Second furniture store planned for burgeoning Edgbaston Village

A SECOND furniture shop is set to open a showroom in Birmingham’s Edgbaston village.

Sofa.com is poised to launch a new shop in Calthorpe Road.

It follows news earlier this month that Oka – the company co-owned by David Cameron’s mother-in-law – plans to launch a showroom next spring in nearby Harborne Road.

Property group Calthorpe Estates has lodged new plans to convert and extend a Victorian property at 43a Calthorpe Road to create the Sofa.com shop.

Although not listed, the threestorey building was constructed in the mid-1800s and was used as residential accommodation until being converted into offices in the 1960s.

It is currently occupied by bereavement charity Edwards Trust but this is due to relocate elsewhere on the estate.

A statement in support of the planning application to Birmingham City Council said: “In seeking to ensure that the property does not remain vacant, Calthorpe Estates has been in negotiations with potential occupiers who are attracted to invest within Edgbaston Village.

“Calthorpe Estates has an occupier interested in leasing the unit, namely Sofa.com, a bespoke furniture specialist who would be entirely appropriate within the village setting. It is considered that the site could be sensitively adapted to accommodate such a use while respecting the site’s Conservation Area setting.”

Sofa.com has showrooms in London, Scotland, Yorkshire and Bath and sells lounge and bedroom furniture and accessories.

The new store will feed into the wider regeneration plans by Calthorpe Estate which is leading a project called The Village, comprising new commercial premises, houses and public space on the roads around Greenfield Crescent.