26-storey tower block ‘contravenes city policy’ Architect: Redevelopment of 1960s landmark flies in face of planning guidelines
A26-STOREY apartment block which is set to replace a slice of Birmingham’s Brutalist 1960s architecture ‘contravenes’ the city council’s policy on height, according to a leading architect.
The blueprints were unveiled after a row erupted over the redevelopment of the Ringway Centre, which spans the length of Smallbrook Queensway.
But the residential tower near Hurst Street contravenes city planning policy on tall buildings in the area, according to architect and Birmingham Post columnist Joe Holyoak.
The project has been mired in controversy after he likened the road to London’s Regent Street and called for it to be saved in a Post column this year.
But in July, campaign body Historic England recommended to Government that the Ringway Centre be granted a certificate of immunity from listing, which would prevent it from being protected for five years.
Commercial Estates Group (CEG) has now submitted a planning application to Birmingham City Council which revealed the designs for the new buildings.
The section running from Holloway Circus to Hurst Street, including the bridge, will be demolished and replaced with a nine-storey and 26-storey building containing 309 apartments, ground floor shops and parking. The remaining section up to Debenhams will be renovated with an extra two storeys and a rear extension at first floor level. It will be reclad in glass to form offices and ground-floor shops.
There will also be basement parking. Snobs nightclub will be unaffected by the project.
The new office, leisure and retail space will provide room for around 1,100 staff.
The newly-formed Brutiful Birmingham Action Group recently said it was keen to save the building and placed it on its ‘at risk’ list.
It said it wanted to work with developers on future projects after the group emerged out of the doomed battle to save Birmingham’s Central Library.
However, Mr Holyoak was not confident the Smallbrook Queensway building could be saved as it is.
He said: “It’s very disappointing news that the certificate of immunity has been granted.
“I wish the campaign group good luck in working with developers on projects and exerting some influence, but there isn’t a great record of success in that.
“The design is enormous and contravenes the city council’s own tall buildings planning policy for that area.
“However, it is just a policy and not legally binding and in so many cases the planning committee ignores its own policy anyway.”
The 26-storey apartment block would rival in scale the Beorma Quarter regeneration in Digbeth, the former V-building site, in Suffolk Street Queensway, and Left Bank in Broad Street – all of which should be finished in the next few years.
CEG development manager Iain MacSween said: “Smallbrook Queensway ideally positioned to is benefit from investment prehensive regeneration.
“The current buildings are well past their prime and have a negative impact on the character, appearance and environmental quality of Smallbrook Queensway.
“They are out-dated, energy inefficient and unsustainable and do not meet the needs for modern occupiers.
“Birmingham is competing with major cities across the UK and the world to attract quality occupiers and the site offers a unique opportunity to regenerate this prominent location, creating new job opportunities, homes, retail and leisure. “We can also open up Hurst Street views, with an iconic landmark building offering.”
Ringway Centre was completed in 1962 and designed by James Roberts, the same architect behind Rotunda in New Street. into com-
In so many cases the planning committee ignores its own policy anyway Architect Joe Holyoak, right