure:)

looking good i think.....

http://www.bournville.ac.uk/media/350549/backmiddledarkblue_260x114.jpg

Went past this today and you could just make out their installing these bits that overhang and come down, I tried getting a picture but it came out really blurry, guess we will have to wait untill its open to the public to see the back, just over a year remaining!

They've started building up the walls around the main 6 storey building now

http://www.building.co.uk/Pictures/web/c/m/x/Broadway_Malyan_Bournville_Longbridge2.jpg

]

They're placing some bronzy/gold cladding on the building right by the road.

I take it it's that bit at the right hand side of this picture.

They're placing some bronzy/gold cladding on the building right by the road.

I take it it's that bit at the right hand side of this picture.

i think you mean left hand side of that picture? :lol:

Yeah its http://www.bournville.ac.uk/media/456026/bournville%20view%201.jpg That one, the cladding looks really gold and shiney up front like in the renders!

Doh!

Yes, the left hand side!

Unfortunately I missed a shot of the gold cladding - it needs to be seen to be believed!

Cranes from a distance
http://i54.tinypic.com/wch6d1.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/16gwku9.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/2my593q.jpg

Framework has flew up on the outside of the main building, you can just see it in City Gents last photo, they are also attaching the first skin of outer layer to the building, going up really quick to be honest, i think once the cladding on the gold building is complete we will see them move onto the sports hall and then the main one. They are also finishing off the right hand side of the main building building the rest of the 6 storey end piece. All can be seen in the cam

http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

My mate found out a newspaper article when he was clearing out his flat today with the plans for the new bournville college development, It says the old college will be sold off to Bournville Trust and that the current construction campus will close and be knocked down for road re configuration.

Anyone know bournville trusts plans for the former site?

There was a planning application a while back for a very ordinary housing development on the old site

Thanks for that Spread.

Also The gold building looks like all the claddings been installed, really stands out and quite shiney. They have now moved onto the building next to it which is a "sea" shade blue you can see it on the right of this cam: http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

Behold... the golden goddess!
http://i51.tinypic.com/347tthk.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/2zz56q8.jpg

Thanks for that Spread.

Also The gold building looks like all the claddings been installed, really stands out and quite shiney. They have now moved onto the building next to it which is a "sea" shade blue you can see it on the right of this cam: http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

I believe that there is a facebook site with pictures taken from inside the site. Some lucky person has the access. Try :

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Shepherd-Bournville-College-New-Build/312814198028?ref=ts

^^ Thanks for that mate some good progress photos. The cladding has also started to be installed on the sports hall http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:88/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

http://www.bournvillecollegenewbuild.com/#news/36

If you scroll down to the bottom of this page and click on progress on the bottom right hand side you can go through some very good pictures of this its got the latest ones of the wooden beams at the back. Some great pics on the facebook page aswel... http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=227331&id=312814198028&ref=mf

Here are a few of the pics,

Ariel from Julyhttp://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs635.snc4/59503_432045923028_312814198028_5149247_678134_n.jpg

Gold claddinghttp://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs672.snc4/61234_432062433028_312814198028_5149702_1729098_n.jpg

Wooden beamshttp://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs332.ash2/61234_432062198028_312814198028_5149659_8006477_n.jpg

Wooden beamshttp://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs332.ash2/61234_432062288028_312814198028_5149675_3366819_n.jpg

Blue claddinghttp://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs332.ash2/61234_432062388028_312814198028_5149693_2613936_n.jpg

AND a timelapse video from January 2010 - July:)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVC5k12Oj1c

Good find :)

Cracking pics! Just thinking about that old rail line - why couldn't they configure it as a bus only road that went from the rear of the new supermarket to cut under the Bristol Road and link nicely to Great Park instead? A Rapid Transit that the BCP talks about.

why cant we use it as a rialway line like it was originally meant to be lol..... i remember looking at the plans drawn up by centro a few years back... looked sooo nice...

^^A combination of Centro having no cash (couldn't even afford a bridge over Rubery Lane in the final iterations of the scheme) and NIMBYs not wanting the rail line extended to Holly Hill.

