IN Brief:
- GRAHAM will work towards delivery of the first phase of Holbeche Place in Solihull.
- Plot one includes 346 build-to-rent homes, commercial space, public realm, and town centre infrastructure.
- The scheme forms part of a wider mixed-use redevelopment of Mell Square.
GRAHAM has entered into a pre-construction services agreement with Muse for the first phase of the Holbeche Place redevelopment in Solihull town centre.
The agreement covers work towards delivery of plot one at Holbeche Place, the new identity for the redevelopment of Mell Square. The first phase will include the design and construction of a residential-led scheme delivering 346 build-to-rent homes across four buildings of varying heights, alongside ground-floor commercial and amenity space.
The phase will also include a central landscaped courtyard, new pedestrian routes, and public realm improvements intended to support town centre living and strengthen connectivity across the wider area. Plot one forms part of a larger masterplan to reposition Holbeche Place as a mixed-use destination at the heart of Solihull.
The scheme will be delivered in a constrained town centre setting. Works will require demolition of the existing multi-storey car park, with coordination around surrounding roads, neighbouring properties, existing retail areas, and public access. Demolition and enabling works are expected to begin in summer 2026.
Lisa Turley, development director at Muse, said: “With planning consent secured for the wider Holbeche Place masterplan and first phase we now want to kick start delivery and continue to build momentum.
“Holbeche Place is an opportunity to elevate and enhance Solihull town centre, with new homes, shops, restaurants, and public spaces. GRAHAM is the right partner to support our ambition as we work with our partners at Solihull Council and across the town centre to bring forward the benefits of redevelopment as soon as possible.”
Ronan Hughes, regional director at GRAHAM, said: “This first phase plays a critical role in setting the tone for the wider redevelopment of Holbeche Place. Our focus is on delivering a quality, well-considered scheme that will lay a strong foundation for the future phases of the project.”
The wider Holbeche Place masterplan covers around seven hectares and is expected to be delivered over several phases. The approved masterplan includes up to 1,600 homes, retail and leisure space, green public realm, and new routes through the town centre. Phase one is expected to begin on site in spring or summer 2026 and complete in 2029.
Bringing residential density into active retail environments requires early contractor input across demolition, logistics, phasing, utility interfaces, façade strategy, temporary works, and disruption management. These constraints can determine whether a consented masterplan becomes a deliverable programme, particularly where works must maintain public access and protect neighbouring businesses.
Holbeche Place sits within a wider shift in UK regeneration, where local authorities and development partners are using underperforming retail assets, car parks, and service yards to deliver housing-led mixed-use schemes. The work can be commercially attractive, but it carries operational complexity where trading environments, constrained access, and multiple stakeholders sit directly beside the construction boundary.
The build-to-rent element is also significant. Regional town centres are increasingly being repositioned as residential neighbourhoods rather than purely retail destinations, with institutional rental housing used to support footfall, evening economy activity, and longer-term investment in public realm. Solihull’s first phase is expected to establish the delivery approach for later stages of the redevelopment.
