Viti Developments - developers of Birmingham's newest 'live/work' venture - have already sold one unit, reserved two and have strong interest in a further three.

Viti has sold Studio 3 at 14 Hylton Street, its converted Victorian building in the Jewellery Quarter, to Homer Creative, a design company with roots firmly in the city.

Birmingham-born founder Brian Homer, who started the company 25 years ago, and his partner Valerie Jenner have bought the 87 sq metre ground floor unit mainly because of the security and flexibility it provides.

Ms Jenner said: "The important thing for us is that we will have choices and control over our future.

"We can grow the business within the unit. We can outgrow it and feel confident it will sell in future markets.

"We can move the company to other premises but retain it as live/work space for ourselves.

"Or we can rent it to another company, because there is very little out there to tempt a small creative organisation.

"At the same time, this sort of investment seems a safer bet than putting more money into a pension fund."

Homer Creative's current rented premises are also in the Jewellery Quarter and, faced with an expiring lease, they had been looking for a new home for some considerable time.

Ms Jenner added: "We were beginning to doubt we would ever find something suitable.

"We like working in the Jewellery Quarter but, all around us, traditional businesses are moving out and development seems focused on purely residential schemes or residential with a few retail boxes on the ground floor without enough light, air or space for our kind of equipment and activity."

With more than half the staff born in Birmingham, the company has a strong commitment to the city, working with clients such as the Midlands TUC, Unison and Tindal Street Press.

Recently it designed the cover for local author Clare Morrall's Booker short-listed first novel.

Homer Creative will move into its new premises this autumn.

Viti's managing director, Hannah Martyr, said: "Fortunately Val and Brian contacted us soon after we began work on the building, so we have been able to model their unit around their particular needs.

"We are now fitting out a show unit in time for our full launch on April 12 but anyone who is interested should contact us as early as possible so that we can take their individual requirements into account."

Meanwhile, Viti has taken a reservation on Studio 8, the largest unit on the first floor with a mezzanine, from Public Interest Lawyers, another young company which, coincidentally, is currently working from the same premises as Homer Creative.

Its founder, Paul Shiner, wanted a new office with live-in facilities for use during the working week.

Studio 10 has been reserved by THDA Consulting Engineers, a three-year-old expanding civil engineering company which specialises in the design of roads and infrastructure to new developments. Director Stuart Hodgkiss plans to move from rented premises in the Jewel-lery Quarter.

Also on the table are unconfirmed offers from an IT consultant, a recruitment consultant and a photographer.

Ms Martyr hopes to see a synergy emerge as like-minded businesses, who could work together, begin to cluster in the former silver factory.

She said: "Some people think this live/work idea leads to isolation but, in fact, it's quite the opposite. There is already a strong presence of creative people, such as architects and designers, in the Jewellery Quarter and I believe we'll see a very vibrant community established in Hylton Street, where there will be interaction, knowledge transfer and shared contacts and contracts between the residents."

Viti is providing a total of six loft-style live/work units and two B1 offices at 8-14 Hylton Street, at guide prices from £140,000. ..SUPL: