Martineau Place

Martineau Place is a shopping centre located in the city centre of Birmingham, England. It is located on land bounded by High Street, Union Street, Bull Street and Corporation Street and is directly opposite House of Fraser, formerly known as Rackhams.

Developed by the Birmingham Alliance, it contains a mixture of shops and restaurants with the emphasis on food and drink which is located on the roofs of the shops.

Detailed planning permission was granted in 1999 as phase 1 of a development of the area dubbed "Martineau Galleries" with the phase 2 receiving the name of the entire development. Martineau Place was completed in September 2001. As part of the development, the "Bull Street Hump", a subway system for vehicles and pedestrians, was removed and repaved to create a crossing. This was completed in July 2000.

The undulating topography of the area meant that the area at ground level for Union Street has to be accessed via steps on Bull Street. This topography meant that shops could be created on Bull Street ground level which would generally be underground if located on Union Street. Above the shops, a sheltered public square was created. The same material used to shelter the square has been used to cover the entrance at Union Street and the entrance to a Sainsbury's supermarket.

As part of the development, the facade was modernised from the 1960s appearance however the highrise office building, One Martineau Place, was not developed. A new frontage on Corporation Street was constructed with a circular turret-like structure on the junction of Corporation Street and Union Street forming the entrance to a Gap store.

In 2004, contracts were exchanged and the Birmingham Alliance sold the shopping centre.

See also

• Bullring Shopping Centre

External links

• Official website
• Martineau Galleries development archive
• The Birmingham Alliance Exchanges Contracts to Sell Martineau Place - Land Securities
• Image of Martineau Place