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SIX prestigious design practices have been shortlisted to compete for the opportunity to design and deliver Birmingham’s first city centre park for over a century. All are major names in the world of landscape design, and include designers or specialists of international standing, including designers from outside the UK.

The Eastside City Park design competition was launched in March 2006 and attracted well over 100 enquiries, including firms based in Europe and India.

The enquiries generated twenty-nine completed submissions, which were evaluated by a panel of six assessors in a process overseen by the City Council’s procurement service. Eleven teams were selected to go forward for interview in June, and six were chosen to proceed to the concept design stage, based on their inspirational approach to the design of parks and public spaces, and proven ability to handle the delivery of large and complex landscape projects.

The shortlisting panel included representatives of CABESpace, the government’s design advisory body for public realm, and Millennium Point, Professor Kathryn Moore, President of the Landscape Institute and Birmingham City Council’s City Design Advisor Philip Singleton.

The teams will prepare concept design schemes and technical reports over the next two months, for submission in mid September. The submissions will be assessed, and presented for comment by the public during October, before an expert judging panel selects the best design team during November. It is expected that the City Council’s Cabinet will confirm the winning team during December 2006.

Eastside is a key component in Birmingham's renaissance, preparing the city for the future by encouraging investment and job creation as well as economic and cultural growth in the area. Eastside City Park has been an integral component of Birmingham’s Eastside vision since the project was first developed. In January 2005 the City Council’s cabinet approved a phased approach to the development of a delivery strategy for the park, alongside approving the proposal for a joint venture with regional development agency Advantage West Midlands. This partnership will deliver the entire site for the park as part of a wider programme of site assembly and redevelopment. Progress has been significant with most of the park site already secured.

The aim of holding the competition is to deliver an inspirational and memorable 21st century park for the people of Birmingham, that will also make Eastside a magnet for visitors and prestige developers.

Councillor Ken Hardeman, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Chairman of the City Park Steering Group said, “Birmingham is reinventing itself: acclaimed changes in the city centre over the last two decades have revolutionised the city and how it feels to live and work here.

“The Eastside project is continuing this for the 21st century by creating of a new piece of city centre and at the heart of this transformation will be a new park, the first to be made in the city centre for more than a century. I welcome the interest and commitment shown by the design community in this unique opportunity to define a new part of Birmingham’s city centre. We were overwhelmed by the quality and creativeness of the submissions presented to us by the successful practices, and with their help we will set new standards in urban development and regeneration.”