25-storey apartment block plans revealed
A25-STOREY block of apartments is to tower over a burgeoning city centre district.
Chinese investors behind the development have unveiled plans to build more than 500 apartments on the site of a car dealership in Digbeth.
Prosperous Global China Capital wants to demolish the Renault site in High Street and replace it with a residential block of 263 one-bedroom, 252 two-bedroom and two threebedrooms apartments.
The development, to be called ‘Lunar Rise’ in a nod to the city’s historic Lunar Society, would be a mixture of heights, ranging from six to 25 storeys with the tallest part sitting on the corner High Street and Clyde Street.
Renault is due to leave the site by the end of 2017 and construction is expected to start in early 2018, subject to planning consent.
The project would join a growing list of residential develop- ments in the Digbeth area including the former Harrison Drape factory, Connaught Square and the old Westminster Works industrial site among others. Architecture practice Corstorphine + Wright has designed the scheme.
It said in a report accompanying the planning application: “The site on High Street currently occupied by Renault is an important location and focal point for the redevelopment of Digbeth and also the growth of the city with the adoption of The Big City Plan, the proposed expansion of the tram network and introduction of HS2 to the Midlands. The proposals will create a new focal point for Digbeth with a re-animated street scene, creating high-quality apartments around south facing courtyards and elevated views back towards the city centre.
“This scheme will offer something different for residents of Digbeth and its location within the city provides an opportunity to provide a significant amount of accommodation that will contribute towards the requirement of new housing in the city.”