Allsop Letting and Management appointed to run Birmingham’s tallest building and first skyscraper

Allsop Letting and Management (ALM), one of the UK's leading providers of professionally managed properties and a subsidiary of UK property consultancy Allsop, has been appointed to run The Octagon, a 370-unit build-to-rent (BTR) scheme in Birmingham.

Created by City Developments Limited (CDL), the 49-storey development will comprise one, two and three-bedroom apartments, and is due to be completed in summer 2025. As Birmingham’s tallest building, The Octagon is 155-metre-tall and the city’s first official skyscraper. It is also the world’s tallest pure octagonal residential tower.

The Octagon will feature a number of amenities, including a residents’ lounge, co-working areas, a private dining room and a fully equipped gym, as well as concierge services and a retail unit on the ground floor.

It is located at the northern apex of the city’s £1.2bn Paradise estate, set to comprise up to 10 new buildings. The Octagon will be the only private-rented-sector (PRS) development in the precinct and will benefit from an array of new infrastructure and amenities, including three new public squares, new pedestrian connections, as well as a wealth of restaurants and cafes, including Albert’s Schloss, Dishoom, F1®Arcade, Rosa’s Thai, Yorks Café, La Bellezza and Cow & Sow.

The Octagon boasts a convenient location, being a five-minute walk from Brimingham’s two mainline railway stations, which offer connections to both local and national destinations.

ALM has a strong track record in managing BTR and single-family developments across the UK and recently strengthened its team by appointing Simon Wilkinson-Reilly as its Head of Residential Asset Management. The firm’s units under management reached 5,500 in 2024, with a projected pipeline of 12,000 units.

In 2024, ALM won three HomeViews Resident Choice Awards acknowledging its work across multi- and single-family housing.

Matt Smith, CEO of Allsop Letting and Management, said:

“We are delighted to have been appointed by CDL to manage this iconic building as it continues to expand its UK PRS portfolio. With experience managing residential assets in key regional cities, we are confident that our expertise, access to data, and unwavering focus on delivering high levels of customer satisfaction position our team to deliver exceptional results.”

Neil McGinty, Development Director at CDL, said: “We look forward to working with Allsop Letting and Management on our landmark address in the city of Birmingham. With its high-quality amenities and excellent specification, The Octagon is well placed to set a new standard for rental living in Birmingham and beyond.”