When the Longbridge Action Plan was drawn up in 2005 after the collapse of Rover it was high up on the list to re open the railway line.

They originally wanted to open up a line from Longbridge - Great Park as most of the track is in place from Rover, It would have had regular services terminating at each end and running back, Centro, Network Rail, Birmingham City Council and St Modwen decided this would only be able to go ahead with a mass refurb of Longbridge station making it a much higher price and therefore less viable, they was then supposed to have looked at the idea of opening up the old longbridge station in the tickets and parcels building and to eventually open up the line to halesowen again. Apparently after considering the options they was both deemed un viable and to be a huge amount of money to pay out for such little gain as only being one extra stop a lot of the people would prefer to get the bus and having a train run for very few people seemed pointless, so it was scrapped completely if all is true, and extra bus services and road reconfiguration being the preferred option.

Got shots of the former railway line, taken back in March 2010

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4415372930_0a7db038da_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4415372930/)Former Longbridge Signal Box (Halesowen Railway) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4415372930/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2781/4415365368_d0e05cf215_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4415365368/)Former Longbridge Signal Box (Halesowen Railway) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4415365368/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4414599959_1ddbcb32a7_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4414599959/)Former Longbridge Signal Box (Halesowen Railway) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4414599959/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

^^A combination of Centro having no cash (couldn't even afford a bridge over Rubery Lane in the final iterations of the scheme) and NIMBYs not wanting the rail line extended to Holly Hill.

It really would be perfect, with a station at Great Park and maybe a big car park/bus interchange at Frankley.

But i believe there ARE plans to make the railway line a 'bus only road' if you look at the plans.

That gold thing is fruity!

In a good way...



:shifty:

Inter-modal (??) transport is the way to go!! Connecting a bus-only road from Great Park to link up with as close to Longbridge station as you can get is so much cheaper than getting a rail line live again and with expensive electrification too. In Los Angeles they link the underground with a bus only road (which used to be a single rail track) to continue their Metro into the western end of the San Fernando Valley. Sorry got off track there a little....

I think Centro concluded that the Rail service to Frankley wasn't economically viable - (it might cover its running costs but the cost/benefit of the investment did not really add up) - ultimately there is only so much money and plenty of other bits of the west mids rail network to invest in - i think there were also some capacity constraint issues on the rest of the XC line too

Sorry got off track there a little....

:lol:

The Sports hall and other blue cladded building are completely cladded, scaffolding removed and windows installed, looks really good, there starting to put the first few of the many "skins" onto the main 6 floor building at the back so i expect we will see this clad within the coming month. The back wooden beams are still being installed and there is a new red crane on site now around the back:)

Also I know there are on going major roadworks around the whole site and up the bristol road but it seems either this site has extended to the left for storage, or the road works are using the area to the left of the college but there seems to be something happening on the land?

here are some pictures taken on friday (15th oct)

there is major roadworks all along the stretch of road, they have got machines on the site of west works opposite the road junction of the college, and the middle tower crane has been removed :)

Sam

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/zz186/samk706/Longbridge%20Redevelopment/P1000846.jpg
this picture gives an idea of the site extention as the traffic lights at the junction are now inside the site boudry

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/zz186/samk706/Longbridge%20Redevelopment/P1000847.jpg

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/zz186/samk706/Longbridge%20Redevelopment/P1000848.jpg

Thanks for the pictures:) When did they take the middle tower crane down:?? last time i checked it was still there?

When did they take the middle tower crane down:?? last time i checked it was still there?

im not sure, i went past the other day and realised it was gone, im not sure exactly when it came down, i think it was some time last week

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey5CsbB6O1E
^^Updated time lapse video of the site from beginning - October

tower crane closest to the bristol road by the gold building has been removed, just the one remaining now, looks like there pushing on getting the main building ready for cladding now

All 3 cranes have now gone

Cladding is starting to go on the main structure, cant see it in the cams but can be seen when driving along the road just as you go past longbridge train station, it looks a darker shade than the blue at the front.

