Moda, Loudon’s Yard is a 398-home build-to-rent neighbourhood off the Hagley Road, in the heart of Edgbaston. It wowed the CoStar Impact Awards judging panel to claim commercial development of the year in the West Midlands, thanks to its innovative sustainability features and its position as gateway site into a major development in the leafy Birmingham suburb.
Opened in August 2024 and reaching practical completion on schedule in November 2024, the neighbourhood is Moda’s second build-to-rent development in Birmingham, delivered alongside Calthorpe Estates. The development is supported by investment from KKR.
Across three blocks of up to 14-storeys, Loudon’s Yard includes a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom homes for rent. The homes are complemented by 14,000 square foot of amenities, including a 24/7 gym and fitness centre, private dining room, projection and gaming screen, resident lounge and co-working areas. Rent includes access to these spaces, high-speed Wi-Fi, and a 24/7 concierge service.
The neighbourhood also includes an acre of landscaped courtyards and gardens.
The amenity spaces are complemented with a regular programme of resident events curated and run by the onsite team.
About the project:
The neighbourhood’s "best-in-class service" includes a 24/7 resident ambassador team and bespoke MyModa app. Construction of the neighbourhood created 5,569 weeks of employment, apprenticeships and work experience opportunities for local people.
One of the key performance aspects of Moda, Loudon’s Yard is the neighbourhood’s environmental performance. To maximise the building’s efficiency as well as generate performance data, the neighbourhood has smart sensors installed throughout, including in apartments, communal and amenity spaces.
It is the first phase of Moda and Calthorpe Estates’s New Garden Square masterplan. Announced in 2023, the 11-acre residential led urban community proposes £6 million of public realm, 1,600 homes, offices and retail. The second phase of the masterplan – a 37-storey BTR neighbourhood – received full planning permission in August 2024.
What the judges said:
"It is clear that a lot of work has been put into the quality of the development as well as extensive engagement with the local community. A lot of work has gone in to supporting health and wellbeing and this is reflected in excellent feedback from the tenants. A lot of thought was also put in to environmental performance with real live data available to the tenants. There were strong results on supporting local employment," said Rob Groves, joint head of development, MEPC.
"Providing rentals for the community with fabulous facilities to help build a community with outdoor green space. During the construction phase it helped apprentices with employment and work experience opportunities. The icing on the cake is the benefits of monitoring the carbon footprint the scheme produces now the residents are in situ and they have the technology to help them reduce the costs. it also enables businesses to live alongside the community," added Dawn Cooper, partner – Operational, Bromwich Hardy.
They made it happen:
James Blakey, planning and engagement director; Kathryn Lewis, commercial and legal director; Anthony Lowe, director of projects, all, Moda Living; plus Ralph Minott, master planning and development director, and Haydn Cooper, from Calthorpe Estates; Lisa Deering, managing director, Glancy Nicholls Architects; Russell Sullivan, operations manager and Peter Caunt, principal quantity surveyor, Winvic Group.
