IM Properties has forged partnerships with four community organisations as it begins to outline the long term legacy it wants to create at Peddimore, Birmingham.

St Basils, The Jericho Foundation, The Pioneer Group and Witton Lodge Community Association, will all work with IM Properties to ensure individuals and communities most in need, benefit from both the social and economic value the company and its supply chain looks to deliver.

David Smith, planning director at IM Properties said: “We are delighted to be working with these four well-respected social value partners, who are already making a big impact in the communities they work with and can help to ensure our contributions return maximum results.

“Our social value pledge at Peddimore will be on a number of levels, both time and money and everyone who works on the scheme is signing up to make a difference.”

IM Properties and its supply chain will create employment opportunities such as paid roles, apprenticeships and work placements, in addition to organising fundraising events and doing voluntary work to make best use of both their professional and personal skills.

David continued: “We’re all really excited about beginning the journey with our social value partners and hope that it will provide a framework for how we might move forward on other significant schemes in the pipeline.”

IM Properties is partnering with Birmingham City Council for the first phase of the Peddimore employment park in Minworth, after an extensive, six-month international competition which attracted some of the leading real estate companies from the UK and beyond.

Tim Wooldridge managing director of IM Properties added that their commitment to delivering real social value was very much in line with the company’s own ethos.

“Philanthropy and supporting communities has always been a consistent theme at IM following on from the Chairman founding the charity Christian Vision and establishing the Grace Academy to help develop tomorrow’s leaders.

“As IM Properties continues to grow, creating more large scale schemes, it’s important to us that we support the communities in which we are developing and direct our desire to deliver social value at a local level.”

Jean Templeton, CEO St Basils, who work with people aged 16-25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness said: “We are delighted to partner with IM Properties on the Peddimore development. We’ll work together to make sure that IM Properties and the supply chain’s efforts are deployed effectively to address the needs of young people at risk of homelessness. This is a priority for the city and the region and it is good to see that businesses are responding to the challenge.”

Afzal Hussain, CEO Witton Lodge Community Association, a community association and community landlord based in Perry Common added: “We are pleased to be working with IM Properties and the supply chain to ensure that local residents are prepared and have access to the job opportunities presented by the development, both for the construction phase and eventual occupiers of the buildings.

Following an extensive public consultation over a two week period at eight venues surrounding Peddimore, IM Properties is now working through the feedback to help shape the next stage of its planning application in January.

The company’s aim is to create a high-quality development which attracts leading national and international manufacturing and logistics businesses, delivers a best in class employment location and an economic asset that Birmingham and the Midlands can be proud of.

Pictured above are: (L to R) Afzal Hussain, Chief Officer at Witton Lodge Community Association, Richard Beard from The Jericho Foundation, David Smith from IM Properties, Kashimar Munroe from St Basils, Simon Wilson from Pioneer Group and Louise Cotton from Heart of England