Cladding is now visible on the main 6 storey building on the cam

Clearing out my phone, a photo from 2 weeks or so ago...
http://i56.tinypic.com/oh8duq.jpg

yum....

http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html
^^
Quite a lot of cladding has now gone up one the main building

And glazing is starting to go in connecting the two buildings: http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:88/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

Few Updates:

cam has been shifted to the right so the whole site is now visible, guess this was in time to get the glazing going in on the end of the main building as this should be soon, Also poles are going in at the front between the two buildings....http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

Bounville college have unveiled a new logo and updated their website with new renders that havent been seen before, especially the library pictures....http://www.bournville.ac.uk/newbuild/progress/

And finally a selection of photos of on site from the beginning to recently, well worth a look:)...http://www.bournville.ac.uk/latest-photos/

The back claddings starting to go on this now on the elevation that will front the new town centre square, if you look at the front page of this thread its the first picture we have of the building. Im not too sure about it at the moment, it seems way to plain just being white, especially considering the color thats gone into the other frontage to the bristol rd/longbridge lane, hopefully the windows and lower wood and glass beamed library will break it up a bit. Also noticed today that the far left hand side building has a glass wall alone the one side about 6 ft high from the floor, looked good, and this is what will eventually face the new supermarket.

This thing is now visable from Northfield Train Station! If you look southbound you can see a giant blue blob - which is this :)

I know it's not completed yet but after driving past the other day the workmanship on the metalic curved section looked appauling from the road.

The bronze metal cladding on the Bristol Rd side looked all dented and flimsy.

Yes I've noticed that too. If you want a shape that bends 3 dimensionally (like Selfridges) then I think it is better to finish it in a render with a series of add-ons (like discs) because to form metallic plates is always going to be very difficult.

Yeah it is a shame really the rest of the development looks really good and is a great addition to the area, but the gold building for me seems like it was an add on and an afterthought, it doesn't match the other cladding as it's metallic and why they put curved edges, which create the dents Elizabeth pointed out doesn't make sense as the rest of the building is finisshed square rather than rounded off at the top edge like this

The gold bit does look awful, but so is the cladding in the rest of it.

It looks really cheap and tacky. A real disappointment.

Well the gold bit was never going to be able to remain smooth. The metal they put on is practically foil, and putting it on a curved surface just makes it far easier to dent.

I'd like to see a close-up of the cladding on the main structure.

The cladding on the main building itself doesn't look to bad, individually I think its the way they've laid it out, in the renders it seems to blend more lighter as the building get higher, but up close it looks like they've mixed in too dark pieces with light and vice versa. Overall I like it though, especially what will become the library, fronting the town centre and the scale and design of the building

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=474567023028&set=a.474563963028.251336.312814198028&pid=5831028&id=312814198028

theres a picture on there showing the gold cladding and front 2 storey building, aswell as the library section with the wooden beams i was talking about

I like the blue section, and the wooden parts..

The gold does look a little creased, but who knows, it might look better when the whole thing is completed

Here's some photo's of the Gold part, and also some of the Blue parts, courtesy of the Facebook like posted above..

From November '10
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs737.ash1/163006_474554073028_312814198028_5830833_2317663_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs740.ash1/163249_474554618028_312814198028_5830852_1292171_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1387.snc4/163993_474554683028_312814198028_5830854_7768652_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs419.ash2/69735_474553358028_312814198028_5830798_659999_n.jpg

I'm shocked they've used the copper (I'm assuming, although it hasn't tarnished yet...) on the roof given the cost of the stuff. Ideally, they should have heated it up when it was applied to help reduce denting and overall deformities from when it was bent, although this would have made the seamless look of each piece a lot less likely.

Assuming it is copper, it won't stay metallic-looking for long, and as it tarnishes, the dents become less apparent.

I remember in the planning app, it did say something about the gold material darkening over time, to a "warm gold"

So we could see something similar to Digbeth Coach Station - although that copper tarnished very quickly.

