National construction business drives Midlands growth with major contract wins

Left to right: Andy Bruce (Joint Midlands MD GMI), Simon Raiye (Development Director HBD); Lee Powell (MD GMI); Andy Street (Mayor of West Midlands); Gareth Jones (Joint Midlands MD GMI); Ed Hutchinson (MD HBD)

GMI Construction Group PLC (GMI) has secured construction contracts valued at over £100million in the West Midlands region over the last 18 months.

The announcement came as Andy Street, Mayor of Birmingham, visited Setl, one of the many projects that GMI is delivering in the West Midlands. Setl is a new £25million residential scheme which GMI is constructing on behalf of its client, HBD.

As part of the investment and expansion into the Midlands, GMI is currently delivering in excess of 550,000 sq ft of logistics space including a 210,000 sq ft logistics hub for aerospace giant Leonardo and a 155,000 sq ft BREEAM Outstanding distribution unit in Longbridge for St. Modwen. In Birmingham, GMI is delivering 167 student accommodation units for Alumno as well as 101 apartments in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter for HBD. GMI is also assisting in the regeneration of Derby, delivering 259 apartments for St James’ Securities.

Welcoming Andy Street to Setl, Gareth Jones at GMI, commented: “The level of development activity taking place across the Midlands is incredible and we are proud to be playing our part in the region’s ongoing transformation.

“We’re working closely with trusted development partners such as HBD, to deliver superb spaces for people to live and work, spaces designed for people the thrive, which in turn will help to power the Midlands Engine. Creating spaces that are designed for future living, spaces which deliver wellbeing and health benefits are key issues which will help achieve levelling up and we’re proud to be working together to drive inward investment to the area.”

A national business with four regional offices, GMI Midlands is based in the Jewellery Quarter in the heart of Birmingham. GMI has been delivering in the West Midlands for over 20 years, with the most recently completed project being 430,000 sq ft of prime logistics space for fashion giant ASOS.

Today, the company is working on nine schemes and employs over 85 people in the region as well as having procured over £70m of services from local subcontractors in the Midlands, covering a range of developments across multiple sectors. These projects have a new retail park development in Tamworth, a conversation of the existing James Cond building, a new Construction College for University College Birmingham and multiple residential schemes covering build to rent / private sale and student accommodation models.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “It was great to visit Setl and learn first-hand how GMI and HBD are bringing forward important projects such as this, here in the Jewellery Quarter and right across the region.

“Construction is playing a vital role in the renewal of the West Midlands, by not only providing the quality homes we need for the future but also reclaiming old brownfield sites, creating jobs, inspiring innovation, and helping reinvigorate communities.

“The work being done by GMI is a great example of how collaboration between the public and private sector is helping inject future funding into the West Midlands economy.”

Located in the thriving Jewellery Quarter, Setl will comprise 102 high-end apartments, extensive amenities including a residents’ lounge, gym studio and private roof garden and 2,500 sq ft of commercial space.

Ed Hutchinson, Managing Director of HBD, continued: “We’re very proud that the Mayor visited Setl to see how we are working with GMI to deliver high quality, design-led homes for the community. Setl is our first project in Birmingham and we are focussed on further investment in this region, working closely with the public sector and with trusted partners such as GMI to achieve this.”