Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form Students Design Belgrave Village Hoarding

Students studying a BTEC Diploma in Art and Design Practice at Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College in Birmingham have developed their skills to prepare for the workplace, by designing the hoarding for Wavensmere Homes’ £105m Belgrave Village development. The 12-acre regeneration site was previously occupied by the former Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College and Birmingham Sports Centre, until it relocated to an adjacent site over 10 years ago.

Briefed on the project by the Edgbaston-based developer in late 2022, 12 first-year students – ages 16 and 17 – created large format designs, incorporating Birmingham landmarks. Two winners have been selected by Wavensmere Homes to have their artwork produced into eight panels of prominently placed hoarding, within striking distance of the College campus (located on Belgrave Road).

The winning artwork was produced by Shakira Rahman, age 16, and Jamie Tran, age 17, featuring the renowned architecture of the Library of Birmingham, the Chamberlain Clock Tower, and Birmingham Town Hall, with a backdrop of bold and vibrant watercolours.

Ross Oates, Wavensmere Homes’ Project Director, based at Belgrave Village, said: “Working with the Art and Design students from Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College has been a great experience, as they live locally and are so interested and excited by the regeneration of this site, which had been vacant for so many years. Thank you to all 12 of them for working so hard on the designs. Choosing the two winners was a very tough decision – kudos to them both.

“We were thrilled to welcome the first residents to Belgrave Village this summer. Having such vibrant hoarding around the site – while the remainder of the 438 houses and apartments are completed – adds colour and a Brummie welcome to the first phase of this outstanding new development.”

Belgrave Village became one of Birmingham’s fastest-selling residential schemes when it launched to the market in summer 2022. 115 sales were secured by Wavensmere Homes on the launch day alone. The scheme is accessed off Belgrave Middleway (A4540), just outside the city’s Low Emission Zone.

Deborah Stone, Teacher of Art, Design and Media, at Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College, said: “The experience of participating in Wavensmere Homes’ hoarding design project has been a highlight of the year and has helped to prepare our first-year BTEC students for life beyond the College environment. They have successfully interacted with development professionals, whose brief involved commercial parameters and timescales. For the two winning students who now have their artwork on the Belgrave Village hoarding on an enormous scale, this is a wonderful achievement that could help to propel their careers as professional artists.

“We would like to urge more commercial organisations in the local area to engage with our talented sixth form students. It provides invaluable workplace challenges for pupils studying relevant courses, while also offering companies an insight into the thinking, priorities, and problem-solving capabilities of Gen Z.”

Apartments that are on the market at Belgrave Village for £210,000 have a projected rental income of up to £1,100pcm, representing a yield of 6.3%. Being constructed to achieve a high EPC-rating – with air source heat pumps, natural ventilation, low energy appliances, and EV car charging points – enables occupiers to lower their carbon footprint and household bills. 

While the rents at Belgrave Village are on a par with the Jewellery Quarter and other parts of central Birmingham, the scheme’s position on the outskirts of the Low Emissions zone affords the luxury of 12 acres of linear parks, open spaces, and a good allocation of parking. All 174 two-, three- and four-bedroom houses at the scheme have a parking space, while purchasers have the opportunity to buy parking with the 238 one- and two-bedroom apartments.

On completion of the scheme, all residents will also have access to a gym, co-working space, screening room, and concierge service. The privately owned development is free of investment management overheads, with a low service charge for the communal amenities shared across the 438 homes. The design of Belgrave Village and mix of apartment and house types will enable occupiers to care for a small pet, which is a major draw for so many people. 

For local journeys into the city’s business, shopping, and cultural quarters, cycling and E-scooters that are readily available for hire are the preferred methods of transport for most residents, although bus stops are positioned close to the new development. Moor Street station and New Street station are both around 1.5 miles away, offering frequent services across the UK rail network. Trains from New Street to London Euston take 63 minutes. The A4540 leads to the Aston Expressway (A38M) and provides easy access to the national motorway network.

To facilitate off-plan sales, Wavensmere Homes has invested in virtual reality headsets, a fly through video and 360-degree touchscreen, to give prospective purchasers the opportunity to get a real feel for the environment they will be living in. The touchscreen also has a sun path analysis function, enabling buyers to see the amount of sunshine their new home will benefit from all year round.

Wavensmere Homes is delivering Belgrave Village in partnership with Galliard Homes and Apsley House Capital. Headquartered in Edgbaston, Birmingham, the rapidly growing housebuilder has around 3,500 properties in production, or in planning.

For further information on Belgrave Village, or to book an in-person, or virtual appointment, contact Connells’ Birmingham office on 0121 212 0800, or email info@wavensmere.co.uk.