LEADING MEP and sustainability consultancy CPW has partnered with developer Court Collaboration to deliver its most ambitious project to date – One Eastside, the tallest building in Birmingham and the city’s first ever skyscraper.
Having secured funding work will now start on the 51-storey building, with a total height of 155.1 metres, building on CPW’s experience with tall residential builds. The consultancy was awarded the contract in 2018 and is delivering mechanical, engineering, and plumbing services, along with advising on sustainable approaches. CPW developed the energy and embodied carbon strategies, ensuring environmental considerations were top of the agenda.
Formerly a chemical engineering teaching facility for Birmingham Metropolitan College, One Eastside is a landmark regeneration of a brownfield site vacant for many years and is just a stone’s throw away from Curzon Street station, part of the £1billion HS2 development, expected to complete in 2026.
Designing a build to rent tower of this height presents a range of challenges, in particular when considering fire prevention and ventilation. Led by associate director, Paul Titmus, and drawing on extensive experience in the industry, CPW were able to advise the developer of best practices to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the end tenants. The physical height of the building also meant engaging with the Civil Aviation Authority and Birmingham Airport to raise the height of the Instrument Flight Procedure (IFP) for the whole of Birmingham.
Paul said: “The project has taken four years to reach this stage, so we are delighted to continue our involvement in the next stage of this landmark building’s development. One Eastside firmly puts CPW on the map and we’re really proud to be working alongside Court Collaboration to bring this vision to life.
“The development will have a hugely positive impact on the area and will remain a very visible addition to Birmingham’s skyline; it’s a testament to where the city is headed in the future.”
Local people will benefit for the development thanks to its proximity to the new station, with HS2 connecting Birmingham and London in under an hour. Residents at One Eastside will be just minutes’ walk from the city centre and all the amenities on offer, likewise businesses will benefit from increased footfall in the area, plus more students from several local universities drawn to the area’s renewed vibrancy.
Alex Neale from Court Collaboration said: “For us, it was the obvious choice to partner with CPW – they have long been a trusted partner to Court Collaboration and bring a wealth of experience managing and delivering residential developments, including tall towers.
“The CPW team, led expertly by Paul Titmus, were able to provide solutions-driven advice and were able to respond quickly and capably to the requirements of this unique project. As a company, we like to work with local teams wherever possible, as this brings an added sense of pride in working on projects that showcase our cities and showcases what can be achieved by teams living and working in the area.”
One Eastside is expected to complete by Q3 2026.
For further information on CPW visit www.cpwp.com or follow @CPWengineering on social media.
For further information on Court Collaboration visit www.courtcollaboration.com.
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