Holloway Head
Birmingham, England
Key Facts
Client
Winvic Construction
Architect
Corstorphine & Wright
Programme
71 Weeks
Value
£9.6m
Scope
11,500m2 SFS
Obex EPDM
Proctor Wraptite membrane
Independent Fire Tests
Drylining Partitions & Ceilings
Lay in grid ceilings
Completion
September 2025
The Project
One of Birmingham’s largest PRS schemes. The site, located just ten minutes’ walk from Birmingham New Street Station, had been vacant for over 25 years. Its redevelopment was part of Birmingham’s ongoing Big City Plan.
The modern design consisted of four blocks ranging from 10 to 16 stories, creating 485 one-to-three-bedroom apartments, extensive resident amenity spaces, and 3,660 sq. ft of commercial space.
Due to the evolving nature of modern high-rise construction and the need for value engineering on the DCL package, a new SFS spec using a Portuguese board was developed. This board, known as SnapSure or EasyCut, was not available in the market at the time. Another significant challenge faced on this project was access, this required the development of an installation method that allowed the panels to be built on the ground and then safely lifted into position without the use of a crane. This led to the creation of a panellised system utilising retaining angles, enabling the entire project to be built and boarded without the use of external access equipment.
To ensure the new build-up performed correctly, DCL conducted their own fire tests using the new products and fixing methods. The test results exceeded expectations, with the panels achieving 57 minutes more than the desired performance.
