{"id":63795,"date":"2025-04-30T20:09:10","date_gmt":"2025-04-30T20:09:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/63795\/"},"modified":"2025-04-30T20:09:10","modified_gmt":"2025-04-30T20:09:10","slug":"update-on-birmingham-city-centre-plans-for-dynamic-development-with-multiple-towers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/63795\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on Birmingham city centre plans for \u2018dynamic’ development with multiple towers"},"content":{"rendered":"

The proposed Birmingham development would provide five buildings in total – including a 49-storey tower<\/p>\n

16:47, 30 Apr 2025Updated 16:48, 30 Apr 2025<\/p>\n

\"AnAn aerial view of the proposed Birmingham city centre development.(Image: Design and access statement prepared by SimpsonHaugh Architects on behalf of Vita Group.)<\/p>\n

Major plans to build multiple new towers in the heart of Birmingham<\/a> have been recommended for approval once again.<\/p>\n

Proposals have been lodged for a mixed-use development, consisting of apartments, student accommodation and a hotel, on the site of the former Axis Building on Holliday Street.<\/p>\n

There would be five buildings in total, including a 49-storey residential tower, if the scheme went ahead.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Major plans for Birmingham\u2019s \u2018landmark\u2019 HS2 station take step forward<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Those behind the project have said the development could become a \u201cdynamic new destination\u201d in Birmingham city centre<\/a> and create a \u201cvibrant, lively atmosphere\u201d on the site, which is now a cleared plot of land.<\/p>\n

But a number of concerns were raised at a planning committee meeting<\/a> earlier this month, with Coun Philip Davis saying he was worried about the impact on historic buildings nearby.<\/p>\n

He also argued that the council<\/a> doesn\u2019t have a \u2018tall buildings policy\u2019, adding: \u201cWhat we\u2019re seeing is the incremental transformation of the city into a city of tall towers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we want to go in the New York direction – then let\u2019s have a debate about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coun Colin Green meanwhile was frustrated by the proposed housing mix, saying: “What we\u2019ve got here is a very tall building full of one-bedroom flats that doesn\u2019t meet the city\u2019s housing needs.<\/p>\n

“We already have enough [one-bedroom flats].\u201d<\/p>\n

\"CGICGI of the proposed Birmingham city centre development.(Image: Design and access statement prepared by SimpsonHaugh Architects on behalf of Vita Group.)<\/p>\n

An update, issued ahead of next week\u2019s planning meeting, said it was council officers\u2019 view that the housing mix can be supported in the \u2018inner central area\u2019.<\/p>\n

It also said that changes are proposed to building five, which would provide 122 homes, to be a \u201cfor sale\u201d residential building, rather than build to rent.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf the three residential buildings proposed, building five offers the most opportunity for families to be accommodated in larger units,\u201d it continued. \u201c[It is] therefore considered a positive change made to address concerns of the committee.\u201d<\/p>\n

On other worries raised earlier this month, the update said: \u201cThe proposed design of the individual buildings and associated landscaping and public realm is considered to be of high quality and the site suitable for tall buildings.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is some harm identified to heritage assets but this is not significant.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen weighed against the benefits of the proposal set out, the identified harm does not warrant refusal of the application.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Birmingham council tenants \u2018let down\u2019 as 40,000 bathroom and kitchen replacements needed<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

The proposals were therefore recommended for approval again and will be considered at the meeting on Thursday, May 8.<\/p>\n

Buildings one and two of the proposed scheme would be residential towers, 49 and 39 storeys, and comprise 868 residential units across them both.<\/p>\n

The student residential tower is proposed to be 29 storeys and provide 720 bedspaces as well as a food hall at lower levels.<\/p>\n

The fourth building would be used as a hotel with 229 serviced apartments while the fifth, a residential building, would deliver 122 homes across ten storeys.<\/p>\n

These buildings would be sat around a public square, which a council report said would be a \u201csignificant public realm improvement\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"BirminghamBirmingham City Council House in Victoria Square(Image: Alexander Brock)<\/p>\n

Coun Lee Marsham, chair of the planning committee, spoke positively about the proposed scheme earlier this month, saying it would provide \u201clots of housing which this city needs\u201d.<\/p>\n

On concerns over heritage, he went on to remind the committee that Historic England had not objected to the plans.<\/p>\n

Nick Jackson, area planning manager at the council, also highlighted how the housing mix was overall in favour of two and three-bed homes and noted there was a \u201cdeliverability factor\u201d as well.<\/p>\n

“We have to make best use of these sites and that’s why we see tall buildings in the city centre,” he said.<\/p>\n

He added the council already has guidance when it comes to tall buildings which takes into account relationships with existing landmarks; presence within existing views; impact on surrounding heritage and more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The proposed Birmingham development would provide five buildings in total – including a 49-storey tower 16:47, 30 Apr…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":63796,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7820],"tags":[855,983,984,748,393,4884,32894,285,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-63795","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-birmingham","8":"tag-birmingham","9":"tag-birmingham-city-centre","10":"tag-birmingham-city-council","11":"tag-britain","12":"tag-england","13":"tag-great-britain","14":"tag-planning-in-birmingham","15":"tag-politics","16":"tag-uk","17":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63795","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63795"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63795\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63796"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63795"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63795"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63795"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}