I remember in the planning app, it did say something about the gold material darkening over time, to a "warm gold"

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1075/5140242619_ab73be2040.jpg

http://www.albertsommer.de/cms/images/stories/tecu/tecu_classic1.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2028/2140354063_a0f0828842.jpg

http://www.technal.co.uk/upload/Technal.co.uk/News/bling-building-01_322x448.jpg

http://www.technal.co.uk/upload/Technal.co.uk/News/bling-building-03_322x479.jpg

http://www.liverpooloneoffices.com/images/bling/bling-bling.jpg

I found some images of other buildings that use the similar cladding. I think its called a TECU Gold by a German manufacturer KME. I have seen it before on a building in Liverpool called the "Bling" building that sparked just as much controversy! It actually has toned down and now looks well. It could be a unique point to the area rather than the boring square cladding used on the rest of the development.

http://www.tecu.com/products/surfaces/tecu-gold/pr_su_te-go_index.php

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2007/09/21/bling-bling-building-is-top-choice-100252-19822416/

I would put some pictures of how it looks today (has dulled down and matted alot) on if I knew how to upload.

Cheers :cheers:

Looks like everyone has it a bit crinkly then.

http://cache2.artprintimages.com/p/LRG/21/2149/EX1CD00Z/art-print/charles-bowman-guggenheim-museum-bilbao-euskadi-pais-vasco-spain.jpg


i think this started the look

Only Gehry used Titanium!!!

Drove past a couple of days ago and my first thoughts were - how high are they going to stack those bloody portakabins?
Then I suddenly realised the blue parts are the actual college and worse, it wasn't wrapped up in blue protection it was the finished article!
As it disappeared in my rearview mirror my final thought was, and the bloody vandals have already started denting those gold panels.
Sorry, not cheap and cheerful just a mess.
It's what comes of rushing things for political reasons - Mike Whitby should be ashamed of this cockup.

http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/record/current.jpg?rand=104481

I like the blue..

In person the left hand side of reiss' pic looks good but the right side just doesnt blend well with thew much lighter panels with a few random dark ones mixed in. The back is clad in what looks like plain white panels, im not too sure on it yet to be honest

contracts being awarded for internal work:


Artist's impression of the learning resource centre at Bournville College
SOLIHULL communications provider Amillan has been selected to provide ICT infrastructure work on the new £66m Bournville College in Longbridge.

Birmingham-based regen specialist St. Modwen is currently building a new campus, due to open in September, on the former MG Rover site south of the second city.

The contract win is the latest for Amillan in the education sector following previous work with Walsall College and City College in Birmingham.

The news also follows Amillan's recent appointment to provid......for the full story register now for free or login below...

http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/westmidlands/news/116883-amillan-selected-for-bournville-college-project.html?news_section=19011

hoardings are coming down on the longbridge lane side

Pic update online:

54 new pics including internal pics from January: http://www.facebook.com/emmapage91#!/photo.php?fbid=489890108028&set=a.489890003028.260931.312814198028&theater

Another 15 pics: http://www.bournville.ac.uk/2011/01/news-from-the-building-site-january-2011/

Timelapse video at the bottom of this page showing a years progress:
http://www.bournville.ac.uk/newbuild/progress/

all well worth a look:)

Im starting to like the back white cladding, it looks more siver in the light to be honest and the scale and size of the wooden beams is looking good, will look great when the glazing is fitted, less than 5 months untill completion and 7 months until opening to student intake now

From Building.co.uk


New Bournville College reaches development milestone

£66m Longbridge facility set to open in September


Shepherd Construction and regeneration specialist St. Mowden are celebrating the topping out of the £66 million Bournville College development in Longbridge.

The college represents the first phase of the redevelopment of the former MG Rover plant at Longbridge and has been designed by Birmingham based architects Broadway Malyan.

The new facility is set to open in September and will have capacity for over 15,000 students. The purpose-built 250,000 sq ft main building will house modern education facilities such as a learning resource centre, business school and construction workshop.

