£7.5 million neighbourhood centre planned for Blythe Valley

One of the region’s largest investors is creating a £7.5 million neighbourhood centre on its Blythe Valley Park scheme, near Solihull, on junction 4 of the M42, to create a new focal point for the growing residential and commercial community.

The site was already established as a high-quality business environment by IM Properties, before beginning to transform the residential element of the site, delivering up to 750 new homes alongside the parks existing amenity, creating a truly mixed-use scheme.

Now, work has begun on a neighbourhood centre to seamlessly connect the park’s residential and commercial elements.

Richard Knight, technical director for IM Properties’s strategic land arm, IM Land, says the aim is to bring the BVP community together and create a real sense of place.

“We’ve had a vision, right from the start, that Blythe Valley Park would set the standard for sustainable mixed-use schemes in the region, creating a best in class working environment for innovative businesses with quality and wellbeing at the heart of every decision,” he said.

“We already have several key elements of our community strategy in place; a Virgin Active gym, a Busy Bees day nursery and pre-school, and an independent coffee house, Java Lounge.

“We have been working alongside our residential partners, Bloor Homes and Crest Nicholson who are on site delivering new homes, with a number of occupants now living at Blythe Valley so it’s the right time to deliver a blended core which benefits those that are already residents, and future residents at the scheme. The neighbourhood centre will include a convenience store, a retail outlet, and 48 apartments.

“The investment to deliver the centre is significant, but the feedback we’ve already received from occupiers about our plans confirms our belief that the new amenity offering and the central hub will significantly add to the scheme and enhance the community feel of BVP.”

Knight says the neighbourhood centre is scheduled to open during the second quarter of 2021.

Bloor Homes and Crest Nicholson are on site building 1, 2, 3 and 4-bedroom homes.

Octopus Real Estate has also gained planning for a 1.4-acre site at BVP to create an 80-bed care home facility which includes extensive landscaping and a high-quality finish.

Blythe Valley Park, located at junction 4 of the M42, includes a mix of residential, commercial, industrial and leisure surrounded by 122 acres of parkland.