U and I Group plc

11/07/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/07/2022 05:04

CIRCUS STREET BRIGHTON WINS PARTNERSHIP AWARD

Brighton's Circus Street cultural quarter scooped its fourth major national award since it was completed last year, this time for best private/public partnership in the EG Awards 2022, leading awards for the commercial real estate industry.

Representatives of the winning team, U+I, Brighton & Hove City Council and the University of Brighton picked up this coveted award for the development which has already won the AJ 100 Building of the Year 2022, Sussex Heritage Awards - Large Residential 2022 and the WAN Future Project Mixed Use 2021. The scheme has also been a finalist for six other property and design awards.

Circus Street was officially opened one year ago by Brighton & Hove City Council Leader Phélim Mac Cafferty at a ribbon cutting ceremony with members of the unique public private partnership formed to transform the former fruit and vegetable market site, led by U+I and Brighton & Hove City Council, with Scape, M&G Real Estate, the University of Brighton, South East Dance and Coast to Capital.

Developed by specialist regeneration developer U+I and designed by award-winning architects ShedKM, Circus Street includes 142 homes, 450 student bedrooms, a new innovation community in 30,000 sq ft of new office space, a range of food and drink outlets and, at its heart, a new home for South East Dance in the city's first purpose-built dance house.

State of the art environmental building design has been combined with landscaping focused on building biodiversity, making this a very green development where over 100 trees have been planted, including a mature elm tree, centrally placed as an emblem of regeneration and growth.

Cllr Phélim Mac Cafferty said, "I am thrilled that Circus Street has won another important national award. This acknowledges the unique and successful partnership between Brighton & Hove City Council, U+I and the University of Brighton. The Circus Street development has transformed this derelict brownfield site into an exciting city community with bold design, homes, jobs, culture and community space with quality public art that can be enjoyed by all."

Rob Sloper, Project Director, U+I, said, "It has been a pleasure working with such a forward thinking Council and University to deliver really important economic and cultural benefits to the local area and the City as a whole. We are delighted to win this award for a specialism that we are particularly proud of; working in partnership with public sector organisations."

Professor Debra Humphris, University of Brighton's Vice-Chancellor, said, "The Circus Street scheme is a worthy winner of this award and is a fantastic example of what can be achieved through bold thinking and partnership working. The partnership we have with U+I and the city council has not only made a huge difference at Circus Street but also transformed our Moulsecoomb campus for the benefits of our students, staff and the local community."

Circus Street is creating over 400 new jobs and will add more than £200 million gross value to the local economy in the next ten years.

(Photography by Ed Telling).