Bill Oliver, chief executive of St. Modwen, said: “The topping out of a development marks a great milestone and is always cause for celebration, especially with a project as important to the local area as this.”

Peter Millett, regional managing director for Shepherd Construction said: “To be constructing an educational facility that will be such an asset to the community is a great honour, particularly as the new Bournville College will create further jobs and opportunities for local people.”



Read more: http://www.building.co.uk/5013910.article#ixzz1EydVkZ81
building.co.uk
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

February Update

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/188415_10150099156478029_312814198028_6354167_3735737_n.jpg

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/185827_10150099156563029_312814198028_6354168_5291315_n.jpg

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/183631_10150099156638029_312814198028_6354169_1448165_n.jpg

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/184879_10150099156763029_312814198028_6354171_5479253_n.jpg

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/188271_10150099156828029_312814198028_6354172_3189355_n.jpg

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/188295_10150099156868029_312814198028_6354173_1532122_n.jpg

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/180967_10150099156943029_312814198028_6354174_4469221_n.jpg

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/184811_10150099157013029_312814198028_6354175_5927510_n.jpg

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/190263_10150099157098029_312814198028_6354176_2984484_n.jpg

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/184219_10150099157183029_312814198028_6354177_1982364_n.jpg

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/183711_10150099157263029_312814198028_6354178_5515827_n.jpg

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/188407_10150099157303029_312814198028_6354179_6179315_n.jpg

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=10150099156378029&id=312814198028&aid=272128

Cheers Reiss - looking great! That last photo showing the timber features reminds me of my idea for Curzone.

loving the latest pictures, i have to admit!!!

I can't see this info anywhere else so I'll put it here.
It seems the old site of Bournville College has been sold, contracts have been exchanged with, not surprisingly, Bournville Village Trust.
The site being where it is, there was never going to be anything exciting put there but the BVT intention is a Retirement Village.
One or two bedroom apartments, specialist dementia centre, nursing and care homes.
Big site, 10 acres, will probably build a Health & Wellbeing Centre later (GP's, Dentists, Pharmacy etc).
It will take about 5-6 years and cost £45 million.

Where was it you ahd seen it? or just word of mouth kind of thing?

Sorry should have given source.
Somewhat unconventional but is from the AGM of the Weoly Hill Village News.
In their report they quote Peter Roach, BVT Chief Executive who told them the Trust will take possession in August 2011 but can't start demolition until they've terminated four Telecom contracts, presumably aerials on the roof of one of the buildings.

The overhang part looks huuuuge!!

Weekend bus snaps...
http://i55.tinypic.com/biv6f.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/14wxbmu.jpg

Some brilliant shots on the shepherd facebook page:

March update:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=10150117658023029&id=312814198028&aid=278933#!/album.php?fbid=10150117658023029&id=312814198028&aid=278933#!/photo.php?fbid=10150117658143029&set=a.10150117658023029.278933.312814198028&theater


Ariel shots:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=10150115171093029&id=312814198028&aid=278081#!/album.php?fbid=10150115171093029&id=312814198028&aid=278081#!/photo.php?fbid=10150115171258029&set=a.10150115171093029.278081.312814198028&theater


Deffinatley worth a look


Not sure how to post them, Reiss will know

Copy link location, put in url tags. Post it. Edit post. Click the link, the copy image location, and put within img tags (within url posted already like below)

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/189853_10150117658238029_312814198028_6514420_5373530_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150117658238029&set=a.10150117658023029.278933.312814198028)

Not too keen on this. Particularly the colour scheme and the dark "blue boxes". All looks a bit of a mess IMO.

Amazing Aerial shots

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/198475_10150115172943029_312814198028_6494297_5090500_n.jpg

The graduated blue tones aren't as subtle as I was expecting. Which is a shame because it looks more tacky now, although I do think the copper building saves it.

The graduated blue tones aren't as subtle as I was expecting. Which is a shame because it looks more tacky now, although I do think the copper building saves it.

