Twenty-three storey office scheme unveiled for Birmingham city centre
Birmingham city centre could be destined for another major office tower under plans unveiled as part of the One Axis Square scheme.
Following initial approval for the demolition of the existing Axis building and its replacement with a new nine-storey building, property owner London and Continental Railways has submitted plans for the wider site.
The plans include proposals for a 23-storey office block, in addition to two other buildings – one 14-storeys tall and the other, six storeys high.
The six-storey Building Two would comprise 3,024 sqm of NIA office space and 698 sqm of NIA retail use on the ground floor, making a total NIA of 3,722 sqm. Building Three will be up to 23 storeys high with 46,297 sqm of NIA office space and 2,086 of NIA retail space, making a total of 48,383 sqm. Building Four would be up to 14 storeys with 22,203 sqm of NIA office space with 887 sqm of NIA retail space, totalling 23,090 sqm of NIA space.
The proposals incorporate a lower ground basement beneath the footprint of the four buildings. This will provide parking for 49 vehicles and 800 bicycles plus employee changing rooms.
The combined scheme is intended to create a vibrant new commercial office development of one million square feet. The aim is to improve connectivity with nearby locations such as the Mailbox and Arena Central.
A planning statement prepared by Quod on behalf of LCR states that the scheme is intended to regenerate a pivotal site in the city centre with the potential to deliver more than 8,000 new jobs. The scheme is designed by architects Fletcher Priest and landscape designers LDA Design.
The planning statement concludes: “The Axis building is at the end of its useful life and even with comprehensive refurbishment would not be able to compete with modern office buildings being developed elsewhere in the city centre.
“The location of this tired building in the centre of the site results in an underdeveloped resource in the city capable of making a significant contribution to that city centre growth.
“The proposals have the potential to deliver an additional 8,000+ new jobs and provide a vibrant mixed-use scheme which would contribute to the wider economic health of the city centre.”