It's the dark blue/off green boxes that kill it for me.. it totally clashes - was the developer colour blind or something?? :ohno:

Glazing is going in on the end bit where the overhang is

Saw it this evening while heading through the roadworks on the Bristol Road South. Looks quite impressive and big. Went up fast in a year.

Yup, its due to be completed and handed over July ready for September intake which by then the longbridge town centre should have started construction if it gets through planning and the youth centre will be well under construction

They seem to be rerouting the road layout around there.

When is the next building going to start construction?

^^ Yeah the Bristol road is being reconfigured to allow access to the sites

The town centre development is due to start construction almost immediately when planning permission is granted according to St Modwen

I've always assumed that new schools and colleges were built to provide light and cheerful lecture rooms and classrooms.
Perhaps I'm getting the scale wrong but the windows across most of the college seem pretty small for a modern educational construction.
Are they really as small as they look?

^^ Well this is a photo from the shepherd development site for this on facebook showing one of the classrooms, It seems quite bright to me, Think its just the scale seems to make them look smaller from the outside

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/188689_10150117662993029_312814198028_6514481_3642787_n.jpg

http://bcfe-camera.dyndns.info:89/cgi-bin/guestimage.html

Can see in the cam in the link above they have now clad the steel uprights at the front in a wood like material

Thought id post this here, basically planning has been put in for a temporary 500 space car park on the site over the bristol road to this to cater for the students and staff untill the town centre and suitable levels of parking are developed. I think this is really gonna be one nightmare, 500 spaces over a main road to a college catering for 15,000 students? I know its only temporary untill there is spaces on the town centre development but the sainsburys isnt opening until easter 2013 and they could have easily opened it right behind the college , no need for students to be crossing the road then. layout below

http://eplanning.birmingham.gov.uk/Northgate/DocumentExplorer/documentstream/documentstream.aspx?name=public:0901487a80dd9ccf.pdf&unique=540904&type=eplprod_DC_PLANAPP

Finally got around to getting my own shots of the college (more or less complete).

Last time I got it (March 2010) they were just starting it.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5269/5866179681_10a8194753_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866179681/)
Longbridge - new Bournville College (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866179681/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

From the pedestrian footpath diversion on the left heading south

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5157/5866735182_f8d89edbda_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866735182/)
Longbridge - new Bournville College (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866735182/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5200/5866736236_bf935a6651_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866736236/)
Longbridge - new Bournville College (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866736236/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5274/5866184349_77ee45f0dd_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866184349/)
Longbridge - new Bournville College (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866184349/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6014/5866186545_f7cc7974b0_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866186545/)
Longbridge - new Bournville College (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866186545/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

Roadworks and site behind the college

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3049/5866738474_f659a68c50_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866738474/)
Longbridge - HGV's - No Left Turn - sign (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866738474/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

From the right side of Bristol Road South

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5183/5866189485_633fa88841_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866189485/)
Longbridge - new Bournville College (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866189485/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

From the pedestrian temporary diversion footpath

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5027/5866744600_ba7733eef9_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866744600/)
Longbridge Town Centre works and new Bournville College (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866744600/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5240/5866746866_5c5614a789_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866746866/)
Longbridge - new Bournville College (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866746866/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3168/5866197945_72dbc6e2af_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866197945/)
Longbridge - new Bournville College (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866197945/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3043/5866201413_86a3ceaa36_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866201413/)
Longbridge - new Bournville College (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866201413/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5314/5866755704_f04916d408_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866755704/)
Longbridge - new Bournville College (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866755704/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3110/5866215769_352e5338b5_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866215769/)
Longbridge - new Bournville College (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866215769/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5200/5866216815_9016ea0b22_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866216815/)
Longbridge - new Bournville College (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866216815/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

From the bottom of Bristol Road South in Longbridge, looking north (near the island)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5067/5866774426_5513c24d94_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866774426/)
Longbridge - new Bournville College (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/5866774426/) by ell brown (http://www.flickr.com/people/ell-r-brown/), on Flickr

i think the detail of the gable of this structure really sets off the building. if done poorly, this could break what otherwise could be a sound design... bit imho, this really makes